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Benedictions: The Pope in America

Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) – April 17, 2008 Washington (dpa) – Pope Benedict XVI greeted leaders of other faiths in the United States in a meeting Thursday in Washington, continuing the interfaith contacts that have not always gone well in the first three years of his papacy. While declaring his intention to build on the work…

Benedict XVI has earned headlines and goodwill on this, his first visit as pope to the United States, by speaking out repeatedly about his anguish over the clergy sexual abuse scandal and yesterday meeting with a small group of abuse victims. The pope on Wednesday also told the American bishops at a meeting that some…

Below is the text of the pope’s speech to the U.N. just concluded. As expected, he’s a “natural” lawyer, and made the case very well. Also check out the CNS story.

In today’s Wall Street Journal I have a column on a thread that is increasingly emerging from the pope’s talks during this visit–namely, the need to recreate a new kind of Catholic culture, while at the same time not creating merely “cultural Catholics.” Not an easy one. Read more…

I saw this shot in Christianity Today recently, and couldn’t pass up a chance to post it. Yes, this blog is about Catholicism. But the pontiff took time out to say “Good yontif,” so we should as well. It’s a Google Earth perspective doctored to give us a new perspective on the age-old Exodus story–one…

It’s been a busy day, so let’s relax with some really useful trivia: Q: I’m confused when I hear “the Vatican,” “the Holy See,” and “Vatican City.” Are they all the same thing? Read more from the papal answer man, Chris Bellitto and his new book, 101 Questions on Popes and the Papacy.

So the pope’s surprise meeting with victims capped, and likely dominates, an intense and productive day for Benedict–and those following the visit. Interestingly, the expected priorities (or at least mine, and those of many others observers) did not pan out as expected. The mass at the stadium was the great outpouring, and also marked by…

Here is Benedict’s address to representatives of other religions:

Here is the Pope’s message to the Jewish community on the eve of Passover:

Check out Michael Paulson’s piece in the Boston Globe.
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