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Nothing else was close. Benedict’s April visit to the U.S. took up 37 percent of the religion newshole, while religion stories from the campaign accounted for 21 percent, according to an analysis of the mainstream media in 2008 conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism. Other religion-related topics made low single…

As noted before, I’ve developed a great affection for St. Joseph, whose feast day is today. It is also, of course, Joseph Ratzinger’s name day (or onomastico, in Italian), and Benedict XVI, as we now call him, took note of that in his homly at mass today in Cameroon: “Jesus Christ brings us together on this…

It had seemed inevitable for some hours, but still terrible now that it is confirmed. The New York Times coverage is here, the WaPo here. Prayers for Liam Neeson and their two sons and the family.

THURSDAY UPDATE: John Thavis has a good look at the whole Vatican “redaction temptation” issue as regards the pope’s “official” comments.  It’s called, “There they go again…” PREVIOUS ENTRY BEGINS HERE: As the pushback against the pope’s statements about condoms worsening the spread of AIDS grows, the Vatican has apparently tweaked the pope’s comments for the official transcript to substitute the…

Not to worry–unlike the feisty cub the pope sported with in the Vatican last month, this one at right (AP foto via Rocco) isn’t going to hurt a bit. Such are the marvelous incongruities of a papal visit to a place like Cameroon. And of course serious issues, like the formation of priests–lots of vocation,…

David P. Gushee, a well-known and widely-respected ethicist and evangelical voice who supported Barack Obama, expresses what sounds like some buyer’s remorse in a March 16 column at USA Today titled, “Mr. President, we need more than lip service”: “I knew from the beginning that if Obama took typical Democratic positions on abortion-related issues, this…

But is it fear or faith that makes them do it? A new study from The Journal of the American Medical Association does not go into the motivations, but its findings are drawing notice: As The Times account has it: Terminally ill cancer patients who drew comfort from religion were far more likely to seek aggressive, life-prolonging…

“It always comes down to transubstantiation versus consubstantiation.” Leave it to Lisa to sum it all up. Last one for the day. Couldn’t stop myself. Tip to the Dish. Erin Go Bragh!  

As usual, CNS’s John Thavis has the fullest and best account in this analysis: YAOUNDE, Cameroon (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI’s declaration that distribution of condoms only increases the problem of AIDS is the latest and one of the strongest statements in a simmering debate inside the church. John also has the full text of…

 Actress Natasha Richardson apparently suffered some sort of head injury while skiing north of Montreal, but after dire reports that she was in critical condition or worse, it seems she’s now taken a plane back to New York with her husband, Liam Neeson. Let’s pray that’s good news. Neeson, who was filming near Toronto at…
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