VATICAN CITY – On the feast of the Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Pope Benedict XVI said the church is called to be like the mother of God and look to Christ. The church is called to pay witness to the sanctity of life and work toward a future of peace, he...Read More

When Pamela Protani spent part of her day feeding and playing with children with mental and physical disabilities at a South African orphanage last month, she was stunned by the reception she received on the streets of Pretoria. “It was indescribable,” said Ms. Protani, a parishioner of St. Joseph in Fullerton who was one of...Read More

VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Zimbabwean Archbishop Pius Ncube of Bulawayo, the most outspoken critic of the country’s leadership who is also facing allegations of adultery. In an undated letter written by the archbishop and released by the Vatican press office Sept. 11, the archbishop wrote that he offered his...Read More

WASHINGTON – Priests serving in U.S. mission dioceses say they could benefit most from updates on Catholic thinking and practice – but keep it short, please, they said.Read More

Loyola Blakefield, Towson, graduate Mike Gioioso got the call last week that he was moving up the ranks of the Orioles’ organization from the Bluefield Orioles out of West Virginia to the Aberdeen Ironbirds, a short-season Class A affiliate of the Orioles. Gioioso, a versatile infielder, graduated from Loyola Blakefield in 2003 and then attended...Read More

A disappointing start to an otherwise hopeful season, The Catholic High School of Baltimore Cubs dropped their first field hockey league game on Sept. 6 to St. Timothy’s, Stevenson, 1-0 in overtime on a penalty flick. The team is coached by Anne Winters, a theology teacher at the school, who brings knowledge and a big...Read More

MARIAZELL, Austria – Inspired by a small wooden statue of Mary and the child Jesus, Pope Benedict XVI appealed on behalf of the world’s suffering children, including the poor, the orphaned and those forced to fight in wars. The pope spoke during Mass Sept. 8 for some 30,000 pilgrims at the Austrian shrine of Mariazell,...Read More

MODENA, Italy – Pope Benedict XVI mourned the death of Luciano Pavarotti and praised the Italian tenor for his extraordinary talent. In a telegram sent to Archbishop Benito Cocchi of Modena-Nonantola, the pope offered his condolences for the death of this “great artist who honored the divine gift of music through his extraordinary interpretative talent.”...Read More