Church Sex Abuse Scandal Reaches Pope’s Circles

Staff / Truthdig Mar 13, 2010 One of Pope Benedict XVI's past decisions as head of an archdiocese in Germany has come back around in relation to a priest accused of molesting boys three decades ago, according to The New York Times. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Bible Study [A Cartoon From Germany]

Rainer Hachfeld, Neues Deutschland, Germany Feb 23, 2010 Dig deeper

Americans Picking and Choosing From Religious Grab Bag

Staff / Truthdig Dec 11, 2009 According to a survey by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life, Americans are getting more creative with their choice of religion -- or choices, as the case may be. They're picking and choosing from various world religions and using the Internet to learn about different faiths. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Report: Irish Catholic Church Kept Child Abuse Secret

Staff / Truthdig Nov 28, 2009 According to a newly released report commissioned by the Irish government, the Archdiocese of Dublin and other Catholic authorities in Ireland kept hundreds of complaints concerning the sexual abuse of children by members of the clergy covered up (continued). Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Give Kennedy His Cracker

Staff / Truthdig Nov 23, 2009 The name Kennedy is just about synonymous with American Catholicism, but (at least) one of the brood is publicly feuding with the church. Patrick Kennedy, son of Ted and U.S. representative of Rhode Island, has been forbidden by his bishop to take communion since 2007. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

‘Mass: We Pray’ Brings the Excitement of Church to Your Living Room

Staff / Truthdig Nov 19, 2009 Why wait for Sunday to practice your best bell-ringing, genuflecting and incense-swinging moves when you can bring the blessings home with the "Mass: We Pray" video game? Bonus: You can trade in Grace points to unlock the Holy Mysteries! Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Catholic Bishops Put Sex Obsession Ahead of the Sick and the Poor

Staff / Truthdig Nov 17, 2009 First they threatened to take down health care reform over abortion coverage Now they're threatening services to the sick and poor of Washington, DC, over same-sex marriageFirst they threaten health care, now the sick and poor of Washington, D. Dig deeper ( 7 Min. Read )

Crucifixes Barred From Italian Classrooms

Staff / Truthdig Nov 4, 2009 An Italian mom's wish for her kids to have a secular education provided the catalyst for a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights to bar crucifixes from being displayed in Italy's classrooms. Needless to say, the court's decision didn't sit well with the Vatican. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Pope Makes Room for Anglicans in Catholic Church

Staff / Truthdig Oct 20, 2009 It's been nearly 500 years since King Henry VIII split with the Vatican and formed the Church of England, and now Pope Benedict XVI has given Anglicans a way to come back to the Catholic fold while keeping some of their own traditions. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

A Bedroom Benediction for Married Catholics

Staff / Truthdig Sep 3, 2009 Ever wonder what the Roman Catholic Church might have to say about the proper way to prepare for the friskier side of holy matrimony? Well, here it is anyway: A Catholic organization in Britain has come up with a bedroom benediction for officially recognized (read: heterosexual) married couples to consult prior to consummation in its handy "Prayer Book for Spouses." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Insult to Injury for Irish Church Abuse Victims

Staff / Truthdig May 21, 2009 Although the Commission to Inquire Into Child Abuse found some 2,000 people who described the abuse they suffered at the hands of Catholic church officials in Ireland, resulting in a five-volume study (download the PDF version here), the alleged perpetrators have been shielded from prosecution, thanks to a successful lawsuit that protects their identities. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Pope Bringing Baggage to the Holy Land

Staff / Truthdig May 5, 2009 Pope Benedict XVI is heading for Jerusalem soon as part of his tour of the Holy Land, and although he occupies the same vaunted position as his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict's own history, along with that of the church, carries a charge that could present challenges during his visit. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )