Benedict’s Discomforting Message

E.J. Dionne Jr. / Truthdig Apr 18, 2008 The pope came to the U.S. as a quiet but forceful critic of "an increasingly secular and materialistic culture." Almost any American who paid attention to his sermon Thursday had to be uncomfortable because all of us are shaped by the very forces he was criticizing. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Coming to America

Staff / Truthdig Apr 15, 2008 The pope is set to land Tuesday for a whirlwind visit to America, his first since assuming the mantle of the Roman Catholic Church. A spokesman has indicated that Benedict XVI will address the church's sex abuse scandal, a topic around which protests are expected. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Bill Maher vs. the Pope

Staff / Truthdig Apr 14, 2008 The "Real Time" host uses the recent raid on a polygamist compound to point a finger at the Vatican, which he calls "the Bear Sterns of organized pedophilia -- too big to fail." This wasn't one of Maher's more applauded closing numbers, but it's not one you should miss. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Pope Goes Green for Christmas

Staff / Truthdig Dec 25, 2007 During his midnight Christmas mass at the Vatican on Tuesday, Pope Benedict XVI paid special attention to what he called the "ill-treated world" and our "selfish and reckless exploitation" of energy. He's not just all talk: it turns out the Vatican bought carbon credits this holiday season to offset emissions. It's just a little present to the world from the biggest little city in Italy. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Was It the Pope — or the Cute Beatle?

Staff / Truthdig Oct 18, 2007 No offense to those Catholics who were heartened by the prospect of Pope John Paul II's image appearing in a commemorative bonfire in Poland last April, but the UK's Times Online has helpfully offered some other possibilities as to who else, besides the departed pontiff, may have materialized in that mystical blaze. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Believers See Pope John Paul II’s Image in Bonfire

Staff / Truthdig Oct 16, 2007 At a gathering in southern Poland to mark the second anniversary of Pope John Paul II's death on April 2, 2005, one Gregorz Lukasik took pictures of the commemorative bonfire lit at the memorial and found a striking image when he saw the photos after the event. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Being Gay Still Not OK at Vatican

Staff / Truthdig Oct 13, 2007 Given the Catholic Church's record of dealing (or not) with homosexuality, especially within its upper ranks, it's not particularly shocking that the Vatican suspended Monsignor Tomasso Stenico after he said he was gay on an Italian television show. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Pope Disses Rice

Staff / Truthdig Sep 19, 2007 Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice may be persona non grata at the Vatican. When Rice swung through Italy in August, she gave notice ahead of time about her hopes to meet with Pope Benedict XVI, but the pontiff's camp politely rebuffed her request, explaining that he was on holiday. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

No Shirt, No Shoes, No Tour

Staff / Truthdig Jul 27, 2007 Visitors to the White House are now affronted with a new kind of conservatism: a dress code. Facing stricter guidelines than at the Vatican, tour seekers are now subject to the following rules: no jeans, sneakers, shorts, mini-skirts, T-shirts and tank tops and, especially, no flip-flops. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Pope: Only Catholics Go to ‘Church’

Staff / Truthdig Jul 11, 2007 In a move that strikes some as proprietary ecclesiastical politics, the Vatican released a statement Tuesday claiming that the Catholic Church is the only Christian organization eligible to use the term church to describe itself. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Thou Shalt Not Exceed the Speed Limit

Staff / Truthdig Jun 20, 2007 The Vatican has come up with "Ten Commandments" for drivers, warning that cars can be "an occasion of sin." The document recommends prayer for surviving the road in good physical and spiritual condition, especially saying the rosary while driving because its "rhythm and gentle repetition does not distract the driver's attention." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Vatican Shuns Amnesty International

Staff / Truthdig Jun 14, 2007 The Vatican is urging Catholics not to donate to Amnesty International because, it says, the group selectively promotes abortion. The human rights organization says the church has misrepresented its policy and, in the process, imperiled human rights. The World Health Organization estimates that 70,000 women die every year from unsafe abortions. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )