Pope Benedict XVI begged forgiveness for clergy sex abuse on Friday and said he would do “everything possible” to stop such crimes in the future. The pope’s comments came at a Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica concelebrated with about 15,000 clergy who were in Rome to mark the end of the Vatican’s “Year for Priests.” Clergy sex abuse victims said, Enough with the apologies already, how about some action?
On Thursday, Benedict defended “the beauty of celibacy” for priests, saying it’s a sign of faith in an increasingly secular world. Celibacy is a hard sell in Europe though, particularly in France, NPR reports, where there is a shortage of priests. A new global survey shows that trust in priests has markedly declined worldwide.
Since the Empire State Building won’t light up for Mother Teresa, NYC officials, including Mayor Bloomberg, are planning a day of service in her honor. Staten Islanders are ticked off about plans to open a mosque in an empty convent. England’s Prince Charles says Western environmentalists can learn a lot from Muslims.
Scientists say a 13th-century Italian saint (that’s Santa Rosa de Viterbo at left) reported to have miraculous powers died of a broken heart. Newsweek will publish a look next week at the enduring appeal of St. Sarah of Wasilla.
Investigators are going to release a report on 1972’s “Bloody Sunday” in Ireland – when Protestant police gunned down 13 Catholic protesters – that was 12 years and $290 million in the making. Most young Americans, if they know about the incident at all, probably heard about it through U2’s song “Sunday Bloody Sunday.”
The wife of a Lebanese TV psychic is begging Saudi Arabia to release him from prison, where he is being held on charges of witchcraft.
