Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and representatives of other Orthodox and Anglican churches accompanied Pope Benedict in lighting a candle to launch the Year of St Paul.
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Volunteers refuse WYD powers
Rural Fire Service and State Emergency Service volunteers will not seek "authorised person" status while assisting with WYD in order to avoid "negative interactions with people".
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Vietnam up, US down on WYD numbers
A record number of Vietnamese pilgrims will attend World Youth Day this year but US numbers are down - and 50 Angola pilgrims are stranded in Sydney instead of Adelaide because tour organisers thought the SA capital was only an hour way.
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Celebrate the living spirit: Bishops urge
Australia's bishops have urged Catholics to "celebrate the Living Spirit" to mark Aboriginal and Torres Islander Sunday this weekend.
[More]
Korean priests in Mass protest against US beef
Two hundred South Korean priests have celebrated a street Mass in Seoul to protest an unpopular government decision to resume beef imports from the US.
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Bees for Benedict
Italian scooter manufacturer Piaggio has presented Pope Benedict with two new specially made three wheeled vehicles.
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Feature - Walking away from what they do not know
"People who leave the Church are not leaving because they are rejecting the teachings of John Paul II or Pope Benedict. Most do so because they go to Catholic schools and they think that the kind of warm secular humanism with Christian gloss that they get in Catholic schools is in fact the Catholic faith and it hasn't captured their imagination, their love or their intellect so they are walking away from something that they do not know." - The Catholic Herald
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Featured Website - First Things
First Things is a monthly ecumenical journal concerned with the creation of a "religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society." It is published by The Institute on Religion and Public Life in the United States of America.
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Film Review - Kung Fu Panda
Kung Fu Panda is essentially a martial arts comedy and is a total action movie. It has striking effects and action sequences and a particularly impressive concluding fantasy sequence which brings DreamWorks to a new level of technological sophistication. There is a strong cultural feel about the movie and it heavily draws on Chinese culture to bring authenticity to its fantasy. - Peter Sheehan, Australian Catholic Office for Film and Broadcasting
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Opinion - God is without circumference
His challenge was to see the beauty in every face, even when the owner of that face had long given up on it. Surely, that is to love others as Jesus did—Jesus the One who never gives up on us. If we are to love as Jesus loved, we need to be forgiving people. Forgiving people are bridge-builders and reconcilers. - Fr Chris Gleeson, Madonna
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OPINION
Beyond knowledge to wisdomI believe this is one of the crisis points for contemporary Christianity. Put bluntly, its representatives do not seem wise. Yes, those representatives can give you any amount of information, some of them can even speak knowledgeably of Christian teachings. Wisdom is another thing altogether. - Fr Michael Whelan [More] - Aquinas Academy
FEATURE
Connected across bordersIt is time for leaders of nations to see their national interests as connected with the interests of people on the other side of the globe. We have reached the point where human existence is at stake and our destiny is inextricably linked. If we are to overcome this crisis of climate change we need to think beyond the confines of national states. - Just Comment [More] - Edmund Rice Centre
FEATURED CATHOLIC WEBSITE
Catholic Education Diocese of ParramattaReturning to our education theme, we shine the spotlight on arguably the most innovative Catholic education website in the country. In addition to all the standard features of any CEO site, Parramatta's includes some interactive opinion polls and a competition for students to attempt to ''Become the Executive Director for the day''. The site is also well regarded for its RE and curriculum resources.
- www.parra.catholic.edu.au
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Pope's silent Easter Sunday blessing, then no show Monday
Pope John Paul II appeared at his window above St Peter's Square on Sunday, silently blessing thousands of Easter pilgrims, although he was unable to deliver his traditional urbi et orbi address.
The London Independent reports that he appeared "less haggard" than during his last public appearance on Wednesday, and made the sign of the cross. But when he tried to speak, he was unable to say a word, leading aides to remove a microphone from in front of him.
The Pope watched services from his private chapel, where a video link beamed his image on to screens erected at the Colosseum but the Vatican camera only filmed him from the side.
"The Pope is definitely going to survive the Easter holidays," a Vatican source said. "There have been too many Cardinals going on holiday away from Rome for his death to be considered imminent. The question is how long he can continue after the Easter break."
Yesterday, the Holy Father failed to appear for his usual Easter Monday blessing that marks the end of papal Holy Week celebrations.
But despite the no show, there was no immediate indication that his health has worsened.
Although the Vatican had never confirmed this year's event, expectant crowds filled St Peter's Square, chanting the Pope's name and hoping for a glimpse of him.
However, the Pope's windows remained firmly shut, and after waiting more than an hour in the huge square, many of the pilgrims reluctantly started to drift away.
It was the first time during his 26-year papacy that John Paul had failed to appear at midday (local time) on Easter Monday for the brief blessing.
SOURCE
Pope gives a silent blessing for Vatican's Easter pilgrims (The Independent 28/3/05)
Pope skips Easter Monday blessing (ABC News 28/3/05)
ARCHIVE
Audience cancelled, but Pope blesses crowd from window (CathNews 24/3/05)
Fresh doubts about Pope's health (CathNews 23/3/05)
Palm Sunday pilgrims retrace Jesus' trip to Jerusalem (CathNews 21/3/05)
Pope marks anniversary of Gaudium et Spes (CathNews 18/3/05)
No more updates on Pope's health crisis (CathNews 17/3/05)
Era of 'video-pope' approaches (CathNews 15/3/05)
Pope returns home from hospital (CathNews 14/3/05)
Pell says distance creates Australian uncertainty about Pope's health (CathNews 14/3/05)
Pope to come home for Holy Week (CathNews 11/3/05)
Pope a non-starter for Holy Week (CathNews 9/3/05)
Pope told to use gestures to spare voice (CathNews 8/3/05)
Pope´s message to Berlusconi on hero Nicola Calipari (CathNews 7/3/05)
Pope hoping to be home for Easter (CathNews 4/3/05)
Cardinal urges pope to keep World Youth Day commitment (CathNews 4/3/05)
Pope celebrates Mass in hospital room (CathNews 2/3/05)
Chilean cardinal to announce Pope´s successor (CathNews 1/3/05)
Pell backs Pope resolve to carry on (CathNews 28/2/05)
Pope set for tracheotomy procedure (CathNews 25/2/05)
Mixed signals on Pope recovery (CathNews 23/2/05)
New Pope book hits Jewish sensitivities (ICathNews 21/2/05)
Pope tells media to promote truth, not trash (CathNews 22/2/05)
Vatican official urges effort to reach lapsed Catholics (CathNews 4/6/04)
Pope again encourages use of Internet for evangelisation (CathNews 18/2/04)
Vatican official urges advertising that promotes human dignity (CathNews 29/10/03)
64% in US use Internet for religious reasons (CathNews 19/5/04)
Pope says truth in media serves cause of peace (CathNews 26/3/03)
MORE STORIES
Urbi et Orbi: Pope gives a silent Easter blessing (catholicireland.net 28/3/05)
Pope's health worries faithful (Daily Telegraph 29/3/05)
Pope makes appearance at Vatican window (ABC Radio AM 28/3/05)
Pope calls on the world to recognise that the Resurrection renews everything (AsiaNews.it 27/3/05)
Too many Catholics continue to scorn Jesus, Cardinal Ratzinger says (Catholic News Service 35/3/05)
Pope sends written greetings to Vatican Holy Thursday liturgies (Catholic News Service 24/3/05)
Pope offers silent Easter blessing, sends faithful written message (Catholic News Service 28/3/05)
Pope skips Easter Monday blessing (Catholic News Agency 28/3/05)
Pope's illness seen "directly related" to Paschal mystery (Catholic World News 25/3/05)
Frail Pope is still fully lucid and in charge (Catholic World News 25/3/05)
Fiery Good Friday homily by papal preacher (Catholic World News 25/3/05)
Silent and suffering, Pope offers Easter blessing (Catholic World News 28/3/05)
No papal appearance on Easter Monday (Catholic World News 28/3/05)
Disturbed man saved from Vatican basilica dome (Catholic World News 28/3/05)
Pope blesses Easter faithful but is unable to speak (The Guardian/Associated Press 28/3/05)
Frail Pope blesses Easter crowds (Independent Catholic News 27/3/05)
John L Allen: A talk with experts in Parkinson's disease (National Catholic Reporter 25/3/05)
John L Allen: The rumors were exaggerated (National Catholic Reporter 25/3/05)
Battling pope may appear (Agence France-Presse/news.com.au 25/3/05)
Weak Pope Unable to Speak on Easter Sunday (Reuters 27/3/05)
Pope skips post-Easter appearance (Sydney Morning Herald/AAP 28/3/05)
Pope sends his spirit and abandons himself to God (Reuters/Sydney Morning Herald 26/3/05)
Pope appears via video at Good Friday procession (Sydney Morning Herald 27/3/05)
Silent Pope moves crowd to tears (Sunday Times 28/3/05)
Pope fails in attempt to speak to faithful (The Age 29/3/05)
Man dragged from St Peter's roof (The Courier Mail 27/3/05)
Pope Offers His Suffering for Sake of God's Plan (Zenit 26/3/05)
The Eucharist: "God-With-Us," Says Pontifical Household Preacher (Zenit 26/3/05)
Pope Imparts Easter Blessing in Silence (Zenit 27/3/05)
Cardinal Ratzinger Baptizes 5 Adults at Vigil Mass (Zenit 27/3/05)
John Paul II's 2005 Easter Message (Zenit 27/3/05)
29 Mar 2005
