News/International

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates the Eucharist during Mass at St. Patrick Parish in the eastern suburbs of Rome Dec. 16. Upon returning to the Vatican for the noon Angelus, the pope offered his condolences and prayers to those affected by the Dec. 14 shootin g massacre at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school.

Pope expresses grief over Newtown shooting, calls for acts of peace

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VATICAN CITY - After 20 children and six adults were shot dead in Connecticut, Pope Benedict XVI offered

People react outside Sandy Hook Elementary School following a shooting in Newtown, Conn., Dec. 14. A gunman opened fire at the elementary school killing several people including children.

Priests near school shooting quick to offer assistance

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NEWTOWN, Conn. - As law enforcement officers tried to piece together the Dec. 14 shooting

A woman puts flowers on the coffin of Jacintha Saldanha at Our Lady of Health Church in Shirva, India, Dec. 17.The body of Saldanha, the nurse who committed suicide in London after falling for a hoax by Australian radio announcers, was buried in her hus band's native village.

Thousands gather in India for funeral of nurse hoaxed in Britain

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MANGALORE, India - Thousands gathered at Our Lady of Health Church in Shirva, just outside Mangalore, for the funeral of Jacintha Saldanha, the nurse who killed herself after falling for a hoax from Australian radio announcers.

Pope Benedict XVI exchanges gifts with Palestine's President Mahmoud Abbas during a private audience in the pontiff's library at the Vatican Dec. 17. A statement from the Vatican press office said the two leaders discussed the need to restart talks betwe en the Israelis and Palestinians.

Solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict requires talks, pope says

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Updated 12/18/12

VATICAN CITY - Just weeks after the Vatican praised Palestine’s boosted status as a non-member observer state

Mothers with their newborns wait for checkups at Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila, Philippines, in August. Legislation that would promote artificial contraception as a family planning method in the nation passed in the country's House of Represen tatives Dec. 13. The reproductive health bill faced fierce opposition from Catholic bishops and religious groups.

Philippine lawmakers pass reproductive health bill over church protests

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Updated 12/17/12

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine House of Representatives and Senate passed legislation that would promote artificial contraception

Pope Benedict XVI's Twitter account is pictured with his first tweet on an iPad tablet.

The good, bad, ugly: Church can't shy away from Twitter's Wild West

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VATICAN CITY - With Pope Benedict XVI's new presence on Twitter, people from all over the world can now post papal messages with just the push of an on-screen button.

British Prime Minister David Cameron, seen with Pope Benedict XVI during the Pope’s 2010 visit to Britain.

Britain to propose allowing same-sex weddings in churches

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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - The British government has expanded its push to legalize same-sex marriage to include allowing same-sex couples to marry in churches.

Pope Benedict XVI sends his first Twitter message during his general audience in Paul VI hall at the Vatican Dec. 12. Looking on is Archbishop Claudio Celli, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

Pope launches Twitter account, tweets to more than 1 million followers

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Updated 12/12/12

VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI launched his very own Twitter account, sending a short inaugural message to his more than 1 million followers.

The Bishops' Conference of the Catholic Church in China, which is not recognized by the Vatican, has revoked Shanghai Auxiliary Bishop Thaddeus Ma Daqin's appointment.

Government-sanctioned groups revoke Shanghai bishop's appointment

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Updated: 13/12/12

SHANGHAI - The government-sanctioned Catholic bishops' conference has revoked Shanghai Auxiliary Bishop Thaddeus Ma Daqin's appointment,

Two days after Typhoon Bopha raged through the southern Philippines island of Mindanao, Ignacio Carcosa cleans up the rubble of his home damaged by flood waters, in Cagayan de Oro Dec. 7.

Church activists: Lessons from Typhoon Washi helped save Filipino

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ILIGAN, Philippines (CNS) -- Although hundreds of people died as Typhoon Bopha hit the southern Philippines

Germany's Berlin Archdiocese plans to reorganize parishes into larger "pastoral areas" and pool its institutional resources was unveiled by Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki in a Dec. 2 pastoral to 105 local parishes

Berlin Archdiocese to restructure for administrative, spiritual reasons

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OXFORD, England - Germany's Berlin Archdiocese has announced plans to merge its parishes into larger "pastoral areas" and pool its institutional resources in the face of falling church membership.

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