News/International

{mosimage}NEW YORK - Salt+Light TV producer Kris Dmytrenko thought covering the Pope’s visit to the United States April 15-20 would be like “being a pilgrim with access.”

“It was very different than what I imagined,” Dmytrenko, 28, said. “I thought I’d have free access to roam around, a ‘backstage pass.’ ”

{mosimage}WASHINGTON - The Rev. Jim Wallis finds it unexpected and refreshing that the majority of “God talk” in the U.S. presidential election season has been among and about Democratic candidates and that the dialogue takes a broad view of what’s important to religiously motivated voters.

{mosimage}NEW YORK - As his Alitalia Boeing 777, dubbed “Shepherd One,” lifted off from New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport, Pope Benedict XVI had reason to smile. During his April 15-20 visit to the United States, he had been received warmly by hundreds of thousands, faced the sex-abuse crisis head on and offered a message of hope in Christ to American Catholics.

{mosimage}ASUNCION, Paraguay - Retired Bishop Fernando Lugo was elected president of Paraguay April 20, ending the six-decade rule of the Colorado Party.

Lugo took an early lead in the pre-election polls, despite official disapproval from the Vatican and, initially, from the Paraguayan bishops’ conference. As support for Lugo remained high in the largely Catholic country, the conference refrained from further comment.

{mosimage}NEW YORK - As his final goodbye to the American people, Pope Benedict XVI prayed at Ground Zero, the location of the worst terrorist attack ever conducted on U.S. soil, and celebrated Holy Eucharist with 57,000 Catholics at Yankee Stadium.

Pope Benedict XVI's final homily to Americans, given at the Sunday, April 20, Mass at Yankee Stadium, was about Jesus. Imagine that, a Catholic Pope, at a Catholic Mass, talking about Jesus.

Pope Benedict XVI's final homily to Americans, given at the Sunday, April 20, Mass at Yankee Stadium, was about Jesus. Imagine that, a Catholic Pope, at a Catholic Mass, talking about Jesus.

Among all the red hats and sashes trailing after the Pope at his various events here in the United States was one who is a familiar figure to Canadians. It was Cardinal Marc Ouellet, archbishop of Quebec and primate of the Catholic Church in Canada.

Among all the red hats and sashes trailing after the Pope at his various events here in the United States was one who is a familiar figure to Canadians. It was Cardinal Marc Ouellet, archbishop of Quebec and primate of the Catholic Church in Canada.

Pope Benedict's six-day visit to the United States has been marked by a plethora of anniversaries. Even his own: the Holy Father celebrated his 81st birthday on April 16, the day he met U.S. President George Bush in Washington, DC.