NEWS

The settiing was St. Joseph's Church in New York's Yorkville, a parish established for German immigrants in 1893. In this temple of worship were gathered some 250 Protestant and Orthodox church leaders, 50 Catholics and Pope Benedict XVI.

Had time to kill this afternoon since only a tiny number of journalists were able to accompany Pope Benedict on his visits to Park East Synagogue and St. Joseph's Church. So I wandered around St. Patrick's Cathedral, the very heart of Catholic New York. Half a block away, I was accosted by two young men wearing tight T-shirts, jeans and sneakers.

Had time to kill this afternoon since only a tiny number of journalists were able to accompany Pope Benedict on his visits to Park East Synagogue and St. Joseph's Church. So I wandered around St. Patrick's Cathedral, the very heart of Catholic New York. Half a block away, I was accosted by two young men wearing tight T-shirts, jeans and sneakers.

How many world leaders come and go at the United Nations headquarters in New York with nary a word to say to the staff? Almost all, I would daresay. But not Pope Benedict XVI. Before rushing off to his next even after his major address April 18 to the UN General Assembly, he dallied a while to talk to the hired help.

How many world leaders come and go at the United Nations headquarters in New York with nary a word to say to the staff? Almost all, I would daresay. But not Pope Benedict XVI. Before rushing off to his next even after his major address April 18 to the UN General Assembly, he dallied a while to talk to the hired help.

{mosimage}TORONTO - Vocations in Toronto might seem healthier from the perspective of other Canadian dioceses. Where some areas of the country generate zero priestly vocations on a yearly basis, the archdiocese of Toronto’s mean average is four or five. In fact, Toronto will  be ordaining seven priests for the archdiocese in May.

{mosimage}TORONTO - The Italian priests of the archdiocese of Toronto and their parishes are preparing for the 100th anniversary of the first Italian church of Toronto. On Nov. 8, 1908, Archbishop Fergus McEvay gave the old St. Patrick’s Church to the Italian community, under the new name of “Our Lady of Mount Carmel.”

{mosimage}WASHINGTON - Day three of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Washington and New York covered the gamut of events and emotions — from the joy of a papal Mass to a no-nonsense challenge to Catholic universities, to a tear-filled visit with victims of clergy sexual abuse.

In an April 17 address at the Catholic University of America, Pope Benedict XVI said he believes in academic freedom, but at a Catholic university, it has limits. And he drew a line in the sand in a speech to leaders of the United States' Catholic education institutions.

It's not clear whether Pope Benedict XVI expected he would have to concentrate so much on dealing with the fallout of the clergy sexual abuse on this, his first visit to the United States. But he is devoting a significant part of his time to trying to heal this very open wound. Besides his three strong public comments on it, he also met privately with a small group of abuse victims on April 17.

It's not clear whether Pope Benedict XVI expected he would have to concentrate so much on dealing with the fallout of the clergy sexual abuse on this, his first visit to the United States. But he is devoting a significant part of his time to trying to heal this very open wound. Besides his three strong public comments on it, he also met privately with a small group of abuse victims on April 17.