Topic: Pope John Paul II

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What is a conclave? 7 things to know.

What, exactly, is a conclave? And how does it work? Here are 7 key points to understanding how the Vatican prepares to elect a pope.
Catholicism in Latin America: 5 key facts

Pope Benedict XVI began his second trip to Latin America on March 23, with stops in Mexico and Cuba. Here is a brief history of the Catholic church in the Americas.
In Pictures: Bob Dylan turns 70
Photos of the Day: Photos of the Day 05/01
Photos of the Day: Photos of the Day 4/29

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Decoder Wire Obama honors Presidential Medal of Freedom winners: Who's eligible? (+video)

Answer: Anybody who's accomplished anything the president of the United States likes. Obama awarded the Medal of Freedom to Bob Dylan, John Glenn, and 11 other recipients Tuesday.
Faith tourist: From Easter at the Vatican to a South Pacific church

My fascination with religious observances is ecumenical. I have recited my 'Allahu Akbars,' been blessed at Easter by the pope in St. Peter's Square, and recently attended a service in the South Pacific. Everywhere, I find a universal need for contemplation and self-surrender.
Latin America Monitor Pope in Cuba: Trip shows how church playing balancing act (+video)

The pope did not meet with dissidents. But his trip was about building on gains the church has won in Cuba, says guest blogger Anya Landau French.
Fidel Castro, excommunicated in 1962, meets with Pope Benedict

Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who once outlawed religion, met with Pope Benedict XVI today. Benedict's visit is part of a new Catholic strategy in a changing Cuba.
Pope schedules last-minute meeting with Fidel Castro

Pope Benedict XVI's decision to meet with the former Cuban leader angered Castro critics because, they say, it gives the Cuban government legitimacy.
Latin America Monitor Pope in Cuba: Will he raise case of jailed American?

Many are watching to see if the pope mentions the case of imprisoned US aid worker Alan Gross. But the delicacy of his trip to Cuba makes it unlikely, writes guest blogger Girish Gupta.
Catholicism in a communist land: Pope Benedict XVI travels to Cuba

Cuba was declared an atheist state after the 1959 revolution, but many dissidents are looking to Pope Benedict XVI to help bring more political reform to the island.
Latin America Monitor Mexicans host Pope Benedict XVI, but say he's no Juan Pablo

A poll suggests Pope Benedict XVI had big shoes to fill in Mexico, where he celebrates Mass today before heading to Cuba.
Pope greeted by crowds upon arrival to Mexico

This is Pope Benedict XVI's first trip to the Latin American country; his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, made five trips over the course of his papacy.
Catholicism in Latin America: 5 key facts

Pope Benedict XVI began his second trip to Latin America on March 23, with stops in Mexico and Cuba. Here is a brief history of the Catholic church in the Americas.
Why the pope wants stronger ties with Mexico and Cuba

While the Catholic church is bolstering the faithful in Mexico and Cuba, it is also seeking closer ties with national governments during Pope Benedict XVI's first visit to these countries.
Why is China's Xi Jinping going to Iowa?

China's heir apparent, Xi Jinping, will return to Iowa Wednesday. Xi spent a week in Muscatine, Iowa, in 1985, and will be feted upon his return.
Opinion: Evangelicals now vote for Catholics. Will they also vote for a Mormon?

Defying a history of anti-Catholicism, evangelical leaders recently endorsed GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum (a Catholic), and South Carolina Evangelicals voted Catholic Newt Gingrich to victory in their primary. Will Mormon Mitt Romney be next to win them over?
Horizons Nicolas Steno: The saint who undermined creationism

Celebrated with a Google doodle on his 374th birthday, Nicolas Steno set in motion a revolution that would ultimately unseat the Bible as an accepted scientific authority on the age of the earth. Now he is on the path to Catholic sainthood.
'Most admired' list: Gingrich up, Palin down; Obama, Clinton still No. 1

For two years running, President Obama is the man Americans most admire, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is again the most-admired woman, a new Gallup survey shows. But the public’s views of other politicians shifted noticeably in 2011.
At Our Lady of Guadalupe pilgrimage, Pope's possible Mexico visit ranks second

Vatican sources say that the Pope may soon announce plans to visit Mexico next year. But at Mexico's annual celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe, reaction was muted.
In Pictures: Bob Dylan turns 70
'Geronimo' and Osama bin Laden: What goes into a code name?

'Geronimo EKIA' is what special forces said when Osama bin Laden was killed. Code names can provide some insight into what an agency is thinking. Che Guevara had a curious one, too.
How long will Al Qaeda live beyond bin Laden? Lessons from Latin America.

A real-world example of why Al Qaeda could live well beyond Osama bin Laden, Latin America has found limited results from taking out leaders of deadly ideological insurgencies.
Photos of the Day: Photos of the Day 05/01
Classic review: The Cold War – A New History

The cold war: how it began, why it ended
Photos of the Day: Photos of the Day 4/29
In Pictures: The Dalai Lama's career
Europe greets Pope Benedict's condom remarks as 'evolution, not revolution'

Pope Benedict's view that there might be rare cases where condom use is acceptable comes at a time when the Catholic church's image in Europe has been battered by child abuse scandals.
Pope terror plot broken up with six arrests by British authorities

Pope terror plot allegedly involved five street cleaners who were picked up by police before dawn Friday in London. A sixth individual, implicated by authorities in the pope terror plot, was arrested later in the day.