Topic: The Roman Catholic Church

St. Patrick's Day: Did Patrick become Christian for the tax breaks?

Despite persistent myths, St. Patrick's Day recalls a man who didn't alone convert the Irish, didn't use a shamrock to teach the Trinity, and didn't chase out the snakes. It recalls a man who, simply, loved the Irish.

Will German Catholic church abuse case reach Pope Benedict?

Investigations into charges of sexual and physical abuse of children by German Catholic priests are getting under way, and involve a choir run by Pope Benedict's brother. Did the pontiff know about the allegations when he was a bishop in his home country? "We do not know," a German Catholic church spokesman said.

Pope Benedict scolds Ireland's bishops over sex abuse scandal

In an unprecedented move, Pope Benedict XVI summoned all 24 of Ireland's bishops to the Vatican to discuss the fallout from two reports that Catholic priests in Ireland sexually abused children for decades and that church officials covered up the behavior.

Our Times: The Age of Elizabeth II

The country Elizabeth II once knew exists no more, says a historian.

Haiti earthquake: Outside Port-au-Prince, Haitians say they've been forgotten

Residents of the former colonial town of Léogâne say the outside world has neglected them in the scramble to help Haiti's beleaguered capital, Port-au-Prince. A view from the epicenter of last week's 7.0 earthquake.

Haiti earthquake: 10 UN peacekeepers from Brazil killed

The Haiti earthquake has killed at least 10 Brazilian soldiers, according to Brazil's military. Brazil took charge of the peacekeeping force in Haiti in 2004.

Why is Vatican paper reviewing Avatar, the Simpsons?

L’Osservatore Romano, the famously staid semi-official mouthpiece of the Catholic Church, has been seeking to remake its image, panning the blockbuster 'Avatar' but praising Homer Simpson and forgiving John Lennon for his 'more popular than Jesus' comment.

Silvio Berlusconi, bruised, leaves hospital and vows to get back to work

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi left the hospital on Thursday, four days after an assault left him bloody and bruised. The aftermath of the incident has revealed a rising level of rancor in Italian politics.

Opinion: Christianity in Europe: A part of or apart from culture?

The Swiss minaret ban and the crucifix decision in Europe illustrate the disconnect between religion and culture there.

Ireland report into abuse by Catholic priests finds police coverup

Ireland released a report into 30 years of Catholic priest abuse of children in Dublin that found the police frequently looked the other way to protect accused clerics.

Patrick Kennedy communion clash reveals split in Catholic church

Rep. Patrick Kennedy said Sunday that he is being barred from taking communion because he favors abortion rights. The disagreement points to broader tensions in the Catholic church regarding abortion measures in the healthcare reform bill.

At UN food summit, Ban Ki-moon warns of rise in child hunger deaths

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned at UN food summit in Rome that 6 million children die of hunger a year, but critics say new money to tackle the problem is unlikely.

'2012' – movie review

'2012' is a disaster movie that delivers every destructive scenario you could hope for – and a few more.

New Vatican album: Can Pope Benedict sing?

Pope Benedict stars on a new Vatican CD featuring a hymn sung by the pontiff. Will the album soften his image?

Opinion: The Vatican's cynical gesture to Episcopalians

Overtures to join Rome shouldn't be based on a Catholicism-lite.

Italians outraged as European court rules against crucifixes

After a European court rules against crucifixes in Italian schoolrooms, Italians from across the political spectrum decry an assault on the country's Roman Catholic identity.

Will Vatican lure Africa's Anglican anti-gay bishops to Catholic church?

Despite fierce opposition to homosexuality, African bishops say the Vatican's effort to bring more Anglicans to the Catholic church will falter, largely because of the autonomy that they enjoy.

Vatican welcome to Anglicans boldest move since Reformation

The Vatican on Tuesday opened the way for Anglican communities to switch allegiance en masse. Hundreds of thousands of Anglicans angry over the church's liberal stance on women and gays may convert.

The Spiral Staircase

Opinion: Child abuse: when family courts get it wrong

States must reform a system that too often awards custody to the abusive parent.

Mexico's drug war: priests speak out

In Mexico, traffickers have targeted the Catholic church with extortion and deadly threats.

In shift, Honduras looks to itself to break leadership impasse

With international mediation efforts having failed thus far to broker a resolution to the ousting of President Zelaya, everyone from Honduran businessmen to church leaders to other politicians are offering proposals.