For many Catholics, their first encounter with Cardinal John Henry Newman is on a university campus. It’s a natural association, given Newman’s experience as a rector, which informed his volume of discourses The Idea of a University. Still, I was surprised to learn, while researching for Catholic Focus, that the first Newman Club was established ...read more

Concern for Christians in the Middle East.  Fighting world hunger and disease.  Continuing theological dialogue. These were just three of the topics discussed in the private meeting between Pope Benedict and Archbishop Rowan Williams. Read more on the closed door meeting at Lambeth Palace from a joint communiqué released Friday afternoon: Fifty years after the ...read more

A warm embrace. That was how Pope Benedict was greeted as he met with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams.  It was as if His Grace flew to meet the Holy Father as he stepped out of his car, arriving at the Archbishop’s residence, Lambeth Palace. The Holy Father emphasized the importance of praying ...read more

By now you’ve probably noticed that Pope Benedict XVI happens to be in UK. Despite the sometimes threatening media coverage leading up to his visit, the Pope has forged onward; undaunted and perhaps even bolder in his addresses to the people of the UK than we could have imagined. Some of you are probably wondering: ...read more

As Pope Benedict XVI was meeting with students at St. Mary’s University College in Twickenham, London, the news was revealed that police in London had arrested five men suspected of posing a risk to the Pope’s security. Scotland Yard, the British police force, told reporters the five men were arrested at 5:40am London time. The ...read more

Pope Benedict met with leaders of other religions this morning in London. Before speaking, Chief Rabbi of London Lord Jonathan Sacks gave an address, as did the director of the Prince’s School of Traditional Arts Dr. Khaled Azzam.  Rabbi Sacks offered a great comment noting that we live in an “information saturated” but “wisdom starved ...read more

In a moving address to an assembly of students at St. Mary’s University College in Twickenham, the Holy Father challenged the young people to see all of the work they do in the context of growing in friendship with God. My question for you is this: what are the qualities you see in others that ...read more

It was a quaint gathering at St. Mary’s College in Twickenham this morning on day 2 of Pope Benedict’s visit to the UK. After having spent yesterday in Scotland, the Holy Father made his way to London and then this morning to the school in Twickenham, a suburb just west of London. The Holy Father ...read more

As the Pope landed in Scotland today, he might have said a prayer of thanksgiving that, on top of all the other issues he will deal with, the smoldering ashes of a Quran is not among them. At the local, diocesan and Vatican levels, Catholics loudly condemned the planned burning of the Muslim holy book ...read more

An estimated 80,000 people gathered in Bellahouston Park for Mass with Pope Benedict XVI today. In the lead up to Mass, the faithful were treated to a musical presentation . It was truly a festival of faith; the Sydney World Youth Day theme song was part of the repertoire, and Susan Boyle sang a moving ...read more