Holy Father Calls for a Worldwide Ban on Torture

The Pope called for a worldwide ban on torture during his weekly comments to the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square. The remarks came on the heels of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture (Saturday). Thanks to Local6.com for the report:

John Paul pressed for a "common commitment of institutions and citizens to completely ban" what he called an "intolerable violation of human rights." He said acts of torture are "radically contrary to the dignity of man."

Pope Prays to the Blessed Mother for Unification of Catholics and Orthodox

The Pope urged Catholics everywhere to pray to the Blessed Mother for unification of Catholics and Orthodox. The remarks were made upon the visit of the Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I on June 29. Thanks to AsiaNews.it for the report.

"As we prepare to welcome the Ecumenical Patriarch I invite all to pray for the complete unity of Christians. May the Virgin Mary intercede to this effect, and may the Holy Mother of God, to whom the Eastern Christians are so devoted, make the memory of the embrace between Paul VI and Atenagora I encourage a renewed commitment to communion of Catholics and Orthodox.”

The Pope Blog in the Press

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Church to invite Pope to Ireland

BreakingNews.ie reports:

The Catholic hierarchy in Ireland is reported to be considering inviting the Pope to the country later this year to mark the 25th anniversary of his 1979 visit.

Reports this morning said the decision to invite Pope John Paul II on an official visit was made in principle at a meeting of the Bishops’ Conference in Maynooth last week.

The reports said the Government would have to approve any such visit, which would also depend on the Pontiff’s health.

Gotta love the Pope Blog

Hello. Welcome to the Pope Blog, everybody! Founded by two University of Notre Dame alumni, the Pope Blog was established June 13, 2004 as a blog to cover the events of Pope John Paul II. It was a great resource during Pope John Paul II's last days, funeral, conclave, and election of our new pope, Benedict XVI.

Pope praises new data on Inquisition released by Vatican

CTV.ca reports:

The research, presented at a news conference, grew out of a conference of historians and other scholars in 1998 at the Vatican as John Paul sought to objectively assess the Inquisition, which stretched from the 13th to the 19th centuries...

"Before seeking pardon, it is necessary to have a precise knowledge of the facts," John Paul wrote in a letter Tuesday in which he expressed his "strong appreciation" for the research, which is contained in a 783-page book. For the public, "the image of the Inquisition represents almost the symbol ... of scandal," the pope wrote.

The Swiss Guard - Admission Requirements

Check out the admission requirements to be a member of the Swiss Guard.

I *barely* meet the height requirement (174cm) - whew! Now I'll have to work on that Swiss citizenship :)

Titles of the Pope

Titles of the Pope, according to TU ES PETRUS:

- His Holiness The Pope;
- Bishop Of Rome And Vicar Of Jesus Christ;
- Successor Of St. Peter, Prince Of The Apostles;
- Supreme Pontiff Of The Universal Church;
- Patriarch Of The West;
- Servant Of The Servants Of God;
- Primate Of Italy;
- Archbishop And Metropolitan Of The Roman Province;
- Sovereign Of Vatican City State.

The Wikipedia states:

The title 'Pope' is an informal one; the formal title of the Pope is 'Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Patriarch of the West, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City, Servant of the Servants of God', although this is rarely seen or used in full...

Pope John Paul II Pays Tribute To Reagan

Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports:

BERN, Switzerland -- Pope John Paul II paid tribute Sunday to former President Ronald Reagan, recalling his efforts to bring down communism that "changed the lives of millions of people," a Vatican spokesman said.

On the second-day of a 32-hour pilgrimage to Switzerland, John Paul learned of Reagan's death with "sadness" and immediately prayed for the "eternal rest of his soul," said papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls.

The pope and the Reagan White House worked closely in the 1980s in efforts to promote the Solidarity labor movement in the pope's native Poland and to end the Soviet grip on eastern Europe.

President Bush Asks for Pope's Help on Gay Marriage Issue

The Washington Times reports:

ROME, Vatican City, Jun. 13 (UPI) -- A Roman Catholic newspaper says President George W. Bush asked a Vatican official to help push American bishops on certain cultural issues.

Bush made the request during a June 4 meeting with Cardinal Angelo Sodano, after his meeting with the pope, the New York Times reported Sunday.

"Bush said, 'Not all the American bishops are with me' on the cultural issues, especially the battle against gay marriage,'" and asked for the Vatican's help in encouraging the U.S. bishops to be more outspoken," according to National Catholic Reporter."

Beginnings...

Welcome to the Pope Blog! We will soon post news about His Holiness, Pope John Paul II.