Ritual Daggers Bar Sikhs From Meeting Pope

(AP) - A British bishop apologized today for remarks in which he denied the scale of the Holocaust and asserted that no Jews were gassed in concentration camps. "I can truthfully say that I regret having made such remarks," said Bishop Richard Williamson. He did not, however, say that his comments were wrong or that he had changed his views. More»

Hardliner rejected Vatican reforms for being too tolerant of other faiths

(NEWSER) - Pope Benedict XVI is planning to welcome four rebel bishops excommunicated by his predecessor back to the Catholic Church, reports the Times of London. The ultra-conservative bishops reject the liberal reforms of the Second Vatican Council. One of them, Richard Williamson, openly endorses the anti-semitic tract Protocols of the Elders of Zion and believes the Holocaust never happened. The bishops were excommunicated for defying church authority. More»

Excommunications to be lifted at Madrid's World Youth Day

(NEWSER) - The Vatican is marking World Youth Day celebrations in Madrid by offering women who have had abortions an easy way to become Catholics again, reports the Guardian . Abortion is punishable by instant excommunication and "normally, only certain priests have the power to lift such an excommunication, but the local diocese has decided to give all the priests taking confession at the event this power," explains a spokesman for Pope Benedict XVI. More»

William Morris also argued church should consider ordaining married men

(NEWSER) - An Australian bishop claims the Roman Catholic church sacked him because he advocated the ordaining of women and married men. The Vatican confirmed today that Bishop William Morris had been "removed from pastoral care" by Pope Benedict XVI, and Morris claims the ouster was a result of a 2006 message in which he argued that the church should consider ordaining women and married men, in light of the current priest shortage. More»

Pontiff keeps his silence on sex abuse scandals

(AP) - A senior cardinal defended Pope Benedict XVI from "petty gossip" today, praising his "unfailing" leadership, even as the pontiff maintained his silence on mounting accusations of sex abuse cover-ups during his Easter message. At the end of the two-hour long ceremony, a weary-looking Benedict delivered the papacy's traditional Easter "Urbi et Orbi" message, analyzing humanity's failings and hopes. More»