Pope's Bro to Merkel: Chill Out

(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»

(NEWSER) - The Vatican has demanded that Bishop Richard Williamson, a Holocaust denier who was recently un-excommunicated, recant his views in order to serve in the Catholic Church, the BBC reports. Williamson was excommunicated 20 years ago for a separate transgression. The Church said the pope was unaware of his contrarian stance on the Jewish genocide when he reinstated him last month. More»

Played 'no role in his life,' says spokesman

(NEWSER) - Pope Benedict's chief spokesman baffled many yesterday by insisting that the pontiff had never been in the Hitler Youth group, despite the Pope's own biography saying he was a member, the Los Angeles Times reports. "The Pope was never in the Hitler Youth, never, never, never,'' Father Federico Lombardi said at a Jerusalem press conference. He later retracted his statement and stressed that the Pope was enrolled against his will and never supported the Nazi Party. More»

Gaffe-prone and out-of-touch Benedict aggravates Holy See

(NEWSER) - As Benedict XVI continues his pilgrimage in Africa, sources inside the Vatican say that the pope's frequent gaffes and difficulties with modern communication are threatening to undermine him. One member of the Vatican told the Telegraph that Benedict is "a disaster" who is "out of touch with the real world," citing his recent explosive remark that condoms aggravate the AIDS crisis. More»

(NEWSER) - The Vatican today rejected Bishop Richard Williamson’s so-called apology for his Holocaust beliefs, CNN reports, a mea culpa mandated by the Pope. “He must also distance himself in an absolutely unequivocal and public from his stand regarding the [Holocaust],” a spokesman said. Williamson said he regretted the “distress” his remarks caused, and “would not have made them” if he’d known, but did not retract them. More»