Vatican Insiders Call Pope 'a Disaster'

Vatican vows to plug into how news spreads online

(NEWSER) - Pope Benedict will release a personal letter to bishops tomorrow that explains why he reinstated an excommunicated Holocaust denier and expresses regret for how that news was delivered, the New York Times reports. In leaked passages, the pontiff admits mistakes and promises greater awareness in the future of how news spreads online. The pope calls his actions “a modest act of mercy.” 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»

Ratzinger says German leader's call for pontiff to clarify Holocaust stance is 'irrational'

(NEWSER) - The pope’s brother today criticized Angela Merkel for demanding that Benedict XVI restate his views on the Holocaust amid the controversy over a reinstated priest, the Times of London reports. “I always saw her as a rational woman,” Georg Ratzinger—himself a Catholic priest—said of the German chancellor. “But perhaps at the moment she is under pressure to say something irrational.” More»

Decision to re-instate bishop a 'disaster' says Germany's top cardinal

(NEWSER) - Pope Benedict XIV's reinstatement of a Holocaust-denying bishop has received some unusually harsh criticism from within the church, the Guardian reports. Germany's top-ranking cardinal has labeled the decision "a disaster" and called for the Pope to apologize. Cardinal Walter Kasper, who oversees the Vatican's relations with Judaism, says the decision was badly handled and blames poor management in the church hierarchy. More»

Preservation procedure sparks controversy among some devotees

(NEWSER) - The body of Padre Pio, one of Italy’s most beloved saints, will be exhumed this year for a “checkup” and to be put on display for public veneration, the Guardian reports. "It is our duty to allow the generations that come after us the ability to venerate and best care for his mortal remains," said the archbishop of Puglia, where the man formally known as Saint Pius is buried. More»