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VATICAN CITY – Rarely is a general audience talk interrupted by spontaneous applause, and Pope Benedict XVI seemed as surprised as anyone when the clapping began in the Vatican’s audience hall. The pope had been talking about the church’s early times, and he set aside his text to drive home a point: The apostles and first disciples weren’t perfect, but had their own arguments and controversies. “This appears very consoling to me, because we see that the saints did not drop as saints from heaven. They were men like us with problems and even with sins,” he said Jan. 31.

When Betty Williams enters St. Bernardine Feb. 11, she will be sporting a red outfit and she’s encouraging her fellow parishioners to do the same. The fashion statement is not in honor of St. Valentine’s Day, but to raise awareness about the importance of cardiovascular care and the risk factors related to heart disease.

Teachers in Maryland Catholic and other nonpublic schools are eligible for the first time to receive state scholarships to pursue teaching careers in fields with a critical teacher shortage, thanks to legislation the Maryland Catholic Conference helped pass last year. The awards will be available for the 2007-2008 academic year. The deadline to apply is June 1. To be considered for the grants based on need, applicants must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1.

The Knights of Columbus of St. Lawrence Martyr, Jessup, will hold a Valentine Dance in the parish center on Feb. 17 from 8 p.m. until midnight.

The next session of Why Catholic?, the adult faith formation program based on the church’s catechism and scriptures, will correspond with the season of Lent and for most parishes the small groups will meet starting Feb. 18.

This year Stella Maris’ highest form of praise, the Mercy Spirit Award, went to Stephanie Gramling and Phyllistine Davis. The award is given to two employees who live the values of the Sisters of Mercy. Nominees must demonstrate four of the seven core values of the Mercy Health Services, including respect, hospitality, mercy/justice, excellence, empowerment, stewardship and prayer.

MEXICO CITY – Whenever the freight train rolls into town, Father Alejandro Solalinde and his team of pastors know it’s going to be a long night. The freight trains, loaded with hundreds of Central American migrants heading north to the United States, stop in Father Solalinde’s town of Ixtepec, an important rail junction in southern Mexico. The migrants who wait for the next train to carry them on to Veracruz are prime targets for criminal gangs, who kidnap them until relatives can wire thousands of dollars in ransom money.

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – Amid the media hype at Super Bowl XLI Feb. 4 in Miami, at least eight players and coaches from the Chicago Bears were expected to spend about 30 minutes on bended knee the morning of game day as Scalabrinian Father Nick Marro, Bears chaplain, celebrated Mass at the players’ hotel. While his homilies obviously reflect the Gospel of the day, he said, he also considers who is in the congregation.