Page 1781 – Archdiocese of Baltimore

VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI’s brief encounter with a Polish priest accused of anti-Semitism does not indicate any change in the Vatican’s position concerning Catholic-Jewish relations, the Vatican said in a written statement.

Sainthood candidate seen as excellent model for today

WASHINGTON – Father Michael J. McGivney, an American parish priest and founder of the Knights of Columbus in 19th-century Connecticut, would be a model saint for today, according to the Knights’ supreme chaplain.

Gambrills and Annapolis parishioners donate hair

Sitting on a booster seat in the Signatures hair salon in Annapolis, 4-year-old Caitlin Guenther watched herself stoically in the mirror as Patti Linkins gathered the girl’s lush, long locks into a pony tail and raised a pair of scissors. In a series of assertive snips, the hair stylist clipped 10-inches off the brunette’s soft hair – gently raising the freed pony tail like a trophy Aug. 8. At the sight of her missing hair, Caitlin let down her guard and shed a few tears while her older sister held her hand and family members and other onlookers applauded and snapped photos. After a few minutes and some hugs from Julie Guenther, her mother, Caitlin was all smiles. Swaying back and forth while Mrs. Guenther sang “I Feel Pretty,” Caitlin twirled her clipped hair between her fingers.

Monsignor McGovern celebrates 40th jubilee

Enabling the laity to take a more active role in ministry has been one of the highlights of the priesthood for Monsignor James O. McGovern, pastor of Church of the Resurrection in Ellicott City.

Knights will keep up the fight on life, marriage issues

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Knights of Columbus will continue to fight politically on issues important to the Catholic Church, such as abortion, marriage and embryonic stem-cell research, pledged Supreme Knight Carl Anderson. “One of our most important traditions throughout our 125-year history is that we do not, as an organization, become involved in partisan politics,” Anderson said in giving his annual report on the first day of the fraternal order’s Aug. 7-9 national convention at Opryland Hotel in Nashville.

Adultery claims against archbishop remain unproven

CAPE TOWN, South Africa – A man who has charged Zimbabwean Archbishop Pius Ncube of Bulawayo with adultery has not substantiated his allegations, said the archbishop’s lawyer.

Pope, nun, priest ranked among world’s top ‘green’ leaders

WASHINGTON – Pope Benedict XVI has been ranked as one of the top “green” religious leaders by the online environmental magazine Grist.

Christ is all and in all

Russell Shaw’s recent column (“Catholics Not Claiming to Be Better Than Others,” CR Aug. 2) was one of the best efforts I have seen so far in trying to explain the supposed true motives of Pope Benedict’s recent attempt to drive home the point that the Catholic Church is special in the eyes of God.

Xaverian Brothers elect new leader

The Baltimore-based Xaverian Brothers have elected Brother Lawrence Harvey, C.F.X., to serve as the new general superior of the worldwide religious community, known formally as the Congregation of the Brothers of St. Francis Xavier.

Archbishop O’Brien considered popular as a seminarian

As a seminarian in the 1960s, Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien was considered serious, yet jocular, and fellow classmates wouldn’t have necessarily picked him out as the cleric in their class to become one of the most respected U.S. Catholic leaders.

Iraqi Christians were safer under Saddam

VATICAN CITY – Although Iraq has a democratic government, Iraqi Christians were safer and had more protection under former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, said the future head of the Vatican’s interreligious dialogue council.

French Cardinal Lustiger dies