Page 1531 – Archdiocese of Baltimore

ROME – Fourteen years after Pope John Paul II said the Catholic Church erred when it condemned the 17th-century astronomer Galileo Galilei, the Vatican secretary of state said the astronomer was “a man of faith” who recognized God as creator of the cosmos.

FOCA’s effects seen as dire, but chance of it passing considered slim

WASHINGTON – About the only thing everyone with a stake in it is likely to agree on about the Freedom of Choice Act is that the legislation has languished in Congress for 20 years, only once rising – just barely – above the fate of hundreds of bills that are introduced each session and never heard from again.

Papal product placement: Building credibility, boosting sales

VATICAN CITY – The pope is one of the most respected and admired figures in the world, and millions of people watch or attend his many public and televised events throughout the year.

Opus Prize awarded to woman who helps child victims of war in Burundi

SEATTLE – A Catholic woman who has provided a safe haven for child victims of ethnic strife in Burundi has received the $1 million Opus Prize, billed as the world’s largest humanitarian award for social innovation.

Domingo album features songs inspired by Pope John Paul II poems

VATICAN CITY – Famed operatic tenor Placido Domingo has recorded an album of songs inspired by the poems of the late Pope John Paul II.

Scottish cardinal resigns as president of Catholic adoption agency

EDINBURGH, Scotland – A Scottish cardinal has resigned as president of a Catholic adoption agency that will comply with British law and consider same-sex couples as parents.

Church provides critical services to Iraqi refugees in Syria

DAMASCUS, Syria – Sawsan Hussin was worried about her son Mustafa. The 10-year-old had brought the horror of Iraq with him when the family fled to Syria. He had nightmares and would cower at the slightest noise, his hands over his ears. Mrs. Hussin knew he needed help, but as the refugee family’s savings ran out, there was no money to pay for professional help.

Bishops urge Washington governor to commute inmate’s death sentence

SEATTLE – The Catholic bishops of Washington state have asked Gov. Christine Gregoire to commute the death sentence for Darold Stenson and give him life imprisonment without parole.

Pope believes interreligious dialogue must consider cultural concerns

VATICAN CITY – Interreligious dialogue can and must be about the cultural consequences of one’s faith, not about the basic fundamentals of one’s religious convictions, Pope Benedict XVI said.

Despite incentives, Iraqi refugees not returning home, say officials

DAMASCUS, Syria – Refugees from Iraq are not going home any time soon, despite Iraqi government enticements, say church officials and others who work with the exiles in the Middle East.

Catonsville family adopts three Chinese children with special needs

Six years ago, a mother in a remote corner of China laid her baby along a roadside and walked away. Suffering from a cleft palate and unable to nurse, the little girl was left alone for an unknown period of time before a passerby discovered the starving child and took her to an orphanage filled with other abandoned children.

New St. Agnes parish center brings everyone home