Page 1769 – Archdiocese of Baltimore

HEILIGENKREUZ, Austria – In a visit to one of the world’s oldest monasteries, Pope Benedict XVI underlined the power of prayer as a form of “service to the world.” The pope, winding up a three-day visit to Austria Sept. 9, paid a call on the Cistercian Abbey of the Holy Cross, the oldest continuously active Cistercian monastery in the world. He was given a rousing welcome, first by hundreds of local children gathered in the monastic courtyard, then by the monks and faithful assembled inside the stone medieval church. Founded in 1135, the Heiligenkreuz monastic community brought Christianity to the region, and today it has about 80 monks. Its pontifical theological academy is thriving with more than 100 students.

Pope visits Marian shrine

MARIAZELL, Austria – Inspired by a small wooden statue of Mary and the child Jesus, Pope Benedict XVI appealed on behalf of the world’s suffering children, including the poor, the orphaned and those forced to fight in wars. The pope spoke during Mass Sept. 8 for some 30,000 pilgrims at the Austrian shrine of Mariazell, where a linden wood statue of Madonna and child has been revered for 850 years. The liturgy was the centerpiece of the pontiff’s three-day trip to Austria.

Pope mourns death of Pavarotti, praises Italian tenor

MODENA, Italy – Pope Benedict XVI mourned the death of Luciano Pavarotti and praised the Italian tenor for his extraordinary talent. In a telegram sent to Archbishop Benito Cocchi of Modena-Nonantola, the pope offered his condolences for the death of this “great artist who honored the divine gift of music through his extraordinary interpretative talent.” The archbishop read aloud the telegram Sept. 8 during the Catholic funeral Mass held in the city’s cathedral, where Pavarotti had sung as a child in the choir. Catholic News Service obtained a copy of the telegram from the Vatican Sept. 10.

‘Dead Man Walking’ nun to speak against death penalty

Sister Helen Prejean, C.S.J., a nationally known death penalty abolitionist whose book inspired the movie “Dead Man Walking,” will present two talks about capital punishment next week in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Both events, co-sponsored by the Maryland Catholic Conference, will begin at 7 p.m., with Sister Helen speaking at St. Pius X in Rodgers Forge on Sept. 20 and St. John the Evangelist in Frederick on Sept. 21. Sister Helen, a spiritual advisor to Louisiana death row inmates and author of “Dead Man Walking” and “The Death of Innocents,” will speak about her own ministry to death row inmates and the families of murder victims. She will also address abolitionist efforts in Maryland.

Sen. Kennedy not an example

This is in response to the Ronald P. Bowers letter concerning church teaching and government obligations…

Protecting the earth requires sharing clean technologies

VATICAN CITY – Industrialized nations “must share clean technologies” with developing nations, as well as curb the demand for goods that damage the environment, Pope Benedict XVI said. Countries with emerging economies and undergoing rapid industrialization “are not morally free to repeat the past errors of others by recklessly continuing to damage the environment,” the pope said in a written message to environmental and religious leaders meeting in Greenland.

Indianapolis family has seven children in one school

INDIANAPOLIS – Sam Madden likes it that when he walks through the halls of St. Roch School in Indianapolis he’s likely to see another member of his family. “It’s pretty cool,” said the 13-year-old. “You can walk down the hall and say hi to them. It brightens up the day.” The seven Madden children – ranging in age from 5 to 13 – entered St. Roch School in Indianapolis Aug. 15 to start an unforgettable school year together.

Safe water is of grave importance

VATICAN CITY – When Pope Benedict XVI turns on the tap in his Vatican apartment, it’s a reminder that potable water is a precious resource in today’s world. The 109-acre Vatican City does not have its own water source, and it relies on Italy to furnish it with the estimated 5 million cubic meters of water consumed inside the Vatican each year. Although that arrangement is guaranteed by a 1929 treaty, in recent years some Italians have been grousing about the increasingly high cost of keeping the Vatican from going dry.

Banish the bad hair wedding day

Let’s face it, if you had a bad hair day on your wedding day the groom would still marry you. Unless it was a really bad hair day … But you’ve found the perfect dress, perfect veil and perfect accessories, and you don’t want to spoil it with a less-than-perfect do. And you won’t, thanks to a trial run well before the big day itself. Michelle Sweeney laughs as she admits she perhaps went a trifle overboard by doing not one, not two, but four trial runs.

Average age for couples getting married is on the rise

When Pete Munsey and Jannifer Anderson-Munsey exchanged marriage vows last year, they considered themselves emotionally and financially secure in making that life-long commitment to one another. And, with Mr. Munsey being 42 and Ms. Anderson-Munsey being 36 at the time of their November, 2006 nuptials, they also felt like they were mature enough for marriage.

Teaching program is in its second generation

WASHINGTON – The University of Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education program has been placing college graduates as volunteer teachers in Catholic schools since 1994. That means the current participants were in elementary school when the program started and could have been taught by ACE teachers.

Pennsylvania couple retires to serve others