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VATICAN CITY – U.S. President George W. Bush is coming to the Vatican for his first formal audience with Pope Benedict XVI, a meeting seen on both sides as immensely important. Vatican officials said the June 9 encounter would give the pope and the president a chance to sit down for a survey of dramatic situations around the world, including Iraq, where thousands of Christians have been forced to flee. The Bush administration believes the audience will highlight the shared values and common objectives of the Vatican and the United States.

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. – Retired Bishop Michael J. Dudick of the Byzantine Diocese of Passaic, N.J., died May 30 at the Rest Haven nursing facility in Schuylkill Haven. He was 91. He had previously been in residence at Holy Annunciation Monastery in Sugarloaf. Prior to his retirement in 1995, he had been the bishop of Passaic for 27 years.

LONDON – Britain’s two cardinals reminded Catholic politicians that it is unacceptable for them to vote for abortion rights. Cardinals Keith O’Brien of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, Scotland, and Cormac Murphy-O’Connor of Westminster, England, denounced the 1967 Abortion Act May 31 as the act approaches its 40th anniversary.

VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI urged nations to protect religious freedom, the environment and the family in a speech to five new ambassadors to the Vatican. The pope welcomed the diplomats from Sudan, Burundi, Pakistan, Estonia and Iceland June 1 as they presented him with their credentials. While Catholics are a minority in the countries the ambassadors represent, the pope said the church promotes a “spirit of fraternal collaboration” among all people and is “anxious to pay witness to the Gospel.”

MANILA, Philippines – As votes for the May 14 midterm election are tabulated, Philippine bishops have called for the political killings to stop. Archbishop Paciano Aniceto of San Fernando said May 30 the election, “perceived as generally peaceful, orderly and credible,” was “shattered by the recent spate of violence and political killings.” UCA News, an Asian church news agency, obtained the appeal called, “Am I My Brother’s Keeper.”

WASHINGTON – The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate reports that in 2006-07 it identified more permanent deacon candidates and more students in U.S. lay ecclesial ministry programs than in the previous year.

CARACAS, Venezuela – A Venezuelan archbishop and Catholic institutions have joined the nation’s political opposition in criticizing the government’s shutdown of an independent television station.

SEOUL, South Korea – The largest Benedictine abbey in Asia has opened the canonization cause for three dozen 20th-century martyrs of the Benedictine mission in North Korea.

Golfers will be teeing off June 18 to raise money for St. Agnes HealthCare, Baltimore, in the 29th Annual St. Agnes Foundation/Crothall Healthcare Golf Classic. The tournament will be held at Turf Valley and Waverly Woods Golf Courses.

Good for the Lipinski family (CR, May 31). I’m really glad that 23 of their clan make a point of getting together once each year for a week to enjoy family fun. My wife and I agree with them. There is nothing more important than family gatherings.