Page 1481 – Archdiocese of Baltimore

WASHINGTON – As the March unemployment numbers showed another increase in the percentage of jobless people, one profession is, perversely, in greater demand: those who can provide counseling services to people whose emotional distress has outpaced their financial distress.

Pope laicizes suspended Missouri priest who led dissident church

ST. LOUIS – Pope Benedict XVI has laicized a suspended priest of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau who had been hired by the board of directors of the St. Stanislaus Kostka Corp. to be pastor of its church in St. Louis.

In one Kenyan diocese, an alternative rite of passage for girls

MERU, Kenya – A Kenyan diocese is giving girls a chance to grow up without participating in the traditional tribal rite of female circumcision, a practice that carries the risk of disease or death.

US church’s costs for clergy sex abuse topped $436 million last year

WASHINGTON – U.S. dioceses and religious orders spent more than $436 million in 2008 on settlements and other costs related to clergy sex abuse, a decrease of 29 percent over the $615 million paid out in the peak year of 2007.

In letter, pope responds to criticisms over Lefebvrite decision

VATICAN CITY – In a letter to the world’s bishops, Pope Benedict XVI expressed regret that his lifting of the excommunications of four traditionalist bishops gave rise to a storm of protests and bitterness.

No challenge too great for new authors

Margaret Patrick placed a hand on her son Jordan’s arm and smiled. Seconds later, her eyes dampened.

Polish bishops say Vatican clears them of secret police collaboration

WARSAW, Poland – Poland’s Catholic bishops said the Vatican has cleared them of collaborating with communist-era secret police.

Cardinal Egan says possibility of married priests not to be dismissed

ALBANY, N.Y. – The possibility the Catholic Church will allow married priests shouldn’t be dismissed, New York Cardinal Edward M. Egan said March 10 during a radio interview.

Percentage of Catholics down but church still largest US denomination

WASHINGTON – A new survey shows the percentage of U.S. residents who identify themselves as Catholics has declined, but Catholicism remains the largest denomination in the country.

Mount VP to speak in Hickory

Monsignor Stuart Swetland, the vice president for Catholic identity and mission at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, will present a lecture on the “The Catholic Virtue of Patriotism: Being an Authentic Catholic and a True Citizen during Difficult Times,” at St. Ignatius in Hickory March 19 at 7:30 p.m.

The New York Times flunks Ecclesiology 101

The quaint notion that The New York Times is the nation’s paper of record took another hit Feb. 23, when the Grey Lady ran a commentary on Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy Dolan’s appointment as the new archbishop of New York. Written by Michael Powell and headlined, “A Genial Enforcer of Rome’s Doctrine,” the article displayed a confusion about what the Catholic Church is, and how the Catholic Church operates, that would embarrass a reasonably well-catechized eighth-grader. (And yes, Virginia, there are “reasonably well-catechized eighth-graders.” But I digress.)

Conscience Matters