Pope Tests His Security Detail by Wading into Crowd

From: Yahoo News

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis gave his security detail a taste of his new papal style on Sunday by stepping outside a Vatican gate to greet a boisterous crowd of well-wishers.

The pope said Sunday morning Mass in the small church of Santa Anna, just a few feet inside the gate of the same name, for Vatican workers who frequent it as their parish.

He arrived in a black car, again shunning the papal limousine, and immediately went over to hundreds of people who had gathered at the gate to get a glimpse of him.

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Pope Benedict Remaining In Vatican For Security

From: The Inquisitr

Pope Benedict’s decision to live out the rest of his life inside the protected walls of the Vatican is a calculated maneuver to avoid prosecution and stay safe.

Church experts tell Reuters that by remaining inside the walls of the Vatican the church will provide Benedict with the same rights he received as the head of the church.

Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/528437/pope-benedict-remaining-in-vatican-for-security-immunity/#imVTw32YlAA2Jp1B.99 

Photo Credit: The Inquisitr

Politico Playbook - Breaking - Conclave Electing New Pope

From: Mike Allen's Politico Playbook

BREAKING: “Conclave electing new pope could start before March 15 – Vatican,” by Reuters’ Philip Pullella in Vatican City: “The conclave to choose Pope Benedict's successor could start earlier than expected, giving the Roman Catholic Church a new leader by mid-March, the Vatican said … [T]he Vatican was still in a state of spiritual and bureaucratic shock, groping for ways to deal with a situation without precedent for at least six centuries. Some 117 cardinals under the age of 80 will be eligible to enter the secretive conclave to elect Benedict's successor. Church rules say the conclave has to start between 15-20 days after the papacy becomes vacant, which it will on Feb. 28. … Cardinals around the world have already begun informal consultations by phone and email to construct a profile of the man they think would be best suited to lead the Church in a period of continuing crisis. The Vatican appears to be aiming to have a new pope elected and then formally installed … before Palm Sunday on March 24 so he can preside at Holy Week services …

Pope Benedict XVI's Shocking Resignation - Vatican

From: The Guardian

Pope Benedict XVI stunned the Roman Catholic church on Monday as he announced his intention to carry out the first papal resignation in almost 600 years, prompting shock from even his closest confidants and acerbic judgment from critics of his eight year-long reign.

In an address read out in Latin before a group of cardinals in the Apostolic Palace, the 85-year-old pontiff said he had decided that, due to his "advanced age" and deteriorating strengths, he would be stepping down as head of the Catholic church on 28 February.

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Vatican Thanks Media for Uncovering Church Abuse

From: Reuters

The Vatican's new sexual crimes prosecutor on Tuesday acknowledged that the U.S. media "did a service" to the Catholic Church through its aggressive reporting on child abuse that helped the Church "confront the truth".

The rare acknowledgement came from Father Robert Oliver, a canon lawyer from the U.S. diocese of Boston, speaking at his first public appearance since becoming the Vatican's "Promoter of Justice" last week.

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Solar Power through Stained Glass Windows

"The biblical command “Let there be light!” will have a different but green meaning for parishioners of the Holy Family Catholic Church in Saskatoon. The house of worship is renovating and embedding solar cells on its new stained glass windows.

The glass windows, being made by Sarah Hall Studio Solar Windows, will be installed in spring. It will be the first church in North America to tap solar energy to provide electricity to the edifice. The church apparently has taken its cue from the Vatican, which installed 2,700 solar panels in 2008."

Read more: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/briefs/articles/90034450?Saskatoon%20church%20taps%20solar%20power%20through%20stained%20glass%20windows#ixzz1E3o5P3XG

Church Security at the Vatican

Today I have a very special and unique opportunity. My wife and I have been spending the last week celebrating her birthday on a Mediterranean cruise. Today we ported into Civitavecchia, which is about 1 hour outside of Rome. Through several contacts that I have had to privilege to make, I have been able to arrange a tour of the Vatican. I have worked in the United States with Vatican authorities during one of the Pope’s visits to Washington; however this will be extremely different experiencing it first hand in their country. This will be an honor and exciting experience to see how Church Security is preformed at one of the most powerful religious locations in the world.