• POPE TO INCLUDE TWO BRIEF VISITS WITH JEWISH LEADERS IN U.S. TRIP (08-048)
  April 3, 2008
  WASHINGTON—The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops announced today that Pope Benedict XVI will be including two additional brief visits with members of the Jewish community during his time in the United States April 15-20. The details of the two visits are in acknowledgement of the Jewish feast of Passover, which begins on April 19th during his visit.
  
  
• MISAS PAPALES EN LOS ESTADIOS DE LOS NACIONALES Y LOS YANKEES REFLEJARÁN DIVERSIDAD Y CELEBRARÁN VARIOS BICENTENARIOS (08-047sp)
  1 de abril de, 2008
  WASHINGTON—El Papa Benedicto XVI celebrará misa con miles de personas en Washington y Nueva York durante su visita apostólica a los Estados Unidos los días 15 al 20 de abril.
  
  
• PAPAL MASSES AT NATIONAL AND YANKEE STADIUMS TO REFLECT DIVERSITY OF U.S. POPULATION, CELEBRATE SEVERAL BI-CENTENNIALS (08-047)
  April 1, 2008
  WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI will celebrate Mass with tens of thousands of people in Washington and New York during his apostolic visit to the United States, April 15-20.
  
  
• POPE ACCEPTS RESIGNATION OF MOBILE ARCHBISHOP OSCAR LIPSCOMB, NAMES BILOXI BISHOP THOMAS RODI TO SUCCEED HIM (08-044)
  April 2, 2008
  WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Archbishop Oscar H. Lipscomb, 76, from the pastoral governance of the Archdiocese of Mobile, Alabama, and transferred Bishop Thomas J. Rodi, 59, up to now Bishop of Biloxi, Mississippi, to succeed him.
  
  
• POPE NAMES TEXAS SEMINARY RECTOR BISHOP OF SHREVEPORT (08-043)
  April 1, 2008
  WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI named Msgr. Michael G. Duca, 55, rector of Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving, Texas, as bishop of Shreveport, Louisiana.
  
  
• HHS SECRETARY LEAVITT PRAISED FOR DEFENDING PHYSICIANS' CONSCIENCE RIGHTS (08-038)
  March 19, 2008
  WASHINGTON—Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt was praised for defending physicians' conscience rights by Deirdre McQuade, spokesperson on pro-life issues for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. She made her comments on March 19 following a public attack on Secretary Leavitt by the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.
  
  
• PUBLIC INVITED TO GREET POPE AS HE TRAVELS THROUGH WASHINGTON (08-036)
  March 19, 2008
  WASHINGTON—Washingtonians and visitors to our nation's capital will have opportunities to greet Pope Benedict XVI during his three-day visit to Washington, D.C. when he arrives April 15. An important part of the pope's demanding itinerary includes opportunities for the public to see the pope as he travels to some events.
  
  
• Pope to Lead Ecumenical Prayer Service at Manhattan Parish (08-046)
  March 31, 2008
  WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI will lead an ecumenical prayer service April 18, at St. Joseph's Church in the Yorkville area of Manhattan.
  
  
  
• Catholic Dioceses Promoting Child Abuse Awareness Month (08-045)
  March 31, 2008
  WASHINGTON—Catholic dioceses nationwide will promote Child Abuse Awareness Month in April. Plans call for raising awareness through special prayers during Sunday Masses, diocesan and parish lectures, and other educational activities.
  
  
  
• Bishops Approve $470,000 For Catholic Home Missions In Special Funding Cycle (08-042)
  March 27, 2008
  WASHINGTON —The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Subcommittee on Catholic Home Missions has approved $470,000 to be allocated to 22 dioceses that were not funded in the regular 2007 funding cycle. These funds will assist mission dioceses to meet urgent pastoral needs of local Catholics. Funding is being provided for Hispanic ministry, seminarian education, youth ministry, evangelization, lay ministry, diaconate training, and communications.
  
  
  
• Pope Benedict Xvi, President Bush To Meet At White House (08-040)
  March 24, 2008
  WASHINGTON (March 24, 2008)—Pope Benedict XVI will visit the White House, April 16, as part of his visit to Washington and New York.
  
  
  
• President Bush To Greet Pope Benedict Upon Arrival At Andrews (08-037)
  March 19, 2008
  WASHINGTON—President and Mrs. George Bush will greet Pope Benedict XVI, April 15, when he arrives at Andrews Air Force Base for a six-day visit to the United States that will take him to Washington and New York City.
  
  
  
• Bishops Express Sorrow At Death Of Iraqi Archbishop (08-035)
  March 13, 2008
  WASHINGTON—Cardinal Francis George, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), expressed "profound shock and sorrow" on behalf of the U.S. bishops following the death of Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho at the hands of his kidnappers earlier today.
  
  
  
• Catholic Campaign For Human Development Honors Florida's Coalition Of Immokalee Workers (08-034)
  March 12, 2008
  WASHINGTON–The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) recently awarded its Sister Margaret Cafferty Development of People Award to the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) for being an example of empowerment in action.
  
  
  
• USCCB Migration Committee Meets With Top Enforcement Official To Discuss Immigration Raids, Concern For Children (08-033)
  March 12, 2008
  WASHINGTON – The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Migration hosted a meeting on March 10 with Assistant Secretary Julie Myers of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to discuss the impact of immigration enforcement raids around the country.
  
  
  
• Thousands Of Every Age And Background Will Enter The Catholic Church On Holy Saturday (08-032)
  March 11, 2008
  WASHINGTON—Tens of thousands of people from around the country will be received into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil, Holy Saturday, on March 22, through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).
  
  
  
• USCCB LAUNCHES PAPAL VISIT BLOG (08-031)
  March 10, 2008
  WASHINGTON—An inside view of papal visit preparations, views from the pew, and reflections on the meaning of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United States, April 15-20, can be found on the papal visit blog at www.uspapalvisit.org
  
  
  
• Dioceses Compliant With Charter; Outreach Extensive (08-030)
  March 7, 2008
  WASHINGTON—Virtually all U.S. dioceses and eparchies are compliant with the U.S. bishops' "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People," according to audits of dioceses and eparchies in 2007.
  
  
  
• MEDIA ADVISORY (08-029)
  March 5, 2008
  WASHINGTON—A briefing on the Thoughts of Pope Benedict XVI with Q&A follow-up in preparation for the pope's visit to the United States, April 15-20, will be held Thursday, March 13 at 11:00 a.m.
  
  
  
• Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, Jain, Hindu Leaders To Meet With Pope Benedict XVI In Washington (08-028)
  March 4, 2008
  WASHINGTON—Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, Jain and Hindu communities will meet with Pope Benedict XVI April 17, at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center during the April 15-20 papal visit to the United States.
  
  
  
• U.S. Bishops' National Advisory Council Adds New Members (08-027)
  March 3, 2008
  WASHINGTON–Fifteen new members have been added to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' National Advisory Council, a 56-member body which meets twice a year to review and offer recommendations about matters before the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
  
  
  
• Catholic Bishops Welcome New Bill For Global HIV/aids Relief (08-026)
  March 3, 2008
  WASHINGTON— The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) welcomes the House Committee on Foreign Affairs' February 27 approval of a new, bipartisan bill to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. House debate is expected in March.
  

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