Pope Benedict XVI appealed to the world community to be merciful and generous by offering aid and working to relieve the suffering caused by Cyclone Nargis, which killed tens of thousands in Myanmar.
During his May 7 general audience in St. Peter's Square, the pope called on people to open their hearts "to compassion and generosity so that with the collaboration of all who are able and want to lend help, the suffering caused by this huge tragedy can be alleviated."
: May 7, 2008
On his first trip to the United States, Pope Benedict XVI achieved three objectives that could be considered critical to the pastoral future of the American church.
: Apr 20, 2008
Addressing a crowd of 25,000 young people and seminarians, Pope Benedict XVI spoke of the "monster" that cast a shadow over his own childhood and urged the current generation to banish the darkness that exists today.
: Apr 20, 2008
Celebrating Mass in St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, Pope Benedict XVI urged the Catholic Church in the United States to move past divisions and scandal toward a "new sense of unity and purpose."
The pope, celebrating Mass April 19 with bishops, priests, religious and seminarians, once again addressed the damage and suffering caused by the clerical sex abuse scandal and called for a time of purification and healing.
: Apr 19, 2008
After Pope Benedict XVI addressed about 200 interreligious leaders at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington April 17, the scripted encounter with the pope turned into something resembling a town-hall meeting.
: Apr 18, 2008
Neither government nor religion has a right to change or limit human rights, because those rights flow from the dignity of each person created in God's image, Pope Benedict XVI said.
: Apr 18, 2008
Pope Benedict XVI held an unscheduled meeting with victims of priestly sexual abuse, shortly after pledging the church's continued efforts to help heal the wounds caused by such acts.
: Apr 17, 2008
One of the "countersigns to the Gospel of life" in the United States is the sexual abuse of minors, a situation "that causes deep shame," Pope Benedict XVI told about 300 U.S. bishops gathered April 16 in the crypt church at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington.
: Apr 17, 2008
Two days before his first visit as pope to the United States, Pope Benedict XVI described the trip as a "special missionary experience" and requested prayers for its success.
The pope made the remarks at his weekly noon blessing at the Vatican April 13, his last public appearance before his April 15-20 visit to Washington and New York.
: Apr 14, 2008
Pope Benedict XVI's April 15-20 visit to the United States in April will be tracked in minute detail by the news media. His public events in Washington and New York are a hot ticket for tens of thousands of people.
But even among Catholics, most people admit not knowing much about him.
: Apr 13, 2008
In an unusual exhibit, the Vatican Museums has assembled 100 art works inspired by the New Testament vision of the Apocalypse.
: Oct 22, 2007