Roman Catholic Church Hosts Inter-Religious Conference in Assisi

Pope Benedict XVI Ratzinger of the Roman Catholic Church presided today over an inter-religious peace conference in Assisi's Basilica of St. Francis, flanked by Patriarch Bartholomew (Arhondonis) of Constantinople and Rabbi David Rosen and with representatives of animism, Baha'ism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, paganism, Protestantism, Sikhism, and Zoroastrianism participating. The conference was organized to commemorate the 25th anniversary of a similar conference organized by Pope John Paul II. More here.

Roman Catholic Pope, Russian Orthodox Metropolitan Meet at Castel Gandolfo

As part of his recent visit to Italy Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Volokolamsk met with Pope Benedict XVI of Rome to discuss relations between the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches. The meeting took place with the blessing of Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of Moscow. More here.

Roman Catholic Pope Visits Stepinac's Grave in Croatia

During his recent visited to Croatia Pope Benedict XVI of the Roman Catholic Church visited the grave of beatified Archbishop Alojzije Cardinal Stepinac of Zagreb, accused of collusion with the pro-Nazi Ustashe regime in its attempts to ethnically cleanse Croatia of Serbs and Jews, and praised him as 'a defender of the Jews, the Orthodox and of all the persecuted.' More here.

New Syro-Malabar Catholic Primate Elected

The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church of Kerala has elected Bishop Mar George Alencherry of Thuckalay as the new Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly and primate of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. Archbishop Mar George is the first primate to be elected since Pope John Paul II of Rome's grant of the equivalent of autocephaly to the church in 1992. The election has already been approved by Pope Benedict XVI. More here.

Australian Catholic Bishop Placed in Early Retirement

Pope Benedict XVI of Rome has placed a Roman Catholic bishop in Australia in early retirement for his support of the ordination of women to the Roman Catholic priesthood and the recognition of mainstream Protestant clergymen in Australia as clergy. More here. Hat tip to Ad Orientem for posting this first!

Ukrainian Catholic Primate to Request Vatican Establishment of a Ukrainian Catholic Patriarchate

As he prepared to depart for Rome for his first meeting with Pope Benedict XVI the newly enthroned primate of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, Major Archbishop Metropolitan Svyatoslav (Shevchuk) of Kiev and Galicia, stated that he intended to ask that the Vatican elevate his church to the rank of a patriarchate. The Ukrainian Catholic Church is the largest of the Eastern Catholic Churches, but is not ranked as a patriarchate despite the claim of its last two primates to the title. More here.

Ukrainian Catholic Primate Crucial to Relations with Russian Orthodox Church?

Roman Catholics believe that the next primate of the Ukrainian Catholic Church will be crucial in determining whether Pope Benedict XVI of Rome and Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of Moscow meet in the near future. Some Russian Orthodox would counter that the very existence of a primate of the Ukrainian Catholic Church (not to mention of the Ukrainian Catholic Church itself) is an obstacle to the two meeting. For the former perspective see here.

Russian President Meets with Roman Pope

President Dmitriy Medvedev of Russia met with Pope Benedict XVI of Rome today at the Vatican. More here.

Forward in Faith in Australia Begins to Join the Roman Church

Forward in Faith in Australia has become the first part of the Anglican Communion to initiate the process of their clergy and faithful being received into the Roman Catholic Church under the offer of Pope Benedict XVI of Rome to form Anglican Rite ordinariates for Anglo-Catholics disaffected by recent developments within the Communion. More here.