Credibility and transparency In these years of heated debate and strong criticism towards the Holy See and the Church, it is absolutely necessary to remain firm, and – drawing inspiration from the Pope’s following of the Gospel standards of truth and moral strength – to show a firm determination to continue to give a coherent witness to moral values. The matter is especially urgent in two fields that attract a great deal of public attention: the issue of the sexual abuse of children, and that of economic-financial transparency.

Huge falls of snow have caused chaos across Eastern Europe. More than a meter of snow fell on the Bosnian capital, Sarajevo Saturday trapping people in their homes and vehicles. In the Ukraine, Poland and Belarus the bad weather has also led to a number of deaths. Meanwhile here in Rome, people were out and about today enjoying the rare sight of snow in the capital despite the chill in the air. Rome under a blanket of white snow is something Italy’s capital hasn’t experienced since 1986.

Representatives of 100 bishops’ conferences and 30 religious orders meet in Rome next week to launch a global initiative aimed at improving efforts to address the clerical sex abuse crisis. The initiative is to be presented at Rome’s Pontifical Gregorian University during the course of a four day conference entitled ‘Towards Healing and Renewal’, supported by the Vatican Secretariat of State and Curial offices. Philippa Hitchen went along to the press conference on Friday evening to find out more…..

VATICAN CITY, 3 FEB 2012 (VIS) - In preparation for the forthcoming consistory, the Holy Father has called the members of the College of Cardinals and the new cardinals-elect to participate in a day of reflection and prayer to be held on 17 February in the Vatican's New Synod Hall. The day will begin with Lauds at 10 a.m. and conclude with Vespers at 5 p.m., according to a communique released today by the Holy See Press Office.

Bishop Leonard Blair of Toledo, Ohio, said today that he was pleased to hear “that Komen for the Cure apparently has decided no longer to use Planned Parenthood as a vehicle for some of their services.” The Komen Foundation, one of the largest breast cancer advocacy groups in the world, this week announced that they would no longer fund the pro-abortion organisation.

Washington, 3.

With six-months to go before the Opening Ceremony of the XXX Olympiad, bishops from the three London dioceses have visited the Olympic Park to see how 504 acres of previously toxic wasteland in the East End of London has been transformed into a place of new life and immense beauty.

Over 100 bishops in the United States have issued individual statements opposing an order from the Obama administration directing many Catholic institutions to pay for contraceptives, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs for their employees. Many of the bishops ordered their statement to be read at every Sunday Mass last weekend. The new regulations would cover all non-profit organizations, including religious organizations which have moral and medical objections to contraception and abortion. Even organizations which supported Obamacare are disappointed.

Pope Benedict celebrated on Thursday evening Solemn Vespers for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord at Saint Peter’s Basilica here in Rome. The Feast celebrates the presentation of Jesus in the Temple forty days after his birth, and is also known as Candlemas on account of the Blessing of Candles and Procession that take place during the liturgy.

“Stories from another world” is the title of a major exhibition opening this spring in the Italian city of Pisa that was jointly organised by Italy’s National Institute of Nuclear Physics, the Physics Department of Pisa University and the Vatican Observatory. The exhibition seeks to show how mankind has gradually learnt over the ages to explore and learn more about the Universe that surrounds us, a Universe that is infinitely larger than was once thought.