The Catholic Leader Keeping Faith with You

VATICAN CITY (CNS): A Vatican official called for the establishment of a "nuclear-free zone" in the Middle East and urged all countries to work toward the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals.

Bishops, priests and laity from each of the 53 African nations are among those attending a special Synod of Bishops for Africa. CINDY WOODEN, of Catholic News Service, reports from Rome on the opening of the syno

MOSTAR, Bosnia-Herzegovina (CNS): Confirming young people from the parish in the Bosnian town of Medjugorje, Bishop Ratko Peric of Mostar-Duvno asked them not to behave as if the alleged Marian apparitions reported in the parish were real

ROME (CNS): African farmers should be able to use new biotechnology, including genetically modified organisms, to help lift their continent out of poverty, Vatican officials and agricultural experts said.

VATICAN CITY (CNS): Pope Benedict XVI announced that he was convening a Synod of Bishops for the Middle East to be held in October of 2010, to address the trials and tribulations of the Christian population in the region.

VATICAN CITY (Zenit.org): Pope Benedict XVI has approved the date and theme for the next International Eucharistic Congress, to focus on the Eucharist as communion with Christ and with one another.

The Brisbane bayside parish of Cleveland, which takes in Stradbroke Island, hosted a sesquicentenary celebration on the island, at Paul of the Cross Church, Dunwich, recently. JESUIT FATHER FRANK BRENNAN preached this homily

LONDON (CNS): European proposals to give developing countries up to 15 billion euros ($22 billion) a year to help them fight climate change have been branded immoral by a Catholic aid agency.

VATICAN CITY (CNS): Christians and Muslims share concern and compassion for those suffering in poverty and can find common ground to work toward eradicating both the causes and the problems it creates, the Vatican said.