The Vatican Publishing House has recently released a new edition of the statistical yearbook of the Church, comprising nformation on the main
aspects of Catholic Church activity in various countries for the period of
2000-2006.Over these seven years, the Catholic presence in the world
has remained stable at around 17.3 percent of the total population.

After a massive 7.9 magnitude earthquake recently, priests in the
devastated southwest province of Sichuan are trying to help
survivors and assess the extent of damage and loss of life in their
communities.

The oldest bishop in the world, Bishop Antonio Mennonna, has celebrated his 102nd birthday with a special Mass in his native Italian city of Muro
Lucano, together with fellow priests, parishioners and family members.

She told the media that she never regretted her pregnancy.
The bishop presided at the Mass and said Agata gave Poland a witness
of “love, motherhood, the desire to give life and the heroic love for an
unborn child.”

Pope Benedict pay a visit to UN Secretary General Kee-moon Pan in New York, and told the world leaders the UN has the duty to protect life, but
this duty should not be seen as permission for the international body to
violate a state’s sovereignty.

The Holy Father said that every
human being has a right to life,
and that right implies the
accompanying right to the things
necessary to sustain life.

Sixty thousand people attended
the papal Mass at the Yankee
Stadium, where Pope Benedict
explained his homily that true
freedom is found in self-surrender and turning away from sin.

Benedict XVI again expressed his closeness to the stricken people of
Myanmar, as some 200,000 are feared dead after cyclone.
Cyclone Nargis devastated the Southeast Asian nation, more than 23,000 people are confirmed dead and 42,000 missing, and many expect the
death toll could reach 200,000.

Pope said, these days that I have spent in the United States have been blessed with many memorable experiences of American hospitality, and I wish to express my deep appreciation to all of you for your kind welcome. It has been a joy for me to witness the faith and devotion of the Catholic community here.

Pope Benedict made an appeal for the victims of the devastating
earthquake which hit a number of provinces in China.
The Holy Father said his thoughts were with all those affected by
the disaster that has caused
grave loss of human life, left many displaced and caused incalculable
damage.

The president of the Middle East Center for Strategic Studies has
reported that Saudi Arabia’s royal family has decided against
building a Catholic church in the kingdom.