Our Takes Daily

Church recognizes French shrine

The Daily Telegraph

The Catholic Church has officially recognized a shrine in the French Alps where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to a shepherdess named Benôite Rencurel around 2,500 times over 54 years. Notre Dame du Laus, which already draws some 120,000 pilgrims each year, was formally acknowledged by the Vatican after three years of research into its credentials by a team of theologians, historians and psychologists. More info here>>

White vs. black preaching

The New York Times

With all of the press coverage on the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, New York Times columnist Frank Rich wonders why the outrageous claims of the Rev. John Hagee and other white preachers have not received much notice. Rev. Hagee, who has endorsed Republican presidential nominee John McCain, appears in a video posted on YouTube equated the Catholic Church as a “Great Whore” who has thirsted for Jewish blood. He has also blamed Hurricane Katrina on the sins of New Orleans. More info here>>

TV chef in hot water with Australian Church

Reuters

Australia's Catholic Church wants to put a lid on British chef Gordon Ramsay’s foul mouth. The Church has demanded his reality television shows “Kitchen Nightmares” and “Hell’s Kitchen” be taken off the air or shown at a later time. One episode broadcast recently featured Ramsay using a four-letter expletive more than 80 times. “There can be no excuse for vilification of this sort. We conclude that this episode should never have been aired on Australian television," the Catholic Church in the southern city of Adelaide said in a submission to the parliamentary inquiry into swearing on television. More info here>>

Today's Podcast

This issue of “The Weekly Roman Observer” speaks with Msgr. James Kolp & Deacon Randall Redington on the continuing fruits of Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the United States. More info here>>