The world’s Catholic population grew 16.6 million in the most
recent year. The figures show a
rise of 4.65 million in the
number of Catholics in Africa,
3.08 million in Asia, and 6.83
million in the Americas.

In Rome, the Missionaries of
Charity are marking the
anniversary with a week of
events, including Mass,
exhibition and conference.
In India, commemoration of
Mother Teresa’s anniversary
started in Calcutta on Aug. 26, her birthday, followed by a novena in all of the city’s parishes.

The Pope Benedict XVI expressed the hope that a peaceful solution may be found to the problems currently affecting Myanmar, and encouraged
between North Korea and South Korea as a way to stability and peace in the entire region.

Arturo Mari began taking pictures for the popes when he was 16
years old. His career spanned 6
pontificates.
Mari has his favorite pictures. The one he considers the most
important was taken during John
Paul II’s last Via Crucis, when
the elderly Pope asked for a crucifix.

During recent general audience, Pope Benedict XVI condemned the
"criminal acts” and “irresponsible behavior” of the arsonists, who
authorities say are to blame for many of the fires that have
devastated Greece an Italy this summer and killed dozens of people.

The Holy Father observed that among IAEA’s objectives, it seeks “to
accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace,
health, and prosperity throughout the world.

After a September 6 visit with
Pope Benedict XVI, Israeli
President Shimon Peres told
reporters that the Pontiff hopes
to visit Israel next year.
Peres confirmed that he had
renewed an invitation for the
Pope to visit Israel, but no
date was discussed, he said the Pope “believes that he can come next
year."

John Paul II and Benedict XVI
have said many times—that the
Church is evidently and above
all saddened by the suffering
of the victims and their families,
for the harm caused by the grave
and inexcusable behavior of some of its members, and is firm in its resolve to avoid future vile acts of this
kind.

Luciano Pavarotti “honored the divine gift of music,” said Benedict XVI in a message read at the funeral Mass of the Italian tenor in Modena’s
cathedral.

The 21 South Koreans, members of a church, were captured by the
Taliban on July 19. Initially there were 23, but two has been killed.
The Pope observed that “the practice by armed groups of manipulating
innocent persons for promoting their own goals is becoming wide
spread.”