Vatican tightens laws on sex abuse and other crimes

VATICAN CITY - The Vatican published Thursday an updated, stricter set of norms governing how the Catholic Church deals internally with priests and other religious figures linked to crimes such as the sexual abuse of minors and mentally handicapped people.

Pope accepts resignation of abuse accused cleric in Nigeria

VATICAN CITY - The Vatican said Monday that Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of a senior Catholic cleric who has been accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl in Nigeria.

Vatican names inspectors for Irish church sex scandal

VATICAN CITY - The Vatican Monday announced that it will dispatch four senior clerics to Ireland in September as inspectors chosen by Pope Benedict XVI to investigate the handling of sex abuse cases involving priests there.

Third Irish bishop resigns over child abuse

VATICAN CITY - A third Irish bishop has stepped down in the wake of the child abuse scandal which has rocked the Catholic church in Ireland, the Vatican announced Thursday.

Pope arrives in Malta, where sex abuse victims hope to meet him during brief pilgrimage

Pope arrives in Malta, sex abuse meeting unclear

Pope offers condolences to Poland, speaks of visiting Shroud of Turin, dodges scandal

Pope offers condolences to Poland, dodges scandal

Pope ‘truly sorry’ for sexual abuse by Irish priests

VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI Saturday apologised to victims of sexual abuse by priests in Ireland, saying he is “truly sorry” for what they have endured.

Pope recalls cruelty in Auschwitz Nazi camp

VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI Wednesday recalled the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camp of Auschwitz, an event which revealed “the unprecedented cruelty” of the Nazi Holocaust.