Scottish Catholic Observer

Vatican hints conclave to elect new Pope may start earlier than expected.

Pope Benedict XVI may now be blind in his left eye.

Thousands made their way to St Peter’s Square yesterday to thank the Holy Father for his eight year pontificate. (Video, photograph above).

INTERFAITH

Scotland’s Muslim leaders to target politicians over same-sex ‘marriage.’

Four major British churches have criticised the Government’s proposals for a new way of measuring child poverty in the UK.

NATIONAL

Joseph Burke-Monerville, , who attended St Aloysius College, a Catholic secondary school in Islington, gunned down in Clapton, east London.

INTERNATIONAL

Catholic priest shot dead in Zanzibar.

Two Christian priests have been kidnapped by Syrian rebel soldiers, one Armenian Catholic and the other Greek Orthodox.

OPINION

Are Catholics ready for a black Pope?

Stephen McGinty: Vatican’s power vacuum.

Lord Alton reflects on resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.

AND FINALLY

Alligator is permissible to eat on Fridays of Lent, the archbishop of New Orleans assured a conscientious parishioner, backed by the US bishops’ conference.

-Cross Wires is The Scottish Catholic Observer blog. Follow breaking news from the SCO through the day on Twitter at SCO_NEWS.