Berlusconi insists relations with the Catholic Church are excellent despite scandal

September 26th, 2009 Berlusconi, pope meet 1st time since sex scandalROME — Premier Silvio Berlusconi had his first meeting Saturday with Pope Benedict XVI since the Italian leader was implicated in a sex scandal that broke last spring. Vatican spokesman the Rev.

September 21st, 2009 Italy cardinal denounces attack on Catholic editorROME — A top Italian cardinal complained Monday that civility was on the decline in Italy after a prominent Catholic editor was forced to resign after a newspaper loyal to Premier Silvio Berlusconi exposed a scandal in his past. Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, the head of Italy's influential bishops' conference, denounced what he called a "grave" attack against the Dino Boffo, editor of the Italian bishops' daily newspaper Avvenire, by the Berlusconi family newspaper Il Giornale.

September 10th, 2009 Berlusconi says he won't resign over sex scandalROME — Premier Silvio Berlusconi brushed off questions about any possible resignation over his sex scandal Thursday, saying he has been Italy's best premier ever. Berlusconi also said he was considering suing the woman at the center of the scandal.

September 7th, 2009 ROME — Defiant in the face of a sex scandal, Premier Silvio Berlusconi said Monday that he is still popular because Italians secretly want to be like him. He denied any strains with the Catholic Church and denounced what he called a "subversive campaign" to unseat a democratically elected leader.

September 6th, 2009 Pope meets Berlusconi aide amid scandal falloutROME — Premier Silvio Berlusconi's top aide met with Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday amid continuing fallout over scandals that have strained ties between Italy's government and the Catholic Church. Berlusconi adviser Gianni Letta pronounced relations were "solid" after meeting briefly with the pontiff during a visit by the pope to Viterbo, north of Rome.

September 3rd, 2009 Editor of Italy bishops' daily quits over scandalROME — The editor of a prominent Catholic newspaper that demanded Premier Silvio Berlusconi answer questions about a sex scandal resigned Thursday after being caught up in scandal himself. Dino Boffo, editor of the Avvenire daily of the Italian Bishops' Conference, strongly denied the allegations raised by Il Giornale, a Berlusconi family newspaper that alleged he had been involved in a court case with homosexual overtones.

September 1st, 2009 Pope backs Italy church in Berlusconi rowROME — Pope Benedict XVI on Tuesday gave his full support to the Italian Catholic Church after it was dragged into a media row linked to Premier Silvio Berlusconi's sex scandal. The Italian Bishops Conference said Benedict had spoken by telephone with its president, Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, to discuss the "current situation." Benedict expressed to Bagnasco "his esteem, gratitude and appreciation," the Bishops Conference said in a statement.

August 30th, 2009 Berlusconi allies work to patch up church tiesROME — Allies of the Italian government have pledged to patch up ties with the Catholic church, after a newspaper in Premier Silvio Berlusconi's media family attacked a Catholic editor who had demanded he answer allegations in a sex scandal over young women. Lawmaker Fabrizio Cicchitto, a leader in Berlusconi's Freedom People party, told Sky TG24 TV Sunday it would be the conservative coalition's "aim and task to work hard so that there are no lacerations or fractures in relations between the government and the Catholic church." Support from Catholic voters is considered crucial for any Italian government to come to power, and good ties with the Vatican are courted by many politicians.

August 28th, 2009 Vatican: Berlusconi cancels L'Aquila visitVATICAN CITY — Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi who is embroiled in a sex scandal has canceled a visit to L'Aquila for a religious service for the remission of sins. Berlusconi was supposed to have participated in the observation Friday alongside Vatican No.

August 28th, 2009 Berlusconi nixes religious observance for sinsROME — Premier Silvio Berlusconi, who has been embroiled in a sex scandal for months, canceled his planned participation in a Catholic religious service for the remission of sins Friday after his presence was deemed problematic. Berlusconi was supposed to have attended the annual "Perdonanza," or forgiveness observance, in the earthquake-stricken city of L'Aquila alongside the Vatican No.

August 17th, 2009 US church leaders following up on Cuba storm aidHAVANA — A delegation of U.S. Roman Catholic bishops is in Cuba to follow up on hurricane recovery projects funded by the church.

August 7th, 2009 Berlusconi: I have nothing to hideROME — Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi made one of his strongest denials yet in a scandal over alleged relationships with young women, insisting on Friday he has nothing to hide and nothing to apologize for. Berlusconi responded to apparent criticism from his daughter, Barbara, who said in an interview with a magazine this week that politicians cannot afford to differentiate between their public and private spheres and should work to improve moral values.

July 23rd, 2009 New tapes released in Italian PM sex scandalROME — An Italian magazine released more tapes Thursday of purported conversations between Silvio Berlusconi and a high-class prostitute, keeping up the pressure in the sex scandal engulfing the Italian premier. L'Espresso, a leftist news weekly, has been releasing the recordings of the alleged conversations between Berlusconi and the escort over several days in an apparent effort to embarrass the conservative premier.

June 27th, 2009 Miami priest weds girlfriend in church ceremonyMIAMI — A Miami priest who left the Catholic Church after photos surfaced of him kissing his girlfriend on the beach has married her at an Episcopal church. The ceremony for 40-year-old Alberto Cutie (KOO'-tee-ay) and 35-year-old Ruhama Canellis was held Friday evening at St.

June 19th, 2009 Catholic paper urges Berlusconi to clarify scandalROME — An influential Catholic newspaper urged Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi on Friday to respond to allegations that women were paid to attend his parties. Avvenire, the newspaper of Italy's bishops conference, ran an editorial saying the latest claims in a scandal linking Berlusconi to young women and models are raising questions not only among opponents but his supporters too.