Vatican says pope was looking for light switch in dark room when he fell 10 days ago

August 31st, 2009 Pope accepts Scranton bishop's resignationVATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the early retirement of a U.S. bishop who has denounced nuns for sponsoring lectures by gay-rights advocates and directed priests to deny communion to abortion backers, the Vatican said Monday.

August 23rd, 2009 Pope freed from cast, says wrist still 'lazy'CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy — Pope Benedict XVI made his first public appearance since having the cast removed from his broken right wrist, joking Sunday that his hand was "freed," but still a bit sluggish. The pontiff clearly favored his left hand while blessing the faithful gathered in the courtyard of the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo for his traditional noon blessing, but he was able to bless the crowd with his right hand.

August 21st, 2009 Doctors remove cast from pope's broken wristVATICAN CITY — Doctors on Friday removed Pope Benedict XVI's cast five weeks after he broke his right wrist in a fall and said they were pleased with how the fracture has healed. The cast was taken off and an X-ray done at the clinic of the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, a hill town southeast of Rome.

July 18th, 2009 Vatican: Pope learning to cope with castLES COMBES, Italy — The Vatican says Pope Benedict XVI spent a calm night after breaking his wrist in his Alpine vacation chalet and is learning to cope with the cast on his right arm. Vatican spokesman the Rev.

July 17th, 2009 Pope Benedict XVI fractures wrist in a fallVATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI broke his right wrist in a fall during his vacation in the Italian Alps and is being treated in a local hospital, officials and the Vatican said Friday. The pope, 82, fell in his room in a chalet overnight and despite the accident, celebrated Mass and had breakfast before going to the hospital, a Vatican statement said.

July 10th, 2009 Obama delivers letter to pope from Sen. KennedyVATICAN CITY — President Barack Obama has given Pope Benedict XVI a personal letter from ailing Sen.

July 10th, 2009 Obama meets with Pope Benedict XVIVATICAN CITY — President Barack Obama is meeting with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican. Shaking hands with the pope, Obama said it was "a great honor" to meet him.

July 10th, 2009 Obama at Vatican to meet with Pope Benedict XVIVATICAN CITY — President Barack Obama has arrived at the Vatican for a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI. Obama's motorcade arrived at the Holy See on Friday, greeted by Swiss Guards in their colorful uniforms.

July 5th, 2009 Russian president: We want better Vatican tiesVATICAN CITY — Russia's president says Moscow plans to improve its ties with the Vatican. Tensions between the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches over property disputes and other issues have so far made it impossible for any pope to visit Moscow.

June 30th, 2009 Vatican chapel with Michelangelo frescos restoredVATICAN CITY — The Vatican says the restoration of a chapel that includes two Michelangelo frescoes has been completed. The Cappella Paolina, or the Pauline Chapel, in the Apostolic Palace is used by the pope and is not open to the general public.

June 16th, 2009 Pope taps Ranjith to head Colombo archdioceseVATICAN CITY — The Vatican says Pope Benedict XVI has named a Vatican official, Monsignor Albert Malcolm Ranjith, to head the Colombo, Sri Lanka archdiocese. Ranjith takes the seat from the retiring Archbishop Oswald Thomas Colman Gomis at a delicate time in Sri Lanka's history, with a brutal 25-year civil war between the government and Tamil Tiger rebels ending last month.

June 5th, 2009 Pope meets with Irish churchmen after abuse reportVATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI has met with Ireland's top churchmen following the publication of a damning report detailing decades of rapes, humiliation and beatings at church-run reform schools in Ireland. The Vatican says they briefed the pope on the report.

May 30th, 2009 Pope Benedict says he was surprised to be chosenVATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI says he was surprised when he was elected pontiff, but accepted the role even though the challenge seemed greater than his strength. Benedict was asked by a curious child at a Vatican audience with thousands of children on Saturday if he ever thought he would grow up to be come pontiff.

May 13th, 2009 Pope gunman wants to convert to ChristianityANKARA, Turkey — The gunman who shot Pope John Paul II says he would like to convert to Christianity at a baptism ceremony at the Vatican after his release from prison in January. In comments relayed by his lawyer on Wednesday, Mehmet Ali Agca also says he wants to visit the grave of Pope John Paul II, meet with Pope Benedict XVI and produce a television documentary on the Vatican.

March 16th, 2009 ROME - The Vatican and Washington are in the process of organising a meeting of Pope Benedict XVI with US President Barack Obama, according to media reports Sunday. It is possible that the two leaders would meet during Obama's first visit to Europe on the occasion of the G20 summit in London in April, US Vatican representative Thomas J.