Before his farewell address this morning, representatives of the Pope in the Vatican strongly condemned yesterday's media coverage of a report by a group of Cardinals that outlined a network of gay officials inside the Vatican and their blackmail by a gay prostitution ring. The Vatican did not deny or dispute the…

A new report outlining a network of gay Vatican officials might have been behind the Pope's resignation earlier this month, a claim the Vatican neither confirms or denies.

In an interview last week with CNN, Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson, considered by many to be the favorite to succeed Pope Benedict XVI (which would make him the first black Pope), created an uproar with his response to Christiane Amanpour's question about the possibility of the Catholic Church's sex scandal spreading…

When Pope Benedict XVI resigned earlier this week due to his advanced age, Catholics across the world seemed sure about one thing: The next guy has got to be younger. Along with that, he (or she?! no, no, definitely not she) should probably be able to confront the Church's history of child-molestation as well as…

Pope Benedict XVI is just a Tweep like one of us.

There was quite a show at the Vatican today, as a troupe of male acrobats ripped off their shirts and performed for the Pope. The nuns, meanwhile, "cheered enthusiastically and even snapped photos of the bare-chested men." Hilarious footage below.

[Scotland created a special tartan (plaid pattern) to commemorate the Pope's visit! Here, Cardinal Keith Patrick O'Brien and piper Louise Marshall Millington unveil the thing. Plans to specially deep-fry a Mars bar were scrapped. Pics via Getty. Click for close-ups.]

Mel isn't the only ranting Gibson. His Holocaust-denying father Hutton—who belongs to a fringe Catholic group—recently went on a radio rant, calling Pope Benedict "homosexual" and half the Vatican "queer." Hutton's so far right, he's almost a leftist.

It's been a few days since a Catholic priest said something truly awful, so Brazilian archbishop Dadeus Grings decided it was time to tell a local newspaper all sorts of crazy shit. Hint: Gay teens really upset him.

For the first time since his letter to Irish Catholics last month, Benedict mentioned the growing sex abuse scandal in his weekly address to the public in Vatican City. He didn't specify what action the church would take. [AP, Getty]

We mentioned Lena recently, after he threatened the US government over a CIA rendition case if it went after the Pope. The Washington Post profiled him, and it turns out he wears flannels and doesn't clip his fingernails. Williamsburger?

God-hater Christopher Hitchens and professor Richard Dawkins last week said they plan to have Pope Benedict arrested when he visits Britain in September for crimes against humanity. Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi says it's just a "publicity stunt." [Mirror]

The Holy See's website has guidelines posted for bishops to report "crimes to the appropriate authorities" if their colleagues are molesting children, but they lack a zero tolerance policy for offenders. Outside of the clergy, few are impressed. [AP, image]

Two billboards advertising a papal visit to Malta have been defaced with Pedobear. "It is not clear why the artist in question juxtaposed the bears with the Pope," reports the Times of Malta. Let us clear it up.

New revelations of child molestation by Catholic priests, and the Pope's indifference, have his critics and defenders locked in a holy war of words. Some anticipate his downfall. Others see a secularist smear campaign. Here's your guide to the controversy.

The Vatican is under fire for issuing statements that conflict with facts in a case involving a child molesting priest and the future Pope Benedict XVI in Germany in the 80's. Things aren't looking good for the Pope these days.