1. From Andrea Tornielli's blog:
"As you know, the absolute innovation of this Synod [of Bishops] is the presence of a rabbi, who yesterday afternoon spoke in congregation: it is the Chief Rabbi of Haifa, Shear-Yashuv Cohen. The latter, in an intervention dedicated to the interpretation of Scripture according to the Jewish faith, attacked Iranian president Ahmadinejad. And, in the evening, interviewed by Phil Pullella, a Vaticanist for Reuters, said that the Church should not beatify Pius XII and that, had he known that Benedict XVI was about to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Pope Pacelli (with the Mass he will celebrate tomorrow at Saint Peter's), he would not even have come to the Synod. Apart from the fact that the date of the death of Pius XII is not exactly a Mossad secret, being found in every encyclopedia, apart from the fact that the fiftieth [anniversary] represents an important date, I find completely out of place that a Jewish exponent, invited to speak to the Catholic bishops, makes use of it to embarrass the Pope, most of all based on black legends."
2. The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (ICRSS) is no longer a mere diocesan institute, but has been recognized by Pope Benedict XVI as a Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right.
With deepest gratitude to the Blessed Trinity, to Christ Our King, and His Immaculate Mother, to St. Joseph, to St. Michael the Archangel, to our patron saints, to the entire court of heaven, and with filial thankfulness to our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI and his faithful collaborators, we have the joy to announce a very important event:
His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI
On the feast day of Our Lady, Queen of the Holy Rosary, the Vice-President of the Commission Ecclesia Dei, Very Reverend Monsignor Camille Perl, has read in our Seminary chapel the official decree by which, in the name of the Holy Father, the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest was erected to the status of a Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right. Also our Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus received the status of Pontifical Right. The Decree was signed by His Eminence Dario Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos. A Solemn Te Deum followed the reading of the Decree.
Born out of a profound union with the Holy Father in Rome and the Institute's founder and members having always lived in a continuous and unwavering spirit of faithful Romanitas, the Institute was granted the Pontifical Right after the formal time of experience and interrogation which is a traditional custom for the Holy See. Various positive Apostolic Visitations conducted by the Roman Curia and a very favorable consultation of all the Most Reverend Bishops in whose Dioceses we are invited to serve have finalized this canonical process.
After this affirmative evaluation of our spirituality and our international presence and work, the Pontifical Right is an expression of the appreciation of the service of the Institute of Christ the King by the Roman Pontiff and his collaborators to whom we are deeply obliged. The Pontifical Right will make it even easier for the Institute to conduct its service for the Church according to its constitutions and gives to Monsignor the Prior General rights and duties that are in unison with our canonical lifestyle.
BENEDICTO XVI SUMMO PONTIFICI PAX, VITA ET SALUS PERPETUA!
