UPDATE: For more up to date information, visit Conclave Central.   Effective Thursday at 2 p.m. Eastern, 8 p.m. in Rome, the papacy of Benedict XVI came to an end. With that, the Catholic Church entered a period of sede vacante. Sede vacante is Latin for “the seat being empty” …

By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service  VATICAN CITY — The Clementine Hall is traditionally the place where cardinals bid farewell to popes at the end of a pontificate, but usually when the pope in question is lying in state before his funeral. But on Feb. 28, hours before resigning …

By John Stegeman The Catholic Telegraph While the historic implications of Pope Benedict XVI‘s resignation will be debated for decades at least, one can wonder if today’s Catholic youth understand the magnitude of the situation. While he can’t speak for all youth, 21-year-old Quinn Patterson, a member of Our Lady …

By John Stegeman The Catholic Telegraph ROME — More than 150,000 pilgrims turned out for Pope Benedict XVI’s final general audience Wednesday Morning in St. Peter’s Square. Millions more around the world watched the audience via EWTN and a live feed on the Vatican’s website. Others followed online as The …

By John Stegeman The Catholic Telegraph  (Video & full text of homily  below) Just two days before it ends, Archbishop of Cincinnati Dennis M. Schnurr celebrated a Mass of Thanksgivings for the Petrine Ministry of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI Tuesday morning at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Chains …

The Catholic Telegraph The Catholic Telegraph may not be in Rome, but we’re awake (at 4 a.m.) and watching Pope Benedict XVI’s final Wednesday general audience on EWTN. Tune in to EWTN, or the Vatican’s site for live streaming of the event. Or, just follow us on Twitter where reporter …

The well-known Catholic blog Whispers in the Loggia reports that one of the most often asked questions of the papal transition has been answered. When Pope Benedict XVI resigns his office Thursday at 8 p.m. Rome time (2 p.m. Eastern), he will be called “His Holiness Benedict XVI, Pope-Emeritus.” There had …

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In his last week as pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI issued new rules for conclaves, including a clause that allows the College of Cardinals to move up the date for the beginning of the conclave to elect his successor. However, the …

Pope Benedict XVI delivered his final Sunday Angelus address before a packed St. Peter’s Square. The pilgrims in attendance interrupted his address with applause more than once and he closed by stressing that his resignation is not an abandoning of the Church. After reflecting on the Gospel of Luke’s account …

By Dennis Sadowski Catholic News Service  WASHINGTON (CNS) — During Pope Benedict XVI‘s visit to the White House in 2008, his thoughts turned to the First Amendment and its enshrinement of the free practice of religion. He told President George W. Bush that the idea of religious freedom as expressed …