catholics for choice

Pope Benedict XVI may not see them or hear them, but aggrieved Roman Catholic activists hope his U.S. visit this week will help them draw attention to issues ranging from the ordination of women and gay rights to sex abuse by priests and the Vatican ban on contraception. The groups have planned vigils, demonstrations, and news conferences to press their causes as the pope visits Washington and New York. On Monday evening, the eve of his arrival, supporters of women's ordination will host what they are calling ''an inclusive Mass'' at a Methodist church in Washington, presided over by Catholic women -- including two who were recently excommunicated.

The nation's Roman Catholic bishops adopted new guidelines for gay outreach on Tuesday that are meant to be welcoming while telling gays their sexuality is ''disordered.''

The Vatican has come out against a United Nations resolution that calls on all governments to decriminalize homosexuality. The resolution, Archbishop Celestino Migliore said, would "add new categories of those protected from discrimination" and could lead to the decline of heterosexual marriage. Still, some are questioning why the Catholic Church is being granted this type of status on a world stage.

Many prominent U.S. conservative groups--including Focus on the Family, founded by James Dobson (pictured)--are shifting their attention overseas this week, attending a conference in Poland that will decry Europe's liberal social policies and portray the host nation as a valiant holdout bucking those trends.

Two bloggers hired recently by Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards were criticized Tuesday by a Catholic group for posts they had written elsewhere on the Internet.