Welcoming the election of Pope Benedict XVI

• Ratzinger Pope Benedict XVI Roundup! April 23, 2005. A roundup of reactions to the election of Pope Benedict XVI, from bloggers and pundits around the world.
• Getting to know Pope Benedict XVI, April 24, 2005.
• Pope Benedict XVI's Inaugural Mass - another roundup of commentary. April 24, 2005.

Pope John Paul II: 1920-2005

Breaking the relative silence of my "other blogs" -- Religion and Liberty and Catholic Just War -- for which I apologize, here are some posts of mine from Against The Grain, covering the death of our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II and his pontificate:

• The World Remembers, Reflects and Pays Tribute to Pope John Paul II - a roundup of commentary by the television and newspapers, as well as more substantial commentary by various bloggers.

• "After the Funeral, the Coming Storm . . .", on the skewed portrayal of the Pope by the Mainstream Media and the prominent display of liberal bias by certain pundits, with a roundup of "coverage of the coverage" by Catholic bloggers and periodicals.

• Further Commentary of John Paul II: A Roundup

• George Weigel on Pope John Paul II - Weigel is a Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center and author of the 1999 biography Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul II, which was published in eleven languages. He has traveled with the Pope and over the course of his life has explicated his thought in articles, interviews and addresses. It is only fitting to give him special recognition in his coverage of John Paul II.

• On a similar note, a roundup of Fr. Richard J. Neuhaus, Michael Novak and Cardinal Avery Dulles' articles and commentary on Pope John Paul II throughout the years of his pontificate.