In a letter to the Chicago Tribune, Francis Cardinal George refutes widespread media reports that he signed the letter from the Chicago Council of Religious Leaders to Southern Baptist leadership asking it to call off an evangelistic campaign in the city. "I did not sign it, even though I think it an important letter, because I do not believe it compatible with Christian faith for a Christian to tell another Christian not to preach the Gospel," he said. "I would hope that Catholics … would receive Baptists with love, as brothers and sisters in the Lord. Then let the Lord do His work with all of us." (Since the article appeared yesterday, the only way I know how to read it online is to purchase it from the Chicago Tribune Archives for $2.95.)

While the world's papers write "Should the Pope resign" stories based on reports that Bishop Karl Lehmann, chairman of Germany's Bishops Conference initially suggested it, the bishop is saying he "had in no way called for the resignation of Pope John Paul II." The Vatican is reportedly very upset at all the speculation, and Lehmann has gone on Italian television to reiterate: "I was completely misunderstood, and I protest this manner of reporting my words." (See a related story in the Associated Press about Lehmann's denial.)

The National Religious Broadcasters and Republican Congressmen were in a frenzy over a recent FCC ruling that programming "primarily devoted to religious exhortation, proselytizing or statements of personally held religious views and beliefs generally would not ...