Morning Catholic must-reads: 09/08/10

Cardinal Keith O’Brien has made a headline-grabbing defence of the Scottish government’s decision to release the Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi.

The Pope took an unexpected trip to the mountains on the feast of the Transfiguration.

The Pilot has become the first Catholic newspaper to be available on the Kindle.

The Firm claims that Pope Benedict could face prosecution when he visits Scotland in September.

The papal visit to Britain is “a test of Britain’s professionalism, hospitality, tolerance and maturity“, says the Telegraph.

A sculpture of Benedict XVI will be erected in Santiago de Compostela in time for the papal visit to the city in November.

The Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo, a former bishop, has been diagnosed with a malignant tumour.

Fr Robert Barron reflects on novelist Anne Rice’s decision to “quit Christianity”.

Sandro Magister says that religious practice is collapsing among young Italians.

On the 10th anniversary of Dominus Iesus, Peter Kreeft wonders whether the controversial Vatican statement was liberal or conservative.

Sister Mary Ann Walsh, director of media relations for the USCCB, ponders last week’s ruling on Proposition 8.

Fr Michael Campbell-Johnston SJ compares Cardinal Newman and Archbishop Romero.

And the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has said that preparations for the papal visit mean it cannot disclose the details of its wine cellar.