Morning Catholic must-reads: 18/04/11

Jesus Christ enables man to “attain the heights, becoming completely himself and completely like God”, the Pope said at Palm Sunday Mass yesterday (full text).

Benedict XVI celebrated his 84th birthday on Saturday.

On the same day, he received the new Spanish ambassador to the Holy See, María Jesús Figa López-Palop (video).

The Pontifical Council for Social Communications has unveiled the list of 150 bloggers invited to the Vatican “blogfest” on May 2. Taylor Marshall, Ordinariate Portal and Dylan Parry are elated.

Archbishop Vincent Nichols has described the British Government’s flagship idea of the “Big Society” as “toothless“. Commentator Francis Davis reacts.

Bishop Alan Hopes has clarified that the Joint Contact Group of Anglican and Catholic bishops is not overseeing the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham.

A Chilean judge has ordered the confiscation of Vatican documents on Fr Fernando Karadima, a prominent priest accused of sexual abuse.

Doug Kmiec, a prominent Catholic supporter of Barack Obama, has resigned as US ambassador to Malta after a State Department report criticised him.

Andrew Hamilton, consulting editor of the Australian Jesuit journal Eureka Street, concludes that the new English Mass translation is “surprisingly good“.

Phil Lawler urges Catholics to brace themselves for “the annual media assault on Christian orthodoxy” during Holy Week.

Cindy Wooden explains the subtler differences between beatification and canonisation.

And Deacon Greg Kandra wonders why Fr Robert Barron hasn’t been made a bishop – or at least a monsignor – yet.