Today’s Catholic must-reads: 07/12/11

Pope Benedict dedicated his general audience this morning to Jesus’s “cry of exultation” in the gospels of St Matthew and St Luke (video).

Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, the Holy See’s secretary for Relations with States, has called for the observance of a world day against the persecution of Christians.

Benedict XVI has elevated the charity Aid to the Church in Need to the status of a pontifical foundation.

Mother Marianne Cope, the Sister who served lepers in Hawaii with St Damien of Molokai, may be canonised next October, reports Rocco Palmo.

An 81-year-old Dutch priest has said he will take the Church to the European Court of Human Rights after he was suspended for living with his 85-year-old girlfriend.

The Catholic News Service has named Francis X Rocca as its new Rome bureau chief, succeeding John Thavis.

And singing blogger Laurence England celebrates the sector of the Catholic blogosphere known as the “pyjamahadeen” (video).