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WASHINGTON (April 5, 2005)– Catholic News Service has launched a new Web site on the death of Pope John Paul II, who died April 2 in Vatican City, and on the upcoming conclave of cardinals which will elect the new pope. The web site can be reached through the Catholic News Service (CNS) home page at www.catholicnews.com.
The web site includes many stories on events leading up to the death of the Holy Father, as well as events during the period of mourning and in anticipation of his funeral in St. Peter's Square. The site also contains photo slide shows of his papacy, graphics on his travels throughout the U.S., Canada and across the globe, and stories on the impact of his 27 years as head of the Catholic Church. The site has extensive information and graphics on Vatican City and the conclave, as well as photos and biographical information on the 117 cardinals who will meet and elect the new pontiff. It is overseen by Web and general news editor Jim Lackey.
"CNS has the most extensive coverage of the Vatican and the universal church. We wanted to make this rich repository of experience, stories, and images available to people across the world," said CNS director and editor in chief Tony Spence. "We will continue to update the site as the world says farewell to this extraordinary pope and welcomes his successor."
A special feature of the web site is a moving reflection about his 25 years covering the Vatican and this pope by CNS Rome bureau chief John Thavis. Another is a six.part streaming video presentation on the Holy Father produced by the Catholic Communication Campaign.
Catholic News Service, headquartered in Washington, DC, is the oldest and largest English.language religious news service in the world. It has over 400 clients in the U.S. and Canada and across the English.speaking world. It operates a news bureau in Rome and has more than 30 correspondents in key cities around the world. It has one of the largest archives in the world of print and digital images of the papacy.