Vatican Document Goes Welsh

LOS ANGELES TIMES, Nov. 23—For what is believed to be the first time, a Vatican document—one concerned with Christian unity—is being published in Welsh.

The document, published in English as “The Search for Christian Unity,” is TITLEd “Chwilio am Undod Cristnogol” in Welsh.

The three Catholic bishops of Wales—Archbishop Peter Smith of Cardiff, Bishop Edwin Regan of Wrexham and Bishop Mark Jabale of Menevia—released the document at the Welsh Center for Ecumenical Studies at Trinity College, Carmarthen.

Of the three, the Los Angeles daily reported, only Bishop Regan, whose episcopal motto is in Welsh, is a Welsh speaker. His two colleagues are still learning the language.

Pope to Visit Spain Next May

DEUTSCHE PRESSE-AGENTUR, Nov. 19—Pope John Paul II will make his fifth visit to Spain next May, the Vatican announced.

The trip will be the Holy Father's 99th abroad and his first since visiting his native Poland in August. The Vatican confirmed the plans after an announcement by Madrid Archbishop Antonio Rouco Varela.

“We can confirm that the Pope will visit Spain, although the exact dates and the details of the trip have yet to be finalized,” Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls told Deutsche Presse-Agentur, a German news agency.

Iraqi Christians Hope Relics Will Prevent War

MONTREAL GAZETTE, Nov. 23—Christians in Iraq have high hopes the relics of St. Therésè of Lisieux, a French saint, will help maintain peace to the unstable country.

The relics arrived by plane from Lebanon on Nov. 20 after touring that country for 77 days.

Hundreds of Christians celebrated a Mass at Baghdad's St. Joseph's Chaldean Catholic Cathedral to celebrate their arrival.

Ramzia Isaac, a retired teacher, said she hoped St. Therésè would cure her sick son, according to the Montreal daily. “I also hope that she will keep war away from us and end the embargo.”

Imad Elias, another worshipper, said he hoped the saint would cure him of his diabetes and stop “the hostile war against us.”

The saint's relics are scheduled to tour Iraq until Dec. 27.

The Pope and Homer Simpson?

ANANOVA, Nov. 21—The British network BBC3 will be airing a gently satirical, 10-part cartoon series about the Vatican called “Popetown.”

Comedian Ruby Wax will play the Pope of Popetown, while model Jerry Hall will provide the voice of a nun.

BBC3 Controller Stuart Murphy told Ananova.com, a United Kingdom-based news service: “I hope Ruby, being Jewish and female, may bring something to the role which the Church may have so far overlooked.”

A Church spokesman declined any controversy over the series, telling a British paper, “The Church is big enough to have fun poked at itself.”