The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Vatican City - A Jewish leader met with Vatican officials this week to ask them to restate church teachings on the Crucifixion, saying Mel Gibson's new film contradicts the church's position that the Jews as a people were not responsible for Jesus' death. A top Vatican official who met with Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, said Wednesday that no such statement is planned. U.S. Archbishop John Foley, who heads the Vatican's social communications office, again praised the film, The Passion of the Christ, and said he found nothing anti-Semitic in it. Neyshabur, Iran - Runaway train cars carrying a lethal mix of fuel and chemicals derailed and caught fire in northeast Iran on Wednesday, then exploded hours later killing scores of firefighers and others gathered to put out the blaze. At least 200 people were killed and more than 400 injured, many of them residents of nearby mud houses levelled by the blast. Washington - President George W. Bush said Wednesday he was troubled by gay weddings in San Francisco and by legal decisions in Massachusetts that could clear the way for same-sex marriage. He declined to say whether he was close to backing a constitutional ban. Bush said, "I have consistently stated that I'll support law to protect marriage between a man and a woman. Obviously these events are influencing my decision."
