The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops released a major pastoral letter yesterday defending freedom of conscience and freedom of religious expression (PDF of full text). Vietnamese officials have refused to allow Redemptorist priests to visit a jailed blogger who needs the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. The first exhibition centre in China dedicated to Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci has opened in the city of Zhaoqing. The orchestra and choir of the Neocatechumenal Way has performed a Holocaust "Symphonic Homage Prayer" to an audience including 30 New York rabbis. Rocco Palmo tracks the global expansion of the Personal Ordinariate for groups of former Anglicans. John Allen says that allies of Pope Benedict are expressing reservations as he prepares to reconcile the Society of St Pius X. Michael Kelly considers whether Cardinal Seán Brady, the Primate of All Ireland, can resist renewed pressure to resign. Michael Novak laments a less well-known priestly scandal. And E J Dionne Jr explains why he's not leaving the Catholic Church.