A valuable reference work. The trusted resource. Still. This annual, up-to-date, comprehensive guide to the Catholic Church has been the reference work to which students, teachers, researchers, homilists, writers, and media professionals have turned for more than 100 years. This is the resource on which they have relied for solid, orthodox Catholic teaching and information. This is the reference work with the in-depth index that makes it easy to find specific, exact information. This is the resource endorsed by Archbishop John Foley, President of the Pontifical Council on Social Communication at the Vatican, who writes: "It is an annual masterpiece!" Topics in the 2005 edition include: • The Year in Review • Special Reports on Same-Sex Unions, the Sex Abuse Scandal, Catholics in Political Life, and Pope John Paul II’s 25th Anniversary • Coverage of the new document on Catholic Devotions • Update on Partial-Birth Abortion and other Life Issues • Biographies of the New Cardinals • Full Coverage of Mother Teresa’s Beatification • Biographies of all new Saints and Blesseds • Updates on Papal Travel • Updated National and World Statistics • Updated Statistics on Men and Women Religious • Catholic Social Teachings • Mary • Canon Law • Glossary of Catholic Terms • Church Calendar • Scripture • Liturgy • Sacraments • Chronologies of U.S. and World Church History • Coverage on the rules for Papal Conclaves • Ecumenism • Encyclicals And more! "Our Sunday Visitor claims this work is the ‘one and only Catholic resource’ and it is ‘simply the best annual guide to the Catholic Church anywhere.’ These are bold statements, but accurate . . . This excellent work is especially useful for those interested in either the Roman Catholic Church or the Holy See . . . It is informative, easy to use, and well written." — American Reference Books Manual, 2003.