"The civilization of love is possible, not because of our intelligence or because of some fantasy, but because love has already been poured into our hearts and we need to discover it, experience it and above all bear witness to it inside the Church and in our world," the cardinal said after celebrating Mass on March 18.

As the country struggles in the throes of increasing violence and drug trafficking, the cardinal told members of the faith that it is "up to us to open the doors and windows so that the true sun of justice, who is Christ Jesus, can enter our world, enter into us and renew the face of the earth and give us a new heart."

Pope Benedict's highly anticipated visit to the country begins on March 23, when he will arrive in the city of Leon and be officially greeted by President Felipe Calderon, Archbishop José Martín of Leon and representatives of the Mexican bishops' conference.

On March 24 the pontiff will have an official meeting with President Calderon and his delegation at the Conde Rul House, the seat of the Guanajuato state government where Leon is located. He will then greet and bless children and the faithful who are gathered in La Paz square. On Sunday, March 25, Pope Benedict will celebrate Mass at the municipality of Silao's Bicentennial Park, at the foot of Cubilete Hill. He will later celebrate vespers at Leon's cathedral and deliver a message to the bishops of Mexico and other representatives of the bishops' conferences of Latin America and the Caribbean.

In 2009, the 76th General Convention of the Episcopal Church decided that individual bishops would be allowed to decide whether or not to allow same-sex unions within their bishoprics, rather than outright banning the practice or creating an official rite. However, the Convention also asked the Commission to draft "theological and liturgical resources for blessing same-gender relationships," which would then be voted on during the 77th General Convention in 2012. The report, titled "I Will Bless You, and You Will Be a Blessing: Resources For Blessing Same-Gender Relationships," will be discussed by the House of Bishops and House of Deputies before the Convention begins on July 5.

If the report is approved, the rites would be used on a trial basis beginning Dec. 2, 2012, with further review at the 78th General Convention in 2015.

"Doing this will cause great fracturing and great pain," said the Rev. Canon Kendall Harmon of the Diocese of South Carolina after the draft was commissioned during the last convention. "It represents a willful American embrace of something that the Anglican Communion has said is out of bounds." In 1993, at the 13th Lambeth Conference of Anglican Bishops, a resolution was passed stating that homosexual acts were "incompatible with scripture."

Additionally, in a 2004 study of same-sex marriage within the Anglican Communion entitled "The Windsor Report," the commission expressed regret at both the recognition of same-sex unions within the Anglican Church of Canada and the Diocese of New Westminster in Massachusetts, as well as calling for a moratorium on the future blessing of same-sex unions.

A plan to hold Easter service at a Sacramento, Calif., mosque is drawing a mixed reaction from the Christian community.

Some are commending the event, especially the generosity of the Muslim community to provide a place for a Sacramento community needing space, as a needed expression of mutual respect between cultures. But the good news of a resurrected Christ won't be part of the service.

"I know that I don't believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus but I do believe his spirit ascended and his teachings are very valid and transformative," the Rev. Michael Moran, senior minister of The Spiritual Life Center, told The Christian Post over the phone.

SLC will be holding all of their upcoming Easter services at a mosque owned by the Sacramento Area League of Associated Muslims (SALAM) - the result of an expiring lease on their building at Pioneer Christian Church.

The church is part of the Unity movement, founded by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore in 1889, which holds beliefs not in line with traditional Christian teaching. Their ministry embraces the controversial "one God, many paths" belief and desires to create peace and harmony among all the world religions. Though they see Jesus as a great teacher, they do not see him as the only way to eternal life.

While many of his own congregants believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus, he does not. "I believe it was more of spiritual resurrection and that it's symbolic of what everybody does when they rise above old beliefs and that we all can have a personal resurrection experience whenever we overcome the world."

During the Easter service, Moran will be speaking to that effect. "I'll mention that there are many different beliefs in our congregation. That there is the physical belief, looking at the story as a metaphor for personal resurrection and ... that Jesus showed us a different way of living life."

Professor Erik Thoennes, chair of Biblical & Theological Studies at Biola University, however, asserted that "an Easter service where the physical resurrection of Christ is not believed, is not an Easter service in any sense, biblically or historically. A church that does not follow the risen Christ is not a true church," he told The Christian Post in an email.

When asked how Moran reconciled many of his beliefs with what was in the Bible, which he taught from along with other religious scriptures on Sundays, the senior pastor said, "I don't believe the Bible is the inerrant word of God. I believe over the years it's been changed, politicized, but I believe that in the Bible that there is great truth and there is also a lot of misstatements in it." In regards to the afterlife and heaven, he teaches that no matter what someone's belief system is whether in heaven or in reincarnation, "where you go and what happens to you is determined by how you live your life now. I trust that whatever is waiting for me will be good and that it will be as good as I am able to live now on a daily basis. If I can be more Christ-like then I don't think I have a whole lot to worry about."