Immigration, Iraq War named top stories of 2007, pope top newsmaker

Published: 2007-12-14

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The national debate over immigration issues was the top religious news story of 2007 and Pope Benedict XVI was the top newsmaker, according to the annual poll of client editors of Catholic News Service. Catholic response to the war in Iraq took second place among the 30 news stories on the ballot, while developments in the stem-cell field came in third. Pope Benedict dominated the newsmakers list, with 20 of the 24 first-place votes cast. U.S. President George W. Bush was a distant second, followed by Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta. The poll was the 46th annual survey of CNS client newspapers. This year's ballots were distributed Dec. 4 and the deadline for returns was Dec. 13. When the editors' poll was first conducted in 1962, the overwhelming choice for top story was the opening of the Second Vatican Council. Last year, editors chose Islam's relations with church and society as the top religious story of the year and Pope Benedict as the top newsmaker.

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