(Vatican Radio) Monday, August 29th, the Church remembers the Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist (cf. Mk 6:17-29). For centuries, St. John the Baptist served as the principal model of Christian manhood, and Pope Francis has called the great prophet and precursor of the Lord a model for Christians also today.The Director of Vatican Radio’s English for India service, Fr. Melwin Pinto, SJ, shared with us some reflections on the enduring importance of St. John the Baptist’s example on this, the liturgical memory of his martyrdom, saying that contemporary society could greatly benefit by imitation of his fearlessness. “He never was scared to speak the truth,” said Fr. Pinto. “He was faithful to God’s word, and God’s law: and that is something very important today.”Click below to listen Fr Pinto went on to say, “We would, today – probably – sugar-coat the whole truth, and then try to come out and speak in politically corre...
(Vatican Radio) Monday, August 29th, the Church remembers the Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist (cf. Mk 6:17-29). For centuries, St. John the Baptist served as the principal model of Christian manhood, and Pope Francis has called the great prophet and precursor of the Lord a model for Christians also today.
The Director of Vatican Radio’s English for India service, Fr. Melwin Pinto, SJ, shared with us some reflections on the enduring importance of St. John the Baptist’s example on this, the liturgical memory of his martyrdom, saying that contemporary society could greatly benefit by imitation of his fearlessness. “He never was scared to speak the truth,” said Fr. Pinto. “He was faithful to God’s word, and God’s law: and that is something very important today.”
Click below to listen
Fr Pinto went on to say, “We would, today – probably – sugar-coat the whole truth, and then try to come out and speak in politically correct sentences, but [John the Baptist] wasn’t of that type.”
St. John the Baptist was not heedless of the consequences, but he was unafraid – a distinction of paramount importance in our day, Fr. Pinto said – and Pope Francis is an example of this courage for us. “[We] have a great example of this in Pope Francis,” he continued, “when he spoke against war – at the UN – when he said, ‘we feed war, and we don’t feed the people’,” recalling also Pope Francis’ condemnations of the traffic in arms and in human beings. “It requires a lot of courage to do so,” he said.
The pro-life flag from the Pro-Life Flag Project (www.prolifeflag.com). / Credit: Pro-Life Flag Project (www.prolifeflag.com)Toronto, Canada, Apr 25, 2024 / 12:50 pm (CNA).The International Pro-Life Flag will not fly over Toronto Catholic schools this May.Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) trustees voted against an April 23 motion proposed by trustee Michael Del Grande that the pro-life flag fly outside all schools and the Catholic Education Centre during the month of May, just as the board voted to fly the Pride flag in June.Del Grande's motion was defeated at the April 23 board meeting when only Garry Tanuan supported Del Grande's motion. The eight other board members in attendance and the two student trustees opposed his proposal.Though Del Grande could not muster enough backing from his colleagues, his plan, which would have also directed all TCDSB schools to teach an exclusively pro-life curriculum on May 9, the day of the National March for Life, garnered bois...
null / ShutterstockCNA Staff, Apr 25, 2024 / 10:52 am (CNA).Following a recent Vatican declaration on human dignity, the Catholic bishops of England and Wales condemned medical and social transgenderism while encouraging a "sensitive" response in a pastoral reflection released on Wednesday.The Vatican's doctrinal office came down strongly against gender ideology, stating that "all attempts to obscure reference to the ineliminable sexual difference between man and woman are to be rejected."The Catholic bishops of England and Wales followed the Vatican's lead in their April 24 statement, "Intricately Woven by the Lord," which encouraged rooting pastoral care in "acceptance … of the body as created." "We cannot encourage or give support to reconstructive or drug-based medical intervention that harms the body," they wrote. "Nor can we legitimize or uphold a way of living that is not respectful of the truth and vocation of each man and each woman, called to ...
null / ShutterstockCNA Staff, Apr 25, 2024 / 11:30 am (CNA).Louisiana State Police have obtained a new search warrant to collect documents from the Archdiocese of New Orleans as part of an ongoing investigation into Church abuse in that state.State police spokesman Jacob Pucheu confirmed to CNA on Thursday that the bureau had obtained the warrant as part of its investigation into "numerous complaints of child sexual abuse" leveled at the archdiocese. The inquiry was first launched in 2022, he said."As part of the ongoing investigation, on Monday, April 22, 2024, SVU investigators obtained an additional search warrant to collect information and documents from the Archdiocese of New Orleans," Pucheu told CNA."The archdiocese is cooperating with investigators to fulfill the terms of the search warrant," he said. "This investigation remains ongoing with no further information available at this time."Pucheu declined to directly provide a copy of the warrant, saying that "since it is...
