Cardinal Farrell: St. John the Baptist is a 'witness to the sacredness of life'
http://www.myspiritfm.com/News?blogid=Catholic-News&view=post&articleid=259863&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
Cardinal Kevin Farrell celebrates Mass in St. Peter's Basilica for the World Meeting of Families 2022 / Daniel Ibanez/CNAVatican City, Jun 23, 2022 / 02:30 am (CNA).Cardinal Kevin Farrell said on Thursday that Saint John the Baptist is a witness to the sacredness of life from conception to natural death.The Irish-American cardinal celebrated Mass in St. Peter's Basilica for the Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist on June 23.The Mass in English was part of the World Meeting of Families 2022, taking place in Rome from June 22-26 with families from around the world. Families are also encouraged to participate in the event from home via livestream.Even before Saint John the Baptist was born, "at the moment of Mary's greeting, [he] recognized the Lord Jesus and leaped for joy in Elizabeth's womb," Farrell said."A call from God reached him while he was still in the womb," he noted. "It invested him with the great task of preparing the hearts of humankind to recei...
Cardinal Kevin Farrell celebrates Mass in St. Peter's Basilica for the World Meeting of Families 2022 / Daniel Ibanez/CNA
Vatican City, Jun 23, 2022 / 02:30 am (CNA).
Cardinal Kevin Farrell said on Thursday that Saint John the Baptist is a witness to the sacredness of life from conception to natural death.
The Irish-American cardinal celebrated Mass in St. Peter's Basilica for the Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist on June 23.
The Mass in English was part of the World Meeting of Families 2022, taking place in Rome from June 22-26 with families from around the world. Families are also encouraged to participate in the event from home via livestream.
Even before Saint John the Baptist was born, "at the moment of Mary's greeting, [he] recognized the Lord Jesus and leaped for joy in Elizabeth's womb," Farrell said.
"A call from God reached him while he was still in the womb," he noted. "It invested him with the great task of preparing the hearts of humankind to receive the Savior of the world."
The cardinal, who leads the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life, which organized the World Meeting of Families, said Saint John's reaction to encountering the unborn Jesus points to an important aspect of family life.
"All of this helps us to understand another key dimension of the family vocation," he said, "to be guardians of the sacredness of human life from the first moment of conception to natural death."
Saint John the Baptist's birth is ordinarily celebrated on June 24, but is moved to June 23 when it coincides with the Feast of Corpus Christi or the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, as happened this year.
In his homily, Cardinal Farrell, who is camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, reflected on the liturgy's first reading, from the Prophet Isaiah.
"The Lord called me from birth, from my mother's womb he gave me my name," Farrell said, quoting Isaiah 49:1.
"The life of each child must be protected and defended precisely because God has great plans for that child's goodness and holiness right from the beginning," he said.
"God's call has reached your children too," he continued, "right from the beginning, so that all of them may be saints of tomorrow and will make our world a brighter place for all."
Full Article
http://www.myspiritfm.com/News?blogid=Catholic-News&url=10&view=post&articleid=259978&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
Demonstrators clash with riot police, nearby El Ejido park, in Quito, on June 24, 2022, in the framework of indigenous-led protests against the government. - Ecuador's government and Indigenous protesters accused each other of intransigence as thousands gathered for a 12th day of a fuel price revolt that has claimed six lives and injured dozens. After the most violent day of the campaign so far -- with police firing tear gas to disperse thousands storming Congress -- the government accused protesters of shunning a peaceful outcome. / Martin Bernetti/AFP via Getty ImagesLima, Peru, Jun 24, 2022 / 18:00 pm (CNA).The bishops of Ecuador have called for dialogue in order to reach an agreement between the government and the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie), which is leading nationwide protests that have left six dead."On behalf of the Ecuadorian Bishops' Conference, I wish to reaffirm our heartfelt call for the parties involved, setting aside any ext...
http://www.myspiritfm.com/News?blogid=Catholic-News&url=10&view=post&articleid=259968&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court of the United States issued its decision in the case of Carson v. Makin, which challenged a decision by the First Circuit to allow the State of Maine to exclude religious schools from a tuition assistance benefit on the basis that those schools include religion as part of their instruction. By vote of 6-3, the Court ruled in favor of the petitioners. Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee for Religious Liberty, and Bishop Thomas A. Daly of Spokane, chairman of the USCCB's Committee on Catholic Education, issued a statement in response to the Court's ruling: "The Supreme Court has rightly ruled that the Constitution protects not just the right to be religious but also to act religious. This common-sense result reflects the essence of Catholic education. Moreover, the Court has again affirmed that states cannot exclude religious schools from generally-available public benefits based ...
http://www.myspiritfm.com/News?blogid=Catholic-News&url=10&view=post&articleid=259967&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
WASHINGTON - World Refugee Day, observed in the United States and around the world on June 20, was established by the United Nations to increase awareness of refugees and other forcibly displaced persons. Catholic dioceses, parishes, and organizations across the globe commemorated this annual event, celebrating the positive contributions of refugees and the efforts of communities to welcome them. Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville, auxiliary bishop of Washington and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on Migration, issued the following statement:"Almost seventy years ago, in his apostolic constitution Exsul Familia, Pope Pius XII boldly proclaimed that the 'Holy Family of Nazareth, fleeing into Egypt, is the archetype of every refugee family.' In the aftermath of World War II, that image of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph seeking safety had been the lived reality of millions. Today, that number has grown to surpass any other point in history, propelled by the rav...