Quote
“One of Christ’s last acts on the cross was the forgiveness of a repentant thief. Certainly, the church forgives the person responsible for this crime. God offers his mercy as well.”
| Bishop James D. Conley of the Diocese of Lincoln, Neb., in a statement Oct. 16 following the recovery of his pectoral cross Oct. 15 after it had been stolen from his home five days earlier. The diocese said in the statement that the cross is irreplaceable because it was a personal gift to the bishop from Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. (Catholic News Service)
In the news
For scandals, Pope asks forgiveness
VATICAN CITY— With 30,000 people gathered in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis asked forgiveness for scandals that have occurred within the church recently.
“Before beginning my catechesis, I would like — in the name of the church — to ask your forgiveness for the scandals which have occurred recently both in Rome and at the Vatican,” the pope said. “I ask your forgiveness.”
The pope’s off-the-cuff remarks Oct. 14 followed a reading from St. Matthew’s Gospel in which Jesus warns of scandalizing the “little ones.”
Pope Francis did not explain what scandal or scandals he was referring to, but his comments came during a week that saw the leak of a private letter sent to him by several cardinals expressing concern with aspects of the Synod of Bishops on the family. (CNS)
Saints under 40
Modern-day martyr
Blessed Peter To Rot, born in 1912 in what is now Papua New Guinea, was the son of a tribal chief whose Catholic faith never wavered, even when he knew death was on its way.
Peter became a catechist and worked in his village to spread the faith. His task took on a frightening challenge during World War II, when Japan occupied Peter’s island in 1942 and jailed the missionary priests. It was up to Peter and other catechists to support the faithful.
The military then began a more widespread crackdown on Christianity, and Peter was arrested in 1945. His death came at the hands of a Japanese doctor who acted under the guise of treating the catechist in the prison camp, though no one was fooled. St. John Paul II beatified him in 1995. His feast day Is July 7. (www.loyolapress.com)