Quote
“Prayer is our only weapon. As in other circumstances, may all the faithful redouble the ardour of this prayer, so our common plea for national unity will always remain our source of strength.” | Msgr. Matthias Kamm, secretary-general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Burkina Faso and of Niger, in a Jan. 20 statement signed by the Catholic bishops of Burkina Faso after a terrorist attack in the capital, Ouagadougou, killed 29 people, including six humanitarian workers from Quebec. (Catholic News Service)
In the news
Enforcing truth about marriage
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis said there can be no confusion between God’s plan for marriage as an indissoluble bond between one man and woman who are open to life, and other sorts of unions.
“The church, in fact, can demonstrate God’s unwavering merciful love toward families, especially those wounded by sin and life’s trials, and at the same time proclaim the essential truth of marriage according to God’s plan,” the pope said Jan. 22, in a meeting with members of the Roman Rota. The pope holds the annual meeting to inaugurate the Vatican court’s judicial year.
Pope Francis said the court, which hears requests for marriage annulments, helps support families and the truth about the sacred bond of marriage.
“The family, based on indissoluble, unitive and procreative marriage, is part of God’s ‘dream’ and the church’s for the salvation of humanity,” he said. (CNS)
Saints under 40
Walking with Christ
Born in 1913, Blessed Jose Sanchez del Rio was a Mexican boy who followed his older brothers in the Cristero movement during the late 1920s. The rebellion came in response to severe religious persecution in Mexico; many faithful who felt impotent against the authorities took up arms with their faith in God as their primary support.
In 1928, at age 14 Jose was captured and imprisoned in a church sacristy. After several days, the soles of his feet were mutilated and he was forced to walk through town to a cemetery; urged by the government soldiers to renounce his faith, Jose instead proclaimed it despite being in great pain. He was shot and killed once he reached the cemetery — where for one last time he refused to deny his faith. (www.ewtn.com)