“Fear no one,” says Jesus in today’s Gospel.

He doesn’t want us to be secret Christians, hiding our faith from the world, embarrassed that we still believe. He says, “Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father, and whoever denies me before others I will deny before my heavenly Father.”

He wants us to “proclaim on the housetops” what he has revealed. But we fail at this so often that it can be a little discouraging.

Francis to ROACO: “If Eastern faithful are forced to emigrate,” they must be able to continue to live “according to their own ecclesial tradition”.

The Vatican Secretary of State points out that while conflicts diminish, civilian casualties increase. Too many hegemonic designs hinder peace. Parolin to Russia in August.

“The relationship between individuals or communities and the environment ultimately stems from their relationship with God.” —Pope Benedict XVI
Benjamin Wiker

A less provocative title might have been, “Why Catholics Need to Be at the Forefront of the Environmental Movement,” but that probably wouldn’t have caught your eye. So, now that I’ve got your attention, let’s make the case for a Catholic Ecology.

“Violence serves the cause of terrorists.” Nichols, “I’m horrified”. The Muslim Council denounces a rise in islamophobia. The Jewish community condemns the Finsbury Park attack.

The President of the Academy for Life speaks about the new appointee. Controversy over Biggar, Anglican theologian, for a sentence on the interruption of pregnancy said in an interview. But he has never published anything on the matter

Vatican reiterates its "No" to building new walls. Merkel, “Francis encouraged me to find global solutions”.

Pope Francis and Angela Merkel share the same aim to “bring down walls,” not build them, and agree on the importance of international treaties and commitment to Africa. This is what emerges from the encounter - a “cordial discussion”, as the Holy See defines it in a brief communique - between Pope Francis and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, received yesterday with her husband, Joachim Sauer in the Vatican apostolic Palace.

Dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,

The words of the Gospel we have just heard contain a remarkable promise: ‘Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever’ (John 6:58). This promise of everlasting life comes to its fulfilment in the death and resurrection of Jesus, in which he not only shares our human nature, destined for death, but also gives to us the gift of new life after that death.

To the crowds which were after Him, Jesus said: “I am the bread.” The angels’ bread. The bread for the road. Bread “that came down from heaven".

It is that very bread which He is shortly going to take. As He took friendship. As He took sadness. As He took death. With both hands.

He will bless it. He will break it. And while breaking it, He shall feel all of the shreds of the world. A world which He is going to love “to the extremity of His folly", the poet Charles Le Quintrec will write.

There is nothing more impressive than the new priest’s hugging of his parents… amidst the tears of joy, the words come out of the mouth of the priest with the spontaneity of the village as he says: O father, O mother you gave birth to me on a certain day of life…today I am born again with the Church sending me to convey a sublime message. I will never forget you as you will remain my parents on this road which is designed to convey an interesting but tiring message.