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A federal appeals court has ruled against abortion restrictions in the state of Tennessee. A 2020 law restricts abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat. The law also prohibits abortions conducted because of the race or sex of the baby, or because of a Down syndrome diagnosis. The ruling came about a week after another pro-life heartbeat law went into effect in Texas.
The founder of the Peruvian terrorist group known as Shining Path died over the weekend at a military hospital. The 86-year-old founded Shining Path in the 1960s on communist principles. He began armed conflict in the 1980s, in hopes of stoking a revolution that would gain control of the Peruvian countryside, and eventually cities. Three European priests killed by the Shining Path in 1991, were recognized as martyrs by the Vatican in 2015.
Over the weekend, Pope Francis encouraged Catholics to spend more time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, to become more like Christ. The pope spoke about adoration during the International Eucharistic Congress in Budapest. Pope Francis was the first pope to attend an International Eucharistic Congress since 2000.
The Church must respond to secularization with creativity, not defensiveness. Those were the words of Pope Francis today, during a meeting with clergy and lay people in Slovakia’s capital. The pope said Christians have inherited a rich tradition. But for many people, that tradition feels like a relic from the past, not something that can affect how they live their lives today. He said the creativity of the Gospel is key to helping the world reclaim a sense of God, and the joy of faith.
Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saint John Chrysostom. John was perhaps the greatest preacher in the history of the Church, and the most prominent Greek father of the Church.