St. Sebastian

Feast date: Jan 20

Sebastian was the son of a wealthy Roman family. He was educated in Milan and became an officer of the imperial Roman army, and Captain of the Guard. He was a favorite of Emperor Diocletian. During Diocletian's persecution of the Christians, Sebastian visited them in prison, bringing both supplies and comfort. He is reported to have healed the wife of a fellow soldier by making the sign of the cross over her. During his time in the army he converted many soldiers and a governor.

Charged as a Christian in 288 in Rome, Sebastian was tied to a tree, shot with arrows, and left for dead. However, he survived, recovered, and returned to preach to Diocletian, where the emperor then had him beaten to death.

The protestors, who took issue with a personnel decision made by Archbishop Dabula Mpako of Pretoria, disrupted Mass in the cathedral there last month, the prelate said.

“I am obviously worried, because they [Catholic troops] could be put in a situation where they’re being ordered to do something which is morally questionable,” said Archbishop Timothy Broglio. “And it would be very difficult for a soldier or a Marine or a sailor by himself to disobey an order such as that.”

“But strictly speaking, he or she, within the realm of their own conscience, it would be morally acceptable to disobey that order,” Archbishop Broglio added. “But that’s perhaps putting that individual in an untenable situation, and that’s my concern.”

The Catholic radio network has grown to “200 owned and operated and affiliate stations in the United States with the potential to reach 250 million souls.”

The document follows the Trump administration’s policy change on religious worker visas—a change that the bishops’ conference welcomed.

In “Disuguaglianza, la legge del più ricco” [Inequality, the law of the most rich], Stefano Leszczynski cited a new report by Oxfam, the British charitable confederation.

Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, commented on the “untenable” situation in the state.

Pope Leo offered prayers for the eternal rest of the deceased and extended his consolation to their families and to the injured, Cardinal Parolin said in his telegram, sent on January 19.

Pope Leo XIV has accepted an invitation to visit the Czech Republic, the nation’s president said after a papal audience yesterday.

The prelate, Bishop Paskalis Bruno Syukur, OFM, of Bogor, is only 63.

“Behind every administrative decision, I believe there is the hand of God weaving His plan,” Bishop Syukur said upon his resignation, which was accepted on January 19. “I accept this with inner joy, because obedience to the Holy See is a promise that He holds firmly.”