Greatest story ever told

In an op-piece in La Croix International about World Children’s Day, Nuala Kenny, a paediatrician and a Sister of Charity wrote:

“At every mass, Catholics hear ‘the greatest story ever told’, which reveals the depth of God’s love for us and salvation history. Today, these are among many competing, contradictory, dazzling interactive stories offered to screen-addicted youth, creating unprecedented challenges and opportunities for catechesis. We need to live our belief in the perfection of charity; the essential dignity of all persons made in the image and likeness of God; accept vulnerability as essential to humanity; and salvific suffering.”

Dreams and fairy tales

Speaking to children after mass in St Peter’s Square for World Children’s Day, comedian Roberto Benigni said:

“I can see you here, full of dreams. You can feel this buzzing, a hive of dreams, a swarm... Dream! It’s the most beautiful thing in the world. But I want to tell you a secret. You’ll tell me you know how to dream, you just have to close your eyes, sleep, and dream… No, no. I’ll tell you a secret – to dream, you don’t close your eyes. You have to open them! You have to open your eyes, read, write, invent. You’ll ask, what’s the point of fairy tales, with the princesses, the orcs, the dragons? No, fairy tales don’t tell children that dragons exist – they already know that! Fairy tales teach children that dragons can be defeated.”

Primacy of common good

After UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a general election, the bishops of England and Wales released a statement urging Catholics to put “the common good before self-interest”. They said Catholics should be “seeking answers which will help the poor, the marginalised, and the vulnerable”. While admitting Christians can have a different way of looking at politics, the bishops listed several major areas people should be looking at before they vote.

(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)