Focus on Faith

Two visions inspired her to found a congregation dedicated to the religious training of young women.

Pope Francis recognized the heroic virtues of Lejeune, the Catholic physician and researcher who was one of the three discoverers of the extra chromosome that causes Down syndrome.

“The choice to confer also to women these offices, which entail stability, public recognition and a mandate on the part of the bishop, renders more effective in the church everyone’s participation in the work of evangelization,” the pope said.

Cardinal Michael Czerny outlined the role of Pope Francis’ encyclical “Fratelli Tutti” in an online address to the Conference of Major Superiors of Men.

On Jan. 24, the pope will celebrate Mass marking Sunday of the Word of God and will present Bibles to a variety of Catholics.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

First reading: Jon 3:1-5, 10
Second reading: 1 Cor 7:29-31
Gospel: Mk 1:14-20

Canonized in 1665 and declared a doctor of the church in 1877, Francis is the patron saint of journalists, authors and the deaf.

Silence, like words, can be a language of love, Pope Francis wrote in the introduction to a new book by in Italian by Father Antenucci.