Thursday, June 24, 12th Week in Ordinary Time
From left: Birth of John, Pontormo, 1520; Holy Family with young John, Fra Bartolome, 1507; Jesus and John, Murillo;
and John the Baptist: Bernini sculpture, 1615; Bronzino sculpture, 1555; Rublev icon.
NATIVITY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
OR today.
Illustrations: Baptism of Jesus, 11th century icon, monastery of Our Lady of Kaftoun, Lebanon; and manuscript pages of Thomas Quinas, Vatican Library.
At the General Audience, BenedictXVI concludes his catecheses on St. Thomas of Aquinas:
'Human intelligence confronts the mysteries of the faith'
A page 1 essay on the birth of John the Baptist continues the OR series on major religious observances in the Siro-Occidental
tradition. Page 1 international news: Berlin, Paris and London will tax financial transactions but other European nations do
not agree; Moscow cuts natural gas pipelines to Belarus because of accumulated debts.
THE POPE'S DAY
Blessing of the restored Madonnina statue at the Don Orione Center on Monte Mario in Rome. Address.
Visit to the Dominican nuns' monastery of Saint Mary of the Rosary nearby, where he presided
at the Mid-Day liturgy of the Divine Office.