"Any act of war aimed indiscriminately at the destruction of entire cities or extensive areas along with their population is a crime against God and humanity itself. It merits unequivocal and unhesitating condemnation."Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes, n 80. The code name for the operation that lead to the first use of this weapon of… Read More »1945: Detonation of the first atomic bomb, New Mexico USA
This day was created by Emojipedia to celebrate the use of emojis. An emoji is a small digital image or icon used to convey an idea or emotion. They are different from emoticons which use characters rather than images, for example the smiley face emoticon is :). Emojis are commonly used in text messages and… Read More »World Emoji Day
"It is easy to break down and destroy.The heroes are those who make peace and build."Nelson Mandela South African leader Nelson Mandela was born on this day in 1918. A timeline of his life, and links to the texts of some of his major speeches can be accessed here. For Reflection What can we learn… Read More »Nelson Mandela International Day
"The ultimate destiny of the universe is in the fullness of God, which has already been attained by the risen Christ, the measure of the maturity of all things."Pope Francis, Laudato Si', n 83. Find out more about the moon landing here. For Reflection What difference does seeing the universe as a cosmos created by… Read More »Anniversary of the Moon Landing (1969)
St Mary Magdalene is remembered as the 'apostle to the apostles' because she was the first to announce the resurrection of Jesus. The apostles did not believe her and went to see for themselves. According to John, Mary Magdalene was specially privileged to see and speak to the risen Lord on Easter morning. For Reflection… Read More »Saint Mary Magdalene
"Very early in his public life, Jesus called James to follow him. Along with Peter and John, James was one of the favored three to witness the Transfiguration of Jesus, the raising of Jairus’s daughter, and the agony in the garden on Holy Thursday night."Loyola Press Find out more about St. James here.
Bill abolishing slavery throughout the British Empire was passed on the third reading in the House of Commons on this day.
"One of the most precious things in life is to have a home where you can go at any time and find people who accept, love, and understand you. The home Jesus found in Bethany was not only in the house but in the faithful heart of a woman named Martha. She welcomed him and… Read More »Saint Martha
"Through friendship — by accumulating bonds of camaraderie and developing strong ties of trust — we can contribute to the fundamental shifts that are urgently needed to achieve lasting stability, weave a safety net that will protect us all, and generate passion for a better world where all are united for the greater good."United Nations… Read More »International Day of Friendship
"On this World Day against Trafficking in Persons, let us reaffirm our commitment to stop criminals from ruthlessly exploiting people for profit and to help victims rebuild their lives."UN Secretary-General António Guterres Catholic Social Justice Series paper no 79 Human Trafficking and Slavery, A Response from Australian Catholics comes out of the work of ACRATH,… Read More »World Day against Trafficking in Persons