Washington D.C., Jul 30, 2010 / 06:03 am (CNA).- On Thursday Reps. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) were scheduled to introduce legislation which would establish a permanent government-wide prohibition on taxpayer funding for abortion. Pro-life leaders praised the comprehensiveness of the proposal.

Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Jul 30, 2010 / 04:57 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Nobody could lead the Church without the assistance of God, said Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday. After seeing a film highlighting important moments in his ministry and the life of the Church from the last five years, the Pope observed that the Church is young and full of variety and that the role of the Successor of Peter is making the unity within it concrete and visible.

St. Peter Chrysologus is a Doctor of the Church. He was born in Italy around 406 and was named archbishop of Ravenna in 439. There he encountered a strong pagan influence and many lapsed faithful. Through his efforts, many people returned to the faith and paganism was eradicated in Ravenna.St. Peter was a very caring pastor and an excellent preacher. Due to his excellent homilies, the people gave him the name "Chrysologus" (of golden words). Many of these texts still exist. He died at the age of 44 in the year 450.

1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, the king of Judah, this word came from the Lord, saying: 2 “Thus says the Lord: Stand in the atrium of the house of the Lord, and speak to all the cities of Judah, from which they come to adore in the house of the Lord, all the words that I have commanded you to speak to them. Do not choose to subtract any word. 3 So may they hear and be converted, each one from his evil way. And then I may repent of the evil that I plan to do to them because of the wickedness of their pursuits. 4 And you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord: If you will not listen to me, so that you walk in my law, which I have given to you, 5 so that you listen to the words of my servants, the prophets, whom I have sent to you, who arise while it is still night, and though they give guidance, you do not listen, 6 then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city into a curse for all the nations of the earth.” 7 And the priests, and the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. 8 And when Jeremiah had completed speaking all that the Lord had instructed him to speak to all the people, then the priests, and the prophets, and all the people apprehended him, saying: “You shall be put to death.” 9 “Why has he prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying: ‘Like Shiloh, so shall this house be,’ and, ‘This city shall be made desolate, even without an inhabitant?’ ” And all the people were gathered together against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.