News

A recent trip to a local outdoor produce market revealed a wide variety of locally grown produce on display, including many vegetables as well as colorful fruits such as strawberries, peaches and plums—beautiful things to eat. It is the beginning of the season, and the fruits and vegetables are fresh and plentiful. The abundance was amazing, and the market was buzzing as people milled about selecting the items they found appealing.

With the election of Francis I of Argentina as leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, questions abound. Will he liberalize his church, perhaps relaxing the celibacy requirement for priests and seeking a greater Vatican role in the political life of Europe and beyond? Will he be the final pontiff before Christ’s return? Was his election in fact predicted by a medieval monk?

“Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.” That old saying that simply means one should not be unappreciative for gifts. Yet, many are less-than-thankful about the “gift” described in the news recently as the “horse-for-beef scandal” now affecting Europe and the United Kingdom.