As our page-one story in this issue reports, the Republic of Ireland overwhelmingly accepted the redefinition of marriage, which Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin calls “a defeat for humanity.” A secret and problematic meeting of bishops, priests, theologians and media assembled in Rome to supposedly find a way for the Church to accept same-sex unions and alter its teaching on reception of holy Communion for divorced-and-civilly- remarried persons, as reported on page 5 of this issue. This meeting was not sponsored by the Vatican.

In the United States, we are counting down the days until the Supreme Court decides on whether or not to enshrine a distortion of marriage as the law of the land and whether or not religious organizations like the Little Sisters of the Poor and EWTN must be forced to act against the faith by accepting abortion and contraception in their employee health plans.

Through it all, we know that, just as God has raised up holy men and women in times past, like St. Catherine of Siena during the Middle Ages, St. Francis de Sales during the Counter-Reformation and Joseph Ratzinger after the Second Vatican Council, he is doing so now.

A group of Catholics, including Bishop Robert Vasa of Santa Rosa, Calif., has published a booklet to guide Catholics on the subject of marriage (see story on page 2). In page-one stories, an Irish bishop testifies that a Catholic youth organization is helping to renew the faith in a country ravaged by oppression, depression and clergy scandal; and good people in the United States continue to fight for true marriage: More than a dozen states are considering legislation that seeks to protect religious liberties, no matter how the Supreme Court rules.

Let us all pray for the men and women who are fighting the good fight every day. May we count ourselves among them, ready and willing to be raised up by God — and stand for his truth.

God bless you!