It is 9 o'clock. Radio du Clocher continues its mission: to restore the voice of the Church to the center of society. Each morning, I accompany you to illuminate your day in the light of Christ, by reading to you the Gospel, the life of the saint of the day, and Catholic news you won't see anywhere else.
Saint Elizabeth of Hungary: A Model of Charity and Fidelity
On this 17th of November, the Church honors Saint Elizabeth of Thuringia, a Hungarian princess who became a duchess against her will, yet remained faithful to God. Married at fourteen, she loved only simplicity but adorned herself to honor the one she had not chosen.
Her encounter with the Franciscans transformed her life: she served the poor, orphans, and families destroyed by war. Widowed at twenty, pregnant with her third child, she refused a new marriage. Cast out, humiliated, relegated to a pigsty, she never lost her joy.
Becoming a Franciscan tertiary, she distributed all her income, founded a hospital, and often repeated: "I do not wish to frighten God with a sad face."
She died at twenty-four, leaving behind a fragrance of holiness so powerful that Gregory IX canonized her just four years later. Pope Benedict XVI saw in her a model for all who exercise authority: to govern by serving God.
The Gospel of the Day – Luke 18:35-43: The Blind Man Who Did Not Let Jesus Pass By
The Gospel shows us a man whom nothing could stop. The blind man of Jericho hears that Jesus is passing by: he cries out, persists, and lets no one intimidate him. Jesus stops, listens to him, and heals him: "Your faith has saved you."
Saint Augustine said it forcefully: "I fear that Jesus may pass by and not return."
This blind man is our teacher: perseverance, urgency, simplicity. This prayer should be on our lips: "Lord, let me receive my sight."
The external healing reveals the inner light: the Word illuminates our steps, as the Psalmist sings.
Catholic News for November 17, 2025
1. France: A Petition to Protect Churches
CitizenGO is calling on the State to act in the face of rising desecrations: 401 attacks in six months, 62% vandalism, 10% arson.
Shattered altars, broken statues, faithful assaulted after Mass: the political silence is becoming unbearable.
The petition demands:
– a national coordinator against Christianophobia;
– a security fund increased to 10 million euros;
– training for law enforcement to correctly classify these acts.
The association reminds us that in other countries, a simple biblical verse can lead to lawsuits.
2. France: Gleeden Campaign, a Trivialization of Adultery
The slogan "A lover costs nothing to Social Security" is plastered across public transport.
The AFC (Family Associations) denounce a total contempt for marital suffering: 425,000 separations, 380,000 children affected, 80,000 breakups linked to infidelity.
The human and economic damage is immense, but Gleeden transforms pain into marketing.
3. Vatican: Leo XIV Shares a Meal with 1,300 Poor People
In Rome, the Holy Father welcomed 1,300 guests for the World Day of the Poor.
A simple meal, fraternal gestures, food parcels distributed: the heart of the Church beats for the least of these.
The Vincentians served the guests to celebrate the 400th anniversary of their Congregation.
4. DRC: Massacre at Saint Paul Parish in Byambwe
On the night of November 14-15, 28 people were killed by attackers believed to be ADF-NALU.
Women, children, entire families were massacred. Neighborhoods were burned, and the population is fleeing.
The parish priest celebrated a Requiem Mass the very next day.
Leo XIV mentioned the tragedy at the Angelus.
5. Germany: Bomb Threat During a Service
In Aichach, a bomb threat interrupted a family Mass attended by 300 people.
The basilica was evacuated and searched. Nothing was found, but fear remains.
The church had already been desecrated by a cyclist in 2024.
6. Scotland: Proposed Abortion Up to Birth
Christian groups are sounding the alarm: a report proposes abortion up to term if two caregivers deem it "appropriate."
Removal of medical signatures, repeal of old offenses, no ban on selective abortion of babies: a worrying drift.
Pro-life associations denounce a model that would make Scotland one of the most permissive countries in Europe.
Historical Fact of the Day: The Rediscovery of El Amarna (1714)
On November 17, 1714, the Jesuit priest Claude Sicard unearthed a stele bearing the solar disk of Aten, thus revealing the forgotten capital of Akhenaten.
His work would be continued by the Napoleonic expeditions, and later by Lepsius in the 19th century.
Through these discoveries, Providence reminds us that every human quest for light finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the Sun of Justice.
Prayer Intention
Lord, we entrust to You those who suffer in spirit, flesh, and heart.
May they find refuge in Jesus Christ, and may Mary, Refuge of Sinners, support those who carry their cross in silence.
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