Pope tells Christians to have the courage of John the Baptist in witnessing to the truth

(June 25, 2007) Pope Benedict XVI urged Christians on Sunday to courageously bear "witness to the truth without compromise," just as the precursor of Christ, John the Baptist, did. Addressing a large crowd in St. Peter’s Square before the midday ‘angelus’ prayer on the liturgical feast of the birth of St. John the Baptist, the Pope urged the faithful to follow the example of the cousin of Christ, and to not be afraid to denounce "transgressions of God's commandments" even when the protagonists are people in power.
The son of the Virgin Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth and Zachary, John the Baptist was imprisoned and later beheaded because he spoke out against the adultery of Herod and Herodius. "As an authentic prophet, John bore witness to the truth without compromise. He denounced transgressions of God's commandments, even when the protagonists were people in power,” Pope Benedict said recalling the beheading of John the Baptist, which is regarded as martyrdom.
Listen to what he said in English:
After the ‘angelus’ prayer Pope Benedict expressed gratitude for the generosity of the faithful for supporting the Pope's Charity Day. Many dioceses worldwide take up the collection known as Peter's Pence, normally on June 29 - the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul -- or a date close to it, chosen by local bishops. The funds collected are allocated directly to the Pope's charitable works.
The Holy Father said: "I am deeply grateful for the prayer and support by which you participate in the evangelization and charitable work of the Successor of Peter throughout the world." In 2005, donations to Peter's Pence totaled $59.4 million - a 14.9% increase from the previous year.