Bless My Lambs, Shear My Sheep....

There's your Money Shot from yesterday's traditional Vatican Agnesmas. (Contrary to appearances, yes, the lambs were alive for the blessing.)

At today's Angelus, proving yet again the breadth and depth of the Gospel of Life, B16 gave a special word of support to a group working against the proliferation of toy guns:

In his weekly appearance from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square, he singled out a group of southern Italian pilgrims in the crowd who are promoting a campaign called "Change the Play."

"They have invited children to abandon toy weapons," the pope said of the group from the town of Lecce. "I congratulate them for this initiative and I would like to broaden the appeal: let's keep childhood from the contagion of violence!" the pontiff urged the faithful.

In his Christmas Midnight Mass homily, Benedict urged the faithful to work for the respect of the dignity of children, and lamented that children in some parts of the world are forced to serve as soldiers.

And, yet again, looks as if these pages are providing grist for the Big Media Table: Thursday's pointer to Ignacio Ingrao's Panorama exploration of the Ratzi Cosmos led all the way to today's Washington Times... hmm.

Well, at least you know where to get it first.


PHOTO: L'Osservatore/Arturo Mari

-30-