John Paul II was a rock star of a pope, arguably the most effective ambassador of religious belief in a highly secular age. Yet in the years since his death in April 2005 an undercurrent of doubt and concern has emerged related to his handling of the problem of priestly sex abuse, the most serious Read more
When Barack Obama won 54 percent of the Catholic vote in the 2008 presidential election, commentators barely noticed that John McCain won a majority of the religiously-active Catholic vote (51 percent to 49 percent). This was a small margin, to be sure, but it doesn’t bode well for the 2012 presidential race, after all the Read more
A new global survey shows that 51 percent of people in the world believe in God. Only 18 percent don’t and 17 percent are undecided. More than 18,000 people participated in the London-based poll in 23 countries conducted by global research company, Ipsos Social Research Institute. The Ipsos/Reuters poll also found that 51 percent believe Read more
Despite all the really weighty issues Roman Catholics face, including the latest sexual abuse scandal playing out in Philadelphia, the most passionate debate this year may well be whether the Nicene Creed should say “one in Being with” or “consubstantial with.” That’s because the Vatican plans to introduce a new English-language Roman Missal, the prayer Read more
Pope John Paul II is being beatified not because of his impact on history or on the Catholic Church, but because of the way he lived the Christian virtues of faith, hope and love, said Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes. “Clearly his cause was put on the fast track, but Read more
Few deny that Pope John Paul II was a towering figure of the 20th century, a great pope of great consequence. His record-fast beatification, though, has prompted questions even from some supporters who suggest the Vatican should first answer lingering concerns about the flaws of his papacy. John Paul’s holiness and accomplishments aren’t much in Read more
As the Church looks for a second miracle attributed John Paul II, one may be forth-coming from Spain. The first miracle, allowing for John Paul’s beatification on May 1, was the cure of a French nun with Parkinson’s Disease, the disease John Paul died from. A second miracle is required in order that he is Read more
In February, two days into the uprising against Muammar Qaddafi, a crowd of protesters in Tobruk, in eastern Libya, created a political icon. At a square in the city, they toppled a larger-than-life version of Qaddafi’s Green Book—the cement pages were six feet by four feet—and cheers went up as the monument went down. The Read more
Most explanations of the origin of atheism are simplistic – as is the notion that people turn to religion for comfort. Last week, in a lecture presented by the Non-religion and Secularity Research Network, Jon Lanman set out to explore the evolutionary origins of atheism. Lanman, who is originally from St Louis, Missouri, recently completed Read more
For several youth leaders throughout the Diocese of Phoenix, social media sites are no longer a place to share what’s on their mind. Instead, Facebook, Twitter and even blogs have become a primary tool for youth leaders to evangelise and connect more effectively with teens and young adults. The sites not only provide instantaneous and Read more