A priest who was conceived in rape when his mother was only 13 years old is sharing the story of how he met, forgave and heard the confession of his father, who is now living a life of faith. “I could have ended up in a trash can, but I was allowed to live,” said Read more
It should probably tell us something that the most frequently asked question on Google last year was “What is love?” Clearly, most of us are clueless on the matter; otherwise we wouldn’t be turning to algorithms for an explanation. Which explains why scientific research on love continues unabated. We want answers. So, on the eve of Valentine’s Day, here Read more
The biblical mandate to “go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19), should have come with this disclaimer: If you are a missioner in a conflict zone, your emotional and psychological well-being will be shredded, you will destroy your life as you currently know it and, by the way, you may be Read more
A series of repressive dictatorships have been brought down in north Africa, but the ensuing struggles for power have left a vacuum that has allowed the rise of an extremist movement that is gathering both force and supporters. Late last year, largely unnoticed in the west, Tunisia‘s president, Moncef Marzouki, gave an interview to Chatham House’s The Read more
During the papal audience at the 23rd World Congress of the Apostleship Of the Sea, Benedictus XVI addressed encouraging words to those working in the vast fishing sector and their families: “…, they more than others must face the difficulties of the present time and live the uncertainty of the future, marked by the negative Read more
A controversial procedure that lets would-be parents test embryos for certain genetic defects will soon be allowed in special cases in Germany. What does this mean for society? Do people have the right to a healthy child? “No,” says Tina Stark, “they don’t.” Her daughter Maya, an eight-month-old with strawberry blonde hair, is lying on Read more
Fran Rossi Szpylczyn is a self-described “church nerd.” You could say she is something of an Internet one, too. A blogger for six years, she currently writes for three faith-related blogs — one for her own parish, one for the parish where she works as the office manager and onefor the Times Union newspaper in Albany, N.Y. That’s not counting her Read more
“The Rohr Institute” is not a title you’re likely hear Franciscan Fr. Richard Rohr use himself. But while he shies away from the name for fear that the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) will be misinterpreted as a “cult of personality,” the center’s staff is working diligently to transform its programming so the legacy Read more
Less than a week before Super Bowl XLVII, nearly two-thirds of Americans say they are very (44%) or somewhat (22%) likely to watch the game this year. There are few divisions on this question by religious affiliation, age, or political affiliation; however, there are significant differences by race and gender. Black (78%) and white (69%) Read more
For seven years, Barry Lowe’s parents refused to meet his partner, Sue Pearl. His father had migrated to New Zealand from China in the late 30s and ran a fruit shop with Barry’s grandfather. He brought his wife and an infant Barry over from Hong Kong in the 1950s. They rejected Sue out of fear Read more