When I’m asked why I am a Catholic, the simplest answer is: “Because it works.” Sometimes, that hasn’t been enough. People have wanted detail, a comprehensive answer to their “why?” The explanation can be long and tedious. Do they want a personal journey? Or something about Catholic teaching? It is one thing to talk about Read more
In a pastoral message released in December, Cardinal Gerald Lacroix of the Archdiocese of Quebec announced a dramatic transformation in how the Catholic Church in the province should understand itself. Faced with declining resources and a faithful but increasingly small cohort of weekly Mass attendees—between 2 and 11 percent of the province, according to The Read more
Fans of Joss Whedon (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, have been reeling this month at further allegations about his misogyny and abusive behavior on the sets of some of his beloved television programs and films. I should know; I’m one of those fans. “Buffy” is still my favorite show after all these years. Just to show Read more
Are Catholicism and democracy incompatible? Pope Pius IX, in his notorious 1864 Syllabus of Errors, seemed to think so. Every Catholic politicians since then has had to wrestle with the eruptions and upheavals that occur where these two tectonic plates grind together. The latest example is President Joe Biden, who has been reprimanded by the President Read more
Pope Francis recently announced that he would remove the phrase “lay men” from Canon 230 and replace it with “lay persons”. This change to the church’s legal code means that women can now be permanently installed as lectors or acolytes – essentially, readers, distributors of Communion and assistants at Mass and the sacraments. Although not Read more
After growing up Baptist, Nate Tinner-Williams became a Roman Catholic in December 2019. Now, after a move to New Orleans, he is planning to enter the seminary of the Josephites, an order of brothers and priests who have ministered specifically to the African-American community since 1893. In the meantime, he has devoted himself to developing Read more
New child poverty statistics from Stats NZ paint an optimistic picture for the period before the 2020 Covid lockdowns, Monte Cecilia Housing Trust CEO Bernie Smith says, but the months since then have been brutal for low-income earners and government support is desperately needed. “We’re always happy to see those arrows going in the right Read more
One of the most consequential stories in American religion in recent years is the rapid and seemingly unceasing rise of “nones” – those who respond to questions about their religious affiliation by indicating that they are atheists, agnostics or “nothing in particular.” According to some recent estimates, around 4 in 10 millennials and members of Read more
Mrs Jones sat in the lobby of the nursing home, 92 years old, poised and handsomely dressed, even though legally blind, waiting to be moved to another single room. Her husband of 70 years had passed away, making the move more necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently, she smiled sweetly when told that her Read more
On Ash Wednesday, or perhaps ‘Ash Sunday’ this year in New Zealand, with dust-like ashes crossed upon our foreheads we were each invited to call to mind that this mortal body, this earthly life, is passing away – sooner than we realize – and that you and I would be wise to diligently prepare for Read more