Philosophers often point out that space is one of the basic prerequisites of human experience. We exist as spatial creatures – we have size and location and movement. We imagine ourselves ‘in space,’ we arrange things in space in relation to other items located around us. We constantly locate (i.e. put in a place in Read more
The gospel we have just heard features Jesus giving a special ministry to Peter: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church; I give you the keys of the kingdom, whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven; whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven”. From Read more
Since COVID-19 first began to spread, Pope Francis has been challenging Catholics and the world about the response to the pandemic. As a pastor, he’s also offered us hope. Now, a collection of his messages on the pandemic put together by Cardinal Michael Czerny, a Canadian Jesuit who works closely with the pope in Rome, Read more
As former Vice President Joe Biden prepared to accept the Democratic nomination for president on Thursday night, his Catholic faith was highlighted to kick off his reintroduction to Americans. His friend, Senator Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware, spoke about Mr Biden’s faith, saying it “is strong and it’s personal and private. For Joe, faith isn’t Read more
I am frustrated by the Vatican’s recent instruction on “The pastoral conversion of the parish community in the service of the evangelizing mission of the church,” issued on July 20. At first, the document evokes an expansive vision of parish transformation by citing Pope Francis’ call for “creativity” in “seeking how best to proclaim the Read more
As demonstrated by census data and various academic studies, conversion to Islam has been on the rise in Aotearoa New Zealand. Following the 2019 Christchurch attacks, three to five people a day were converting at a Wellington mosque, according to the International Muslim Association of New Zealand. Among Māori, there is a particular interest in Read more
It’s time for Western universities to close their Confucius Institutes and end their academic cooperation with China. In the three decades following the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, one of the ways China sought to rebuild its image abroad was by systematically forging partnerships with Western universities. At first, these partnerships mainly focused on research collaboration. Read more
In spring of 1980, Pope John Paul II had one of the longest meetings of his fledgeling papacy. It wasn’t with a world leader, a U.S. president or even a secretary of state. It was with a 37-year-old Joe Biden, a U.S. senator barely a year into his second term. According to a Catholic News Read more
July 31st brought Ignatius of Loyola into morning prayer. However, he didn’t stay there for long. My thoughts moved on to another Saint who has had a significant influence – Teresa of Avila. Teresa hi-jacked me in 1980. I wanted to go to Toledo but boarded the wrong bus and ended up in her convent Read more
This column isn’t primarily about President Trump, and it isn’t primarily about the Rev. John Stowe, bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of Lexington. It’s about what it means to be truly “pro-life.” Is pro-life only about opposing abortion? Or is it about supporting all human life? I’ve pondered that forever. What prompted me to Read more