There has been a clamor among some priests to abolish mandatory celibacy and make it optional. For them, celibacy is a burden that is very difficult to live with. They contend that if it was made optional, more men will be attracted to the priesthood, especially at a time when there is a shortage of Read more
It’s true. Wim Wenders’ film, “Pope Francis: A Man of His Word,” is long, and sometimes a badly done movie. In the end, you feel uneasy at such a hagiography and the personality cult it exudes, to which the Catholic Church lends itself so easily, even if one guesses that this pope is fundamentally opposed Read more
Jean Vanier, the founder of L’Arche communities, turned 90 last week. And on the occasion of the Sept. 10 milestone he decided to share a video message in English that proposes “ten rules of life to become more human.” Vanier, son of one of Canada’s late governors general, set up his first L’Arche community in Read more
Wednesday’s big Vatican story was clearly the announcement that Pope Francis has summoned all the presidents of national conferences of Catholic bishops from around the world, more than 100 prelates in all, to Rome Feb. 21-24 for a session on “the protection of minors.” The immediate reaction was to assume this was a Vatican effort Read more
Environmentalists have taken aim at the targets systematically, seeking to eliminate or rein in big sources of ocean pollution — first plastic bags, then eating utensils and, most recently, drinking straws. More than a dozen coastal cities prohibited plastic straws this year. Many more are pondering bans, along with the states of California and Hawaii. Read more
The Tax Working Group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen is due to produce its interim report this month. This will consider the issue of whether New Zealand should continue not to tax most capital gains (tax the fruit from the tree, but not any growth in the tree that bears the fruit). The Labour Party, Read more
The publication of the “testimony” of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, the former Vatican nuncio to the United States, is an unprecedented moment in modern church history—and not just because of his demand that Pope Francis resign. The eleven-page document, crafted and published by Viganò with the help of sympathetic Catholic journalists while the pope was Read more
There is a reason that Pepsi never attacked Coca-Cola head-on, or vice-versa. They did not want to “ruin the brand,” in the parlance of marketing. They did not want people turning against the concept of soda altogether. So, instead, each company adopted clever ways of situating their project in the consumer’s mind, and they even Read more
Forgiveness stands out among religious virtues because it one of the most difficult to put into practice, particularly in the terms that Christ put it: love your enemies; turn the other cheek; forgive those who have wronged you. It’s also one of the most unfashionable virtues going around, at least in the public discourse, as Read more
While many New Zealand and Asia Pacific children, teens and adults fortunate enough to have access to formal education are hard at work studying such subjects as science, math and the arts, the most important lessons to be seriously taught and hopefully absorbed – moral values – are being given little attention in most educational settings. Read more