“It’s nice not to be the silent referent to other people’s description of migrants as ‘the marginalised” and ‘the oppressed.’ I’m sure a lot of Australians – migrants and home grown alike – feel the same” says Robert Hiini, who migrated from with his parents from New Zealand to Australia when he was 15. “It Read more
It was Judas who said “the money would be better spent on the poor.” The same thing is being said on some quarters about the money spent on staging World Youth Day at a time when there are famines, wars, natural disasters and debit crises. Is WYD money well spent? “Today, as in every age, there is Read more
Will the presence of the Pope in Spain be a moment of spiritual uplift or an unhelpful distraction? That latter possibility was captured by a recent banner unfurled by indignados protestors in advance of the trip: “Fewer crucifixes and more jobs!” A mounting debt crisis has raised fears that Italy and Spain, the third- and Read more
There is no shortage of opinion about the UK rioter: “They do not watch royal weddings or notice test matches”, “How many [of the looters] come from homes without a father” “All we hear about is these scumbags on the street…”Shoot them. I would be in favour of shooting them.” Symon Hill takes some of Read more
Believers often wonder why atheists care so much about issues that involve religion if they do not do not believe in God. Ben Tegland, and atheist, tries to shed some light on the topic. He thinks believers lack critical thinking skills which he says “is one of the most important skill sets a person can have.” “The Read more
Where do you find true holiness? It is difficult, because the real saints are hidden and humble and holy. Instead of looking for the hidden holy ones we often fall for the celebrity saints, says Dwight Longenecker “If you were to tell them they were a saint they would laugh and tell you to keep searching.” If Read more
“For medical purposes I am her mother,” says Jennifer Williams, “But I am also her aunt.” Ms Williams son is also his cousin’s half-brother. This is how composite families have changed the notion of who gets a branch on the family tree. Laura Ashmore and Jennifer Williams are sisters. After that, their relationship becomes more complex. Read more
A couple of weeks ago I was caught up in a conversation with a group of people which left me wondering if they had really grasped the Good News of the Gospel at all. Their point of the conversation was all about sin and how dreadful the world is and what sinners we are. To Read more
There is only one thing missing in the movement to reform the reforms says Eugene Kennedy: “the fuel of neurotic guilt” needed to make people feel bad even about being good. Catholicism has always made room for forgiveness and offered comfort to sinners. There are “reformers of the reform” who present a distortion of the church’s humane Read more
A recently published book by Brandon Vogt “The Church and New Media” is described as “not Danielle Steele or John Grisham, but this new book by blogger Brandon Vogt is a fascinating and — dare I say it? — provocative piece of work, though in this case “provocative” means “provoking thought.” In his review Greg Kandra says the Read more