Over the weekend, as Australia elected a new prime minister and Beauden Barrett landed a drop goal to secure the Blues a win against the Brumbies, a clip from an Australian podcast went viral on TikTok. On the latest episode of Jordan Simi’s Grouse & A Few Reds podcast, released on May 20, the topic Read more
There came a time for Jesus the Christ to conclude his earthly ministry and return to his place with his Abba/Father. I would invite you to reflect on two paintings of this moment of Ascension. In these paintings, rather than focusing on the departure of Jesus, focus on the remaining community. The first is titled, Read more
Australia’s new prime minister is a self-described cultural Catholic with an agenda to make social reforms and take action on climate change. Anthony Albanese, centre-left leader of the Labor Party, claimed election victory on 21 May defeating the conservative Liberal-National coalition that has governed for nine years. Mr Albanese always described himself as the only Read more
In the same week the Government unveiled its Emissions Reduction Plan, I faced a moral dilemma as I traded in my vehicle for a fresh set of wheels. Do I blithely bow to the climate zeitgeist and plump for a plug-in? Do I take a bet each way on a hybrid? Or do I go Read more
Pope Francis just took another step forward to de-clericalize the Roman Catholic Church. And what most people probably don’t realize is that he did so by taking a step backward and rewinding the clock some four centuries! The 85-year-old pope has just decreed that so-called “lay brothers” can be heads of their religious orders, even Read more
It was early May and Pastor Peter Mortlock was preaching to the converted. There had been trials and tribulations, highs and lows, but Mortlock had much to be pleased about. He founded Bays Christian Fellowship on Auckland’s North Shore in July 1982 and watched it grow and grow. In the early 2000s, the church, now Read more
Simon Duong Ngoc Hai pays regular visits to his close Buddhist friends, plays chess with them, discusses social and religious issues and learns practical skills such as growing bonsai, yellow apricot flowers and orchids from them. Hai also invites them to attend Christmas parties at his home and enjoys their frequent visits. Many of them Read more
On May 20, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone said in a public statement that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, a life-long Catholic, will be barred from Communion in her home diocese of San Francisco. Gloria Purvis, the host of America Media’s “The Gloria Purvis Podcast,” spoke to the archbishop about his decision. Gloria Purvis: With all Read more
Last year (on World Communications Day) we reflected on the need to “Come and See” in order to discover reality and be able to recount it beginning with experiencing events and meeting people. Continuing in this vein, I would now like to draw attention to another word , “listen”, which is decisive in the grammar Read more
The decision by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to close down Catholic News Service was terrible in terms of lowering the standards of Catholic journalism. It was terrible, also, because of its ecclesial significance, which is a related but different concern, one that strikes at a deeper issue for the nation’s bishops. The Read more