In canonising two popes — Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II — who each represent the progressive and conservative wings, respectively, of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis has shrewdly bridged the church's theological schism.

But in his effort to move the church forward, Francis has overlooked women in his calculus.

And one person who was ahead of Pope John Paul II in the queue for canonisation was Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

In October 2003, Pope John Paul II beatified Mother Teresa.

Her legacy reveals not only an untold number of awards received during her lifetime — like the 1971 Pope John XXIII Peace and Nehru Prizes, to name a few — but it also reveals that in addition to the Catholics who revere her there are untold number of Sikh, Muslim and Hindu grass-roots devotees.

"Her life of loving service to the poor has inspired many to follow the same path. Her witness and message are cherished by those of every religion as a sign that God still loves the world today," members of the Missionaries of Charity told the press after Mother Teresa's beatification was announced.

The Missionaries of Charity is the religious order Mother Teresa founded. These nuns, I imagine, like her devotees, are disappointed that Mother Teresa's canonisation is being delayed if not dismissed.

The underlying issue (which no one's talking about openly and forcefully enough) is that Pope Francis has a problem with women.

Its root cause is either personal or ecclesiastical. Or both. Continue reading.

Irene Monroe, from Brooklyn, New York, is a graduate from Wellesley College and Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University, and served as a pastor at an African-American church before going to Harvard Divinity School for her doctorate as Ford Fellow.

Source: Huffington Post

Image: APB Speakers International

That's what I say, of the controversial, hate-mongering founder of the Westboro Baptist Church.

But something tells me Fred Phelps already thanked God plenty of times for Fred Phelps, given the two were on such apparently close terms.

After all, it was Phelps who so graciously enlightened the rest of us that "God Hates Fags," with the signature placards of his extremist Kansas church.

"Thank God for Aids" and "Thank God for Crippled Soldiers" are other examples of their reaction-baiting extremities, with which they've picketed strangers' funerals and public events for the past two decades.

God, according to Phelps, was so incensed by homosexuality he punished America with the 9/11 attacks.

Perhaps if God had done his homework, he might have enlightened Fred as to the irony of printing his hateful messages on rainbow-coloured card.

It's unlikely many of us lost much sleep at the thought of Fred Phelps slipping away.

At 84 years old, just a day before his followers picketed Lorde, the pastor died on Thursday night, no doubt stammering some carefully considered theology as his final hateful words. Continue reading.

Jack Tame is TVNZ's US Correspondent, host of Newstalk ZB Saturdays, and NZ Herald on Sunday columnist.

Source: NZ Herald

Image: TVNZ