Pope Francis was visibly moved when on the way home from Marseille he was presented with a photograph of a young migrant child. Francis was in Marseille to address a Mediterranean forum on migration. The image was captured by Reuters photographer Yara Nardi who accompanied the Pope on his journey from Rome to Marseille. “As Read more
Among the many popular and impious sayings about Rome, some dating back to early times, there is this little gem: Roma veduta, fede perduta. Basically, it means you risk losing your faith when you go to the Eternal City. It’s certainly a phrase that was bantered about during the 16th century when Martin Luther (an Read more
Pope Francis has been the subject of what seems like unrelenting criticism for several years. At times, it is difficult to keep up with the sheer volume of critiques and attacks on the Holy Father coming from Catholic media outlets, Catholic journalists, columnists and writers; as well as, more surprisingly, cardinals, archbishops, bishops and priests. Read more
According to US Bishop Daniel Flores, October’s Synod on Synodality aims to address human reality – not abstractions. Flores (pictured) is a member of the global assembly’s preparatory commission. He says the Synod aims to share Christ and his Gospel more effectively. We can’t respond with the Gospel if we don’t know the reality people Read more
Libya needs global solidarity after its devastating and deadly floods, Pope Francis says. There’s a desperate search for thousands of people missing after a powerful storm burst dams near the Mediterranean city of Derna on 10 September. That event unleashed a torrent of water that devastated at least a quarter of Derna’s buildings. Buildings along Read more
A growing chorus within Catholic media is pressing Pope Francis not to shut down the Synod on Synodality under the veil of the Pontifical Secret. Rather, they are urging him to open up the much-anticipated Synod on Synodality deliberations to the media. The Catholic media professionals argue that given the global involvement in preparation for Read more
The recent Women’s Football World Cup, with its acting-out of the Enlightenment values of liberty, equality and fraternity, was a delightful patch of blue sky among more ominous dark clouds. The fires and floods in the Northern Hemisphere have emphasised the threat of climate change to people’s lives throughout the world. They foreshadow the future. Read more
The Pope’s historic four-day visit to Mongolia ended on Monday amidst discussions about charity. Pope Francis’ main purpose in visiting Mongolia was to visit its tiny Catholic community. He completed his trip with a stop to tour and inaugurate the House of Mercy. The House of Mercy provides health care to the most needy in Read more
Pope Francis is defending his decision to keep the October Synod discussions on the future of the Catholic Church behind closed doors, saying it is a “religious moment” and not a TV talk show. He envisages the upcoming synodal assembly as a prayerful dialogue exercise. He says that dialogue would be free from ideology, not Read more
Recently, I criticised comments made by Bishop Robert Barron, known for his “Word on Fire” ministry and the bishop of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, in which he complained about the Catholic faith being “dumbed down. I found his comments a-historical and thought they suggested that only very smart, well-informed and well-read Catholics could qualify as good Catholics. Read more