Analysis and Comment

When it comes to geopolitics, Pope Francis is not infallible

Monday, March 18th, 2024
Pope Francis

Pope Francis is good at pricking consciences. He does this regarding reconciliation and peace in the world, especially in Eastern Europe. For example, when he sends Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Bologna – a leading figure from the Sant’Egidio Community who is skilled in peaceful conflict resolution – to meet with leaders of major powers. Or Read more

Pursuing the Common Good

Monday, March 18th, 2024
Common good

The core responsibility of those entrusted to govern is to promote the common good. This doesn’t mean just what is best for most people. It means creating the social, economic and ecological conditions which enable all members of society – according to their capacity – to reach their human fulfilment and to contribute to the Read more

Kai for our bodies, spiritual food for our souls

Monday, March 18th, 2024
spiritual food

It is late summer here we’re picking apples and bottling peaches, watering kawakawa so the leaves float and don’t droop, and harvesting lemon verbena. We’re flicking mosquitoes at dusk so they won’t bite and listening to noisy cicadas and hearty piwakawaka and spotting a ripening fig before a blackbird pecks at it. The Synod on Read more

Screen time robs average toddler of hearing 1,000 words spoken by adult a day

Monday, March 18th, 2024
screen time

The average toddler is missing out on hearing more than 1,000 words spoken by an adult each day due to screen time, setting back their language skills, a first-of-its kind study has found. The research was published on Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Jama) Pediatrics. It tracked 220 Australian families over Read more

Build communities, not just houses

Thursday, March 14th, 2024

There’ve been regular reports of misbehaviour at Kāinga Ora properties. This sets in motion a prejudicial view of social housing tenants and the estates in which they live. The expectation from neighbours who are disturbed by poor behaviour is that Kāinga Ora, or the police, or “government” in general, should “crack down hard” on those Read more

Respect Judaism, condemn Israeli policies

Thursday, March 14th, 2024
Judaism

Every Christian should have a deep respect for Judaism. When we consider that our Lord Jesus, our Blessed Mother Mary, St. Joseph, the twelve apostles, and the very first disciples were practicing religious Jews. We also need to consider that the Christian New Testament is firmly rooted in the Jewish Scriptures of the Old Testament. Read more

I’m a Catholic priest who fasts for Ramadan. Here’s what it taught me about Lent.

Thursday, March 14th, 2024
Ramadan

Several years ago, not knowing at all what it would entail, I Googled a question: How do you keep Ramadan? In the spring of 2019, after a series of high profile attacks on Muslim people in New York City and a reported rise in Islamophobia, I felt compelled to act in tangible solidarity with this Read more

A saint we need

Thursday, March 14th, 2024
Immigrants

“They oughta send them all back.” “A wave of brown-skinned filth.” “Keep your crime and your filth out of this neighbourhood.” This is some of the invective directed at Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini after she arrives in a chaotic New York City, as depicted in the luminous new film drama Cabrini. It should be obvious Read more

Pacific women, God and wellbeing

Monday, March 11th, 2024
Pacific women

International Women’s Day on March 8 draws attention to the lives of women. My research explores, in the inner lives of Pacific women, how their relationship with God can affect their wellbeing, and how their image of God relates to their relationship with their parents. How we name, visualise and describe God is most often Read more

Who is leaving the LDS church? 8 key survey findings

Monday, March 11th, 2024
LDS church

When Josh Coates and Stephen Cranney wanted to learn more about members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), they had to strategise about the best ways to reach them. More and more people aren’t answering surveys, either by phone or online. Reaching a small minority population like Read more