The Sign of the Cross is a gesture by which Christians signify the blessing of their person in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Other religions have similar practices, and it is difficult not to see in certain Jewish traditions the prefiguration of this particular Christian symbol, a physical, outward Read more
Suspected suicides have increased by 11 per cent in the last three months compared to 2016, raising concerns from the chief coroner. Chief Coroner Judge Deborah Marshall shared the new figures at a zero suicide prevention forum in Christchurch this week. She said it was too early to draw conclusions on the 2017-18 figures, but said: “Clearly Read more
The Catholic Church worldwide is passing through an era of historical transformation, a decisive shift in numbers towards the Global South – to Asia, Africa and Latin America. Many are aware of this trend as an abstract fact, but we are scarcely coming to terms with the implications for Church life, for the composition of Read more
Typically, the usual way we talk about the internal differences among Catholics is in terms of left v. right, liberals against conservatives. Although those terms are inexact and often misleading when applied to religious groups, there’s no denying they do capture something. However, they’re hardly the only way of slicing the Catholic pie, and a Read more
The last person hanged for witchcraft in Boston could be considered a Catholic martyr. In the 1650s, Ann Glover and her family, along with some 50,000 other native Irish people, were enslaved by Englishman Oliver Cromwell during the occupation of Ireland and shipped to the island of Barbados, where they were sold as indentured servants. Read more
Last week Stacy Trasancos wrote a commentary piece for the Register called “The Pain Unborn Children Feel.” In contrast to the dogmatism on this subject often seen on both sides of the abortion debate, Stacy was careful not to claim too much. And as early as 20 weeks they are able to recoil from stressors and Read more
If there’s anything positive about the sprawling Rohingya refugee camps near Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh, it’s that the residents – despite their appalling recent experiences and obvious deprivation – are at least safe here from Myanmar’s military. I’ve been visiting Rohingya refugee camps close to the Bangladesh/Myanmar border, and the scale of the forced migration is Read more
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops approved the English translation of “Exorcisms and Related Supplications” in 2014. The Vatican approved the translation in spring 2017. Because much of the public perception of the nature and application of exorcism is shaped by mass media, the bishops’ Committee on Divine Worship approved basic questions and answers with Read more
One hundred years ago on October 25 (Old Style Calendar), a Marxist political movement led by an intellectual political activist named Vladimir Lenin mounted a successful coup d’état against Russia’s ailing Provisional Government. Most believed the Bolsheviks would themselves be overthrown quickly. Scarcely anyone recognized that the event marked the beginning of one of the Read more
Women must not be “reduced to servants of our recalcitrant clericalism.” Pope Francis reiterated this point on his trip to Colombia (September 6-11, 2017). Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) already understood this clearly. She was a Benedictine nun, a mystic, theologian, foundress, writer, expert in pharmacology, cosmologist, composer, botanist, doctor … and she maintained correspondence with Read more