The apostolic exhortation on love in the family, Amoris Laetitia, is a landmark document not only for the pontificate of Francis, but also in the history of modern papal teaching. This is not simply because of its approach to the hot-button issues of marriage and sexuality, but especially because of its vision of the Church. Read more
Stories of decline, church closures and a shortage of priests are a regular feature of Catholic life in our generation. Despite the apparent gloom there is one area where there seems to be new growth: devotion to Our Lady. Several months ago I wrote about the exciting and encouraging developments that are taking place at Read more
“What is real happiness? How can I experience it? How can I live it?” As Christopher Kaczor notes in the Introduction to The Gospel of Happiness, these are questions that every thoughtful person asks. Where, however, might a thoughtful person go for help in answering these questions? Thoughtful Christians, of course, go to the Bible, Read more
Take a tape measure. Unroll the tape to about two meters (six feet) and place one end against a wall. The distance between you and the wall corresponds to the world population of about 7.3 billion people. The number of people worldwide who left their native countries in the last five years — in other Read more
Brits’ relationship with alcohol has come under the spotlight, with experts calling for warnings on all alcohol – and saying that men in particular refuse to believe the risks. This comes as data shows that millions of middle-aged men drink more than is recommended in new government guidelines – the limit was lowered in January Read more
Christians are taught to despise the Enlightenment. It is hard to find a theologian with a good word for this era of rational presumption, glistening certitude and powdered wiggery. The Enlightenment is the sin of the modern, the chimera of crass autonomy. Popular writers have been no kinder. Enter the world of knockdown apologetics and Read more
CREDO, A Scenic Play by Joseph Boon, CSS.R. with music by Arthur Meulemans, was interpreted by the Catholic Youth of Auckland under the guidance of George Duke Walton and presented at Western Springs Stadium Auckland on Saturday, 5 March 1938, the year of the New Zealand Catholic Centenary, in the presence of His Excellency The Read more
During the late John Paul II years, one constant bit of subtext on the Vatican beat was the pope’s health and his physical capacity to lead. I used to joke that my definition of bliss would be never having to go on TV or radio again and start by saying, “Well, I’m not a doctor, Read more
Mount St offers a shortcut to Victoria University from the city centre, but the steep Kelburn street is also home to one of Wellington’s oldest cemeteries. The narrow street runs 200m from Salamanca Rd to the top entrance to the Student Union Building. Pioneering architect William Mein Smith set aside land for Mount St Cemetery labelling the site “Roman Read more
Wherever one chooses to start the story of the modern simplification of the papacy, a key point along the way has to be the first time the world really saw a pope display a broken heart in public, even flirting with rebuking God. It happened on May 10, 1978, the 38th anniversary of which is Read more