The family of a murdered Columbian politician Luis Gerardo Vásquez Pimiento, buried him upright in a bid to show his ideas can continue to stand the test of time. The unusual burial upset the parish priest, who distanced himself from the family’s wishes because the burial did not correspond to the Catholic Christian ritual, Read Read more
A recent poll explored Americans’ attitudes toward 35 religious groups, organizations, and belief systems. Belief systems that encompass the largest shares of Americans — including Christianity, Catholicism, and Protestantism — are among the ones the most Americans view favorably. Viewed least favorably are Satanism and Scientology. Read more
Pamela Anderson, the former Playboy Playmate and “Baywatch” star, recently revealed on a talk show that her original professional ambition as a child was to become a nun or a librarian Anderson said she has always incorporated faith into her morning routine, waking up each morning around 4 or 5 a.m. Read more
Every year on the evening of 24 January in Urbania, Italy, Emanuela Forlini separates out 12 wedges of an onion to use to make weather predictions for the year ahead. This night is chosen as the best time to read the onions as it was believed to hold some magic because St Paul received clear Read more
A Catholic Guide to Ashes hilariously describes how Ash Wednesday ashes appear on foreheads after receiving them. Bill Donaghy, a senior lecturer for the Theology of the Body Institute, designed the graphic. He explained why he created it. “Humour is the ability to see through things, even the darkest or most sombre of things, to Read more
A new book called The Sacred Art of Joking examines why jokes often go wrong and are considered offensive. James Cary suggests that Jesus was funny and used offensive humour to mock religious authorities. He gives instances in the Bible of Jesus highlighting hypocrisy by using imagery that wouldn’t look out of place in a Read more
In an odd tweet, Francis seemed to endorse the practice of flipping the bird, claiming that extending one’s middle digit indicated a certain level of “honesty” against the forces of corruption. The tweet was part of a series in which Francis extolled the virtues of all the various fingers in an aphoristic fashion. Read more
India’s government last Friday withdrew its appeal to citizens to mark Valentine’s Day not as a celebration of romance but as “Cow Hug Day” to better promote Hindu values. The Animal Welfare Board had said Wednesday that “hugging cows will bring emotional richness and increase individual and collective happiness.” Read more
Fresno Diocese Bishop Joseph V. Brennan says that any new church built in the Fresno Diocese must hold at least 1,500 people. Brennan was speaking in front of a packed house at the dedication of North America’s largest Catholic parish church – St. Charles Borromeo. The mega church has seating for 3,200 people. “We’re hoping Read more