Odd Spot

Psychology rediscovering what religion has known for centuries

Monday, September 20th, 2021

Much of what psychologists and neuroscientists are finding about how to change people’s beliefs, feelings, and behaviours echoes ideas and techniques that religions have been using for thousands of years. Read more

Midler calls on women to refuse to have sex to protest abortion law

Friday, September 17th, 2021

Bette Midler has an idea which she believes will make people take notice of the campaign against Texas’ tough new abortion laws She tweeted: “I suggest that all women refuse to have sex with men until they are guaranteed the right to choose by Congress.” Read more

Pope Francis challenges Catholics to read Dante this year.

Saturday, September 11th, 2021

In his 2021 apostolic letter “Candor Lucis Aeternae,” Pope Francis urges those looking for a different voice in response to our current situation to read, hear and imitate Dante, “to become his companions.” One excellent response to the pope’s call is “100 Days of Dante,” a web-accessible resource from Baylor University’s Honors College Read more Read more

Pope Francis sends 15,000 ice-creams to prisoners in Rome

Thursday, September 9th, 2021

Pope Francis sent 15,000 ice-creams to prisoners to help them cool down during what has been one of the hottest summers on record in Italy. Read more

Bishop marks 75th anniversary of Freddie Mercury’s birth

Monday, September 6th, 2021

Bishop David Oakley was a guest on OJ Borg’s midnight show to “Pause for Thought” on BBC Radio 2, which was marking what would have been Freddie Mercury’s  75th birthday. The bishop of Northampton says the 1984 song I Want to Break Free,  concerns some fundamental features of the human condition; feeling trapped, loneliness, freedom Read more

Evidence of earthquake described in Old Testament

Monday, August 30th, 2021

Archaeologists in Jerusalem have found evidence of damage to buildings and pottery that may have been caused by a huge, eighth-century B.C.E. earthquake mentioned in the biblical books of Amos and Zechariah The findings add to evidence of the earthquake previously discovered elsewhere in Israel and in the seabed of the Dead Sea. Read more

Priest sent for psychological treatment after celebrating the Mass in Latin

Thursday, August 26th, 2021

Fr. Sixto Eduardo Varela Santamaría to be suspended from all ministries for six months, and will be sent to a psychological treatment clinic for celebrating in Latin  the Mass from the Missal of Pope Paul VI, also known as the Ordinary Form or “Novus Ordo.” Santamaría says that he has temporarily been sent to his Read more

40-mile Eucharist procession to celebrate the feast of the Assumption

Monday, August 23rd, 2021

A 40-mile eucharistic procession by boat and on foot along the Bayou Teche in Lousiana is now in its seventh year. It always takes place on the feast of the Assumption. The Blessed Sacrament was fixed on an altar on the lead boat under a canopy. Another boat carried the statue of the Assumption of Read more

Pope Francis gets a new toy

Thursday, August 19th, 2021

Pope Francis has received dozens of soccer jerseys and game balls during his eight-year pontificate but he got a new football-themed toy on Wednesday: his very own foosball table. Read more

False claims that Mother Teresa is Dr Anthony Fauci’s mother

Monday, August 16th, 2021

A conspiracy website is spreading false claims that Dr Anthony Fauci is the son of Mother Teresa (St. Teresa of Calcutta). Reuters Fact Check team say the claim is baseless. Mother Teresa was not Anthony Fauci’s mother. Records show that Fauci was born to Stephen and Eugenia Abys Fauci. A detailed family history featuring photographs, Read more