When Pope Francis addressed a group of top international comedians on June 14, 2024, he called them “artists” and stressed the value of their talents. To many Catholics, this meeting came as a surprise. Traditionally, the themes of detachment, sacrifice, humility and repentance appear far more frequently in religious writing and preaching than the spiritual Read more
Recently a community of Poor Clare nuns in Spain announced their decision to leave the Catholic Church, thus committing the canonical crime of schism and incurring excommunication. Italian Archbishop Carlo María Viganò is also undergoing a Vatican extrajudicial process for schism. Just what are schism and excommunication in the Catholic Church? An explanation follows. Schism Read more
Outspoken papal critic Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, announced Thursday (June 20) in a defiant social media post that he had been summoned to the Vatican to answer charges of having committed the crime of schism. Canonical criminal trial The Vatican’s Department for the Doctrine of the Faith, led by Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, asked that Read more
We all like things neat, uncomplicated and in good order. But as we step over the threshold into the virtual world created by artificial intelligence, it seems to me that inclination may be more problematic than ever. Over the past few weeks, I’ve seen a number of images circulating on social media. A baby dolphin, Read more
JVA Rohrbach prison June 2024 Here in Rohrbach prison we are awakened by the sounds of doves and other birds, giving the illusion that all is well in the world. That is until other sounds, keys rattling, doors being shut, and guards doing the morning body check, bring us back to reality. We are sitting Read more
Liturgical scholar Andrea Grillo (pictured) sees liturgical traditionalism as a backward-looking ideology that has little to do with the authentic tradition of the Catholic Church. In an interview with the traditionalist blog “Messa in Latino” the professor of sacramental theology at the Benedictine University of Sant’Anselmo in Rome emphasised the importance of the liturgy for Read more
Spirituality is a powerful resource that can help us thrive at work. “At its best, work provides us the ability to support ourselves and our loved ones, and can also provide us with a sense of meaning, opportunities for growth, and community.” So says the Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health & Well-Being. As Read more
Perhaps it could emerge from the current Roman Catholic synodal movement? I would like to see a Roman Catholic constitutional convention, with a broad selection of lay and ordained members, assisted by historians, theologians, and sociologists. The task The task would be three-fold: First: Draw up a constitution for the Roman Catholic Church, as one Read more
If you’ve heard about social supermarkets at all, it’s probably because you saw them on the news. In reports about the social initiative, politicians, supermarket bosses and social workers walk around makeshift grocery aisles uttering words like “dignity”, “choice”, “partnerships” and “affordability” to reporters desperate for a story that fits the “uplifting” slot. How do Read more
Liminal Spaces is the name of a Facebook page I follow. It does show me interesting images, but also frustrates me somewhat, because lots or even most of the images aren’t liminal at all. At least, not in the way I’m familiar with. Liminal explained The Latin word “limin” means “threshold,” and thus liminality has Read more