Australia’s Catholic bishops have issued a pastoral letter titled “Don’t Mess with Marriage” as debate on same-sex marriage gains momentum. Released by the bishops’ Commission for Family, Youth and Life, the letter highlights the meaning of marriage and also spells out implications of redefining marriage. The bishops state that in issuing the letter, they want Read more
Terrorism and fanaticism can never be justified. But should our reaction to the slaying of staff at the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo be limited to abhorrence? Stamping of feet and shouting of slogans – unity – is a woefully inadequate response. We are not Charlie We are not Charlie, and we need to explain Read more
The Archbishop of Canterbury says some sermons he has heard amounted to “moral claptrap” about being nicer to each other. Preaching at an evensong service in New York in January, Archbishop Welby said Jesus’ life “challenges every assumption” about society. “He does not permit us to accept a society in which the weak are excluded Read more
While growing up in the Dominican Republic, Ana Garcia-Ashley lived on a dirt road that always had plenty of traffic, making it too dangerous a place for neighborhood children to play. One morning, her grandmother got fed up with the situation and decided to take action. She went door to door, rounding up other concerned Read more
Laura O’Connell Rapira has a pretty simple philosophy. “Everyone should have a nice life,” she tells a small audience at a Wellington bar. “Small actions, multiplied, can lead to big change,” she says. Laura, 25, outlines her pitch for RockEnrol, a movement to increase youth voter turnout. The audience is a mix of smartphones and activists Read more
217. We have spoken at length about joy and love, but the word of God also speaks about the fruit of peace (cf. Gal5:22). 218. Peace in society cannot be understood as pacification or the mere absence of violence resulting from the domination of one part of society over others. Nor does true peace act Read more
Catholic bishops’ conferences in the G8 nations have urged G8 leaders “to take steps to improve nutrition, reduce hunger and poverty, and strengthen just tax, trade and transparency policies for the common good of all”. “In a world that has made great strides in improving food production and distribution, far too many of God’s children Read more
In his first address on the world economy, Pope Francis has called for global financial reform that respects human dignity, helps the poor and promotes the common good. “Money has to serve, not to rule,” he told a group of diplomats. He called for ethical financial reform that would “benefit everyone” and for the world Read more
In a wide-ranging message for the World Day of Peace on January 1, Pope Benedict XVI says peace is threatened by a much broader set of causes than war, terrorism and international crime. Peace involves the human person as a whole, the Pope says, so true peacemakers defend human life at every stage of its Read more