Poor St Thomas, Apostle, whose feast we celebrated recently, can never live down that time he wasn’t in the room where it happened, when the risen Jesus first appeared to his disciples. The room was locked, concealing the fearful followers after Jesus’ crucifixion, so we may wonder, where was Thomas? Why wasn’t he there, hiding Read more
If there’s one patient I’ll always remember with special fondness, it’s Ron. Ron was in his late 80s, a bushman who valued his independence. He wouldn’t let Hospice visit him at home because he didn’t want the neighbours to know he was sick. But he did agree to me visiting him at the pub, so Read more
Most Americans understand the Bible as a rulebook for how to live your life, but fewer think of it as a hymnal. Yet the long history of American—mostly Protestant—hymnody, set to the cadence of the King James Bible, is embedded in our collective religious consciousness. (Think Julia Ward Howe’s “Battle Hymn of the Republic” or Read more
When Mary Goulding first awoke from 12 days in a coma following a horrific car accident in late-May, her first thought was, “what am I doing here? I have basketball training to get to”. Soon after, as the reality of her situation emerged, the mindset shifted. That’s when she realised how lucky she was just Read more
In a display of creativity, faith and resilience, ‘resting’ Catholics in Vietnam are making a spiritual resurgence. This is despite facing government restrictions on religious activities. These people have begun returning, seeking solace and reconnecting with their religious roots. Over the past decade, Vietnam has experienced a decline in religious practice, with a significant number Read more
I wanted to start by acknowledging that what the Church calls Good News and what journalists call good news are entirely different things. The Christian Gospel, which is a word meaning, ‘good news’ – is that the Creator of all things, God, so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that all Read more
MasterChef Spain’s 11th season saw a Dominican friar stirring both people and food in the famous culinary show. Throughout the competition, Fr Marcos García showed up in his Dominican habit, with his rosary, offering blessings. In the past, the Church built institutions, he says. Now we have to go to people, to have a Church Read more
During a recent show, a Jewish French-Moroccan comedian Elmaleh gently poked fun at Catholics for their lack of religious pride. French Jews and Muslims, he pointed out, are a lot more public about demonstrating their religious identity. But if you ask a Catholic about their affiliation, he said, you’re likely to get a more evasive Read more
Located in the heart of South America, Bolivia contains the largest lithium deposits in the world – an enviable position, in many countries’ eyes, as the market for electric vehicles takes off. Though EVs emit fewer greenhouse gases than fuel-powered vehicles, their batteries require more minerals – especially lithium, which is also used to make Read more
It started as a small group of atheists tracking and removing religious signs from public streets in Los Angeles. Now, this network spans more than a handful of states, with volunteers documenting and taking down illegally placed religious material on utility poles and overpasses across the country. Known as the Atheist Street Pirates, the group Read more