Taken as a whole, the online Catholic world can look more like an abstract pointillist painting than a coherent landscape. To borrow the imagery of Isaiah Berlin, the internet environment encourages us to think like foxes rather than hedgehogs. Virtual discussions roam over many small things (e.g., the kerfuffle last spring over Harrison Butker’s graduation Read more
When the human soul becomes aware of itself, it develops a marvellous desire to grow. It seeks spiritual food. In the early stages, most of us seek sweetness – what I sometimes call “Spiritual Pavlova.” I fed on righteousness, beauty, goodness, affirmation holiness. The amazing grace I sought was very sweet indeed. I read positive Read more
Some Catholics may be surprised to know that there are parables of Jesus in the Islamic faith. These Sufi parables of Jesus are not the parables we have in the gospels. Rather, they are stories written to illustrate Jesus’ teachings. The one I like that is simple and yet powerful in its wisdom. It goes Read more
When the monsignor reached out and tenderly held the little boy’s face, I lost it. And it only got worse. When Pope Francis called the reluctant Emanuele up to whisper his question about where his beloved father went after death, I was crying so obviously that the other customers in line at Starbucks looked up Read more
A child has asked Pope Francis if his atheist father is in heaven. Francis was visiting a parish on the outskirts of Rome when the child put the question to him. Francis routinely holds question-and-answer sessions with young people when he visits parishes. The child (whose name is Emanuele) was in tears when he asked Read more
Nature’s first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf’s a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay. – Robert Frost Frost’s little piece reads like a nursery rhyme with a depressing moral, Read more
A Samoan woman claiming to have suffered stigmata wounds has told of a vision she has had of heaven and hell. Toaipuapuaga Opapo Soana’i, 23, spoke during a Mass at the Catholic cathedral at Apia last week, the Samoa Observer reported. She delivered a message that heaven and hell are real. The young woman spoke Read more
So the Pope says animals are going to heaven. Even though he is not a nonbeliever Clay Farris Naff finds it a charming concecpt. But he wonders if Pope Francis meant to include bacteria? Another week, another story about Pope Francis saying something a little weird and a little cool. News reports suggested that Francis Read more
The news networks are abuzz with stories saying that Pope Francis has said pets go to heaven. They’ve even “helpfully” noted how this contrasts with the position of his predecessor, Benedict XVI. But the thing is . . . the whole story is false. Here are 7 things to know and share . . . Read more
Tip the dog, Soda the cat and Tweety-bird, indeed all animals will also go to heaven. At least this is one interpretation of remarks made by Pope Francis in his weekly general audience in the Vatican, reports the Guardian. “The holy scripture teaches us that the fulfilment of this wonderful design also affects everything around Read more