In the late 1960s, our theology schools were abuzz with the Second Vatican Council, but that had not yet impinged on confessional practice. Among other things, we had “mock confessions”, in which (in front of everyone else) the ordinands took turns at being confessor while our professor, the redoubtable Paul Brassell, took the role of Read more
As Christians we are often heard complaining about the ‘commercialisation’ of Christmas. And yet most of us would admit that, despite the frenetic pull towards consumerism, there is also an underlying ‘good will’ effect at this time of year which is mindful of those less well-off and puts a human face on poverty. There will Read more
The Catholic Church will “fall like a house of cards” unless its leaders are able to strike a “new balance” between their political activities and their spiritual mission, Pope Francis said in an unprecedented 10,000 word interview. The pope declared himself to be “a sinner” in the literal sense, adding that it is “the most Read more
A former military commander of the Salvadoran Army who was linked to the killing of six Jesuit priests has been jailed in the United States. Former Col. Inocente Orlando Montano was sentenced Tuesday by a federal court in Boston after he entered a guilty plea on charges of violating immigration laws. Montano’s past as a Read more
The Vatican, Friday rejected accusations Pope Francis had failed to stand up for Orland Yorio and Francisco Jalics, two Jesuit priests who served under him when they were kidnapped by the military in 1976, during the so-called Dirty War in his home country of Argentina. Margaret Hebblethwaite has been watching Cardinal Bergoglio for the last 10 Read more
My favorite saint is St. Ignatius of Loyola, whose feast day is July 31. Born into a Spanish family in the Basque country in the northern part of Spain, Inigo had a conversion experience during his convalescence after a cannonball shattered his knee in a battle at Pamplona. His imagination, courage, valor and striving toward Read more
As the diplomatic crisis unfolded between the United States and China over the fate of blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng , hard questions about Chinese politics, society and culture surfaced, and the West embarked on its familiar cycle of attempted comprehension on the one hand, and obstinate mystification on the other. One figure in the history Read more
El Salvador’s Supreme Court has refused to order the detention of five former military officers indicted in Spain for the 1989 slayings of six Jesuit priests during the Central American country’s 1980-1992 civil war.
Read the article...The US Oregon Province of the Jesuits, has agreed to pay US$166.1 million to compensate more than 450 native American child victims of sexual abuse. The “Northwest” Jesuits paid the compensation for what has been described as “horrific”, the sexual abuse at it’s religious mission schools, mainly on Indian reservations from the 1940’s through to the Read more