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
Standup comics hunt for laughter, not applause. A laugh is involuntary; clapping is not. The element of surprise – to which a laugh is a reaction – takes us beyond our sets of ideologies and expectations.—And this is a vital part of what churches are called to do. The lack of it partially explains why Read more
“God made us for joy. God is joy, and the joy of living reflects the original joy that God felt in creating us” Blessed John Paul II The day before my ordination last summer I was giving my four-year-old nephew a lift in the car. I wanted to test him, so I said: “Tristan, what’s happening Read more
Last week we celebrated the Feast of All Saints. To which many non-believers, and believers, may say: Big deal. Who would want to be anything like those gloomy, morose, unsmiling people that we see portrayed in Christian art? But here’s a surprise: even the briefest glance at their biographies reveals joyful and energetic men and Read more