There is only one topic trickier than death, according to Kathryn Mannix, who has made it her life’s work. “We’re embarrassed to talk about love. We’re not very good at talking about dying and deaths. Oh my goodness, we’re terrible at talking about love. We’re awful at it.” Why? “It’s about being vulnerable — if Read more
In a recent address to members of the International Network for Societies for Catholic Theology (INSeCT), Pope Francis stressed the necessity for theologians to engage with the contemporary world and the importance of a ‘theology of love’ and wisdom. In his prepared text, Pope Francis told group members that theology is “a significant and necessary Read more
The synodal process within the Catholic Church demands a profound call to love that resonates at the very heart of Synodal discussions and decisions. This period of reflection and dialogue, aimed at rejuvenating and reforming the Church, must fundamentally be rooted in love. Central to this journey is the challenge to embody the greatest commandment—love. 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
Charity – caritas – is our very life; it is what makes us “be” what we are. When we embrace God’s love and when we love one another in him, we plumb the depths of our identity, as individuals and as Church, and the meaning of our existence. We understand not only how important our own lives are, but Read more
In our Faith, we have created many names for the second person of the Trinity. They are names that reflect our adoration. Jesus is Christ our Saviour, Redeemer, Lamb of God, Word made Flesh, Prince of Peace, Fountain of all Holiness… Such names are deeply etched on our minds and hearts. If someone mentions “Sacred Read more
Last Sunday at Mass, the Parish Priest, a sensible, experienced man, mentioned that next week we’d have First Communion, and increased numbers of people were expected at Mass. Then he smiled and said: ‘We probably won’t see them again the following week, but that’s OK.’ I was pleased to hear that. It is of the Read more
Most of my adult life I have learned to be logical in my choices. Now, however, it is logic itself that I am doubting. You hear people saying ‘everything happens for a reason’, and so they attach a reason to things. Reason is not the explanation. It’s a face-saving gimmick we humans import to cover Read more
I’m not an authority on anything. The ridiculous certificates one gets after certain courses do little more than confirm one’s literacy. Way back there used to be a tag Roma locuta est, causa finita! Rome has spoken, that closes the issue! (We had Latin in school.) Well, in no sense am I a Roma echo! Read more
When we explore the historic writings of the Church, we often find veins of gold that enrich our spiritual life. Usually, the gold is in a simple statement and sometimes it is quite ancient. Always it is right for the moment we discover it. This is the way God works. I still cherish a vein Read more