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
The nature of power and how the abuse of power has been dealt with in the past and present were the focus of an international conference in Rome attended by about a dozen scholars earlier this month. Experts in history, philosophy, sociology, political science, psychology and education came together at Rome’s Pontifical Gregorian University April Read more
Saints are not unreachable “exceptions of humanity” said Pope Francis on Wednesday. They are ordinary people who worked diligently to grow in virtue, and are a sign of humanity’s virtue, he said. Think of the saints as “a kind of small circle of champions who live beyond the limits of our species” Francis wrote for Read more
Women in key roles at the Vatican and Catholic universities in its close orbit have been leading an effort to raise women’s standing and visibility in church governance, creating a growing network of experts, diplomats and scholars like them around the world. “Today we still have a lot to do to promote women. There are Read more
On 24 January we learned of six decrees presented by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints and promulgated by Pope Francis. I count three Italians, one Spaniard, one Pole and one Canadian. No doubt every single one was a person of great faith. Indeed, one was martyred “in hatred of the faith.” What strikes Read more
I didn’t grow up knowing much about saints. In the Episcopal Church in which I was raised, my knowledge was largely formed by stained-glass windows and a hymn that declared: “One was a doctor, and one was a queen,/ And one was a shepherdess on the green:/ They were all of them saints of God, Read more
The recent report detailing the Vatican’s response to the scandal surrounding ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick shows why it’s a mistake to canonise popes, or anyone quickly after their deaths. According to the Vatican report released last week, Pope John Paul II received warnings about McCarrick from Vatican officials and New York Cardinal John O’Connor in 1999. Read more
July 31st brought Ignatius of Loyola into morning prayer. However, he didn’t stay there for long. My thoughts moved on to another Saint who has had a significant influence – Teresa of Avila. Teresa hi-jacked me in 1980. I wanted to go to Toledo but boarded the wrong bus and ended up in her convent Read more
Though green dominates the celebrations today, it was the colour blue – a shade known as St Patrick’s blue – that was first associated with the saint. The earliest depictions of St Patrick show him in blue garments, and the colour also appears on ancient Irish flags. Read some more little known facts about St Read more
Most of us know that St. Cecilia—whose feast day is November 22nd—is the patroness of music and musicians. Many of us know that many Catholic artists, such as Audrey Assad, have written songs inspired by saints. Saints and religious were a popular subject for classical composers but did you all know that even secular artists Read more