In our dreary world full of incredible people making claims to leadership, finding the occasional hero or heroine can’t be a bad thing. So why begrudge the Catholic Church its idiosyncratic ways of creating people for believers to admire – the saints? Mother Teresa of Calcutta – that’s what it was called when she lived Read more
Pope Francis has imposed new rules governing the establishment and management of funds for the advancement of investigations into the lives of people proposed for sainthood. The new financial accountability regulations came after reports of gross abuses on the use of donations from the faithful. At least two books by Italian journalists revealed that the Read more
An old creche in Memorial Park could bring an influx of tourists and millions of dollars to Wellington, but it’s not without headaches according to Suzanne Aubert Compassion Centre director Francis Fanning. Fanning said a key part of that plan would be to turn the Home of Compassion creche, which was built by Mother Aubert in Read more
The University of Oxford is to become a world leading centre into the study of religious relics following the launch of a new department. This ground-breaking centre, based in Keble College’s Advanced Studies Centre, is to be composed of computer and medical scientists as well as historians, classicists and theologians. Such an interdisciplinary approach builds Read more
Billy the Kid, a notorious bank and stage-coach robber of the Wild West, met his match in the most unlikely of people when he met Sister of Charity Blandina Segale. According to legend, and to Sister Blandina’s journal and letters, one of Billy the Kid’s gang had been shot and was on the brink of Read more
Lutheran pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber admits that she does not look — or act — like a typical church leader. Heavily tattooed and with a tendency to swear like a truck driver, Bolz-Weber was once a standup comic with a big drinking problem. But she was drawn to Lutheran theology, and when a group of friends Read more
The controversy stirred up by the canonisation of St Junípero Serra is still raging in America. It’s a reminder that with social media and modern communications there is ever greater accessibility to the “human” side of contemporary saints. In some cases the hostility is between those responsible for a particular Cause. Here are five of the more Read more
Pope Francis has appointed Cardinal Raymond Burke to a Roman congregation, only days after abuse activists called for the US prelate to be investigated. The Pontiff appointed Cardinal Burke and Cardinal Carlo Caffarra of Bologna as members of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. The two prelates retain their respective positions as Archbishop of Read more
Augustine was not the only saint to have ‘once been a great sinner’. Beyond the hagiographies many lived lives of great scandal. When Catholics discuss saints who were once great sinners, the first one that comes to mind is St Augustine of Hippo. And for good reason: as a teenager Augustine abandoned the Catholic faith Read more
Beards have long been a sign of manliness and strength. Throughout the centuries, men of great wisdom (see Socrates and Plato) have rocked the facial fur. But, beards are also a symbol of great holiness. Many a saint has donned the scruff throughout the history of the Church. Here are the top eleven, ranked for Read more