In our contemporary world, noise pollution has reached dangerous levels. The World Health Organization has argued that “excessive noise” is a serious threat to human health. Studies have shown that excessive exposure to noise not only causes hearing loss but also leads to heart disease, poor sleep and hypertension. In some parts of the world, Read more
For 25 years the possibility of Martin Scorsese making his film version of Shusako Endo’s novel “Silence” has been a matter of conjecture: Will he? Won’t he? Can he? With the film’s release, conjecture and debate continues. For some critics, it’s a major disappointment: slow moving (at 161 minutes); minimalist action; characters that fail to Read more
Film director Martin Scorsese says his latest film, Silence, was a “pilgrimage of faith”. The movie, set in the 1600’s, focuses on Jesuit priests in Japan. Silence has been called a “Masterwork movie about faith and ideas that rocks everything we’ve been dealing with.” Read more
The Vipassana Meditation Centre in a quiet valley near Kaukapakapa is concerned that the biggest gun club in New Zealand is opening up near-by. New Zealand representative pistol shooter Raymond O’Brien and his wife Victoria Pichler are opening what they say will be the southern hemisphere’s best shooting facility. “The Mediation Centre hosts up to 1,500 meditators Read more
God cannot be found in noise and agitation. His true power and love are revealed in what is hardly perceptible, in the gentle breeze that requires stillness and quiet to detect. In silence, God listens to us. In silence, listen to Him. In silence, God speaks to our souls and the power of His word Read more
I often see scaffolding wrapped around buildings. Rigid metal poles bolted together. Planks and ladders providing safe passage from one place of work to another. Scaffolding is needed for major repairs and maintenance, such as replacing a roof, or painting a tall building. Sometimes, this scaffolding is then plastic-wrapped, to provide privacy, safety, and a Read more
I’ve just returned from St Peter’s Square where I was packed in shoulder-to- shoulder with 150,000 others for Benedict’s final general audience. Saying farewell to a Pope who hasn’t actually died makes this experience of farewell a rather unusual one – at least it hasn’t happened for centuries. Benedict has said clearly that he will Read more
In the Gifford Lectures given last month, Diarmaid MacCulloch, professor of the history of the church at Oxford University, reflected on the notion of silence. Mark Vernon considers that “The lectures present a lively history of silence in the church, and left me with a clear sense that this is a history that affects us all Read more