Papal infallibility is not always properly understood. Some on the right think that the magisterium can resolve every question or problem with a declaration. Those on the left often grow impatient and dispute its interventions.
Explainer
Posted inExplainer, Faith
Explainer: Padre Pio and the (controversial) history of the stigmata
Padre Pio is known in part for his prophetic ability, his healing power and receiving the stigmata. But during his life and after his death, these expressions of the 20th-century saint’s holiness have been debated.
Posted inExplainer, Faith
What Catholics need to know about Kazakhstan before Pope Francis’ visit
Kazakhstan, which Pope Francis will visit tomorrow, is largely an unknown country to many Catholics around the world. Here is a brief introduction to the country and its small Catholic community.
Posted inExplainer, Faith
Pope John Paul I will be beatified on Sunday. Who was he?
Pope for only 33 days, John Paul I is known both as “The Smiling Pope” and “The Forgotten Pope.” On Sept. 4, he will be beatified. What were his life and papacy like?
Posted inExplainer, Politics & Society
Explainer: The Catholic Church’s fraught relationship with the Nicaraguan government
For five years, the government and church of Nicaragua have been at odds over protests and state corruption.
Posted inExplainer, Politics & Society
Explainer: Could Pope Francis revoke the 15th-century ‘Doctrine of Discovery’ used to justify colonizing Indigenous peoples?
Papal bulls written in the 15th century granted Catholic kings permission to colonize non-Christian lands and enslave Indigenous Peoples. Will Pope Francis formally rescind those decrees during his Canada pilgrimage?
Posted inExplainer, Faith
Deep Dive: The painful history of the Catholic Church in Canada
Pope Francis will soon arrive in Canada. What is the history of residential schools in Canada? And what might a papal apology mean in a long, important process of truth-telling and reconciliation?
Posted inExplainer, Faith
People don’t become angels when they die. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t watching over us.
Is it in keeping with our faith to believe it is possible that those who have died may be able to help us? Absolutely.
Posted inExplainer, Faith
Explainer: Understanding Orthodoxy, the shared religion of Ukraine and Russia
Why one Orthodox patriarch can denounce Russia’s invasion of Ukraine even while another supports it
Posted inExplainer, Faith
6 things you didn’t know about the canonization of St. Ignatius Loyola and St. Francis Xavier
On March 12, the Society of Jesus celebrates the 400th anniversary of the canonizations of St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Francis Xavier. Here are six interesting facts about this important moment in the life of the Jesuits.