Pope Francis has called on all nations to eliminate the death penalty, to divert a fixed percentage of arms spending to a global fund to fight hunger and climate change, and to cancel the international debt of developing nations.
Faith
Posted inFaith, News
10 things to know about Jubilee 2025—the Holy Year that begins on Christmas Eve
Signs around the Eternal City declare “Roma si trasforma” — “Rome is transformed” as an explanation for the ubiquitous infrastructure projects underway ahead of Jubilee 2025.
Posted inFaith, Features
An atheist’s return to the Catholic Church: a story of death, love and meaning
From Nietzsche and Heidegger to Charles Taylor, Dostoevsky and the Gospels, one believer’s journey to faith.
Posted inFaith, Interviews
Q&A: ‘Wicked’ author Gregory Maguire on his Catholic faith, souls, saints and religion in Oz
“Wicked” author Gregory Maguire talks about his religious upbringing, Elphaba’s search for a soul and why nuns, saints and witches might not be all that different.
Posted inFaith, Faith in Focus
The sorrowful mysteries of the rosary remind us that suffering is sacred
Contemplative prayer challenges us to find meaning in suffering. I view this way of praying as the ultimate act of trust in God.
Posted inArts & Culture, Film
Beyond ‘Conclave’: What really happens when a new pope is elected?
With an all-star cast including Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci, “Conclave“ genereated a lot of Hollywood buzz. It has also raised some questions: How is a pope really elected? Does the movie get it right?
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
To teach faith and morals in a diverse church, we must recognize the doctrinal authority of bishops’ conferences
At a time when the church’s doctrinal teachings on faith and morals are questioned everywhere, the relevance of such teachings to the believers brought up in diverse contexts is of utmost importance.
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
Popes Francis and Benedict agree: we must not confuse proselytism and evangelization
If our true desire is for others to know Christ, we must imitate him. Authentic evangelization is not accomplished through clever argumentation but by bearing witness to the working of God’s love and mercy in our lives.
Posted inFaith, News
Vatican stats: number of Catholics and deacons up, but priests, nuns and baptisms down
The Vatican agency, Fides, has published a brief overview on the global number of Catholics, permanent deacons, seminarians, and more.
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
The liberating work of mercy: Banning ‘servile work’
The church’s teaching on servile work as it developed over the centuries is another indicator of how the church constantly sought ways not only to extend its evangelization but to challenge itself to recognize fully the others for whom Christ died.