Henrik Pontoppidan’s ‘The White Bear’ gives us two novellas that work in conversation with each other. Both feature burly, uncouth protagonists who endure episodes of childhood trauma and develop a fiercely independent way of engaging with the world.
Priesthood
Posted inVatican Dispatch
Pope Leo praises heroic action of priest killed by Israeli tank fire in Lebanon
Pope Leo called Father Pierre al-Rahi, who rushed to help parishioners wounded by Israeli fire, “a true shepherd, who always stayed beside his people, with the love and sacrifice of Jesus the Good Shepherd.”
Posted inShort Take
Only half of U.S. priests trust their bishop. Here’s how to strengthen that relationship—and the church’s mission.
A recent survey found that only 52 percent of U.S. diocesan priests said they trusted their own bishop. This is more than a workplace issue; it is also a deep pastoral challenge.
Posted inFrom Our Archives
From 1982: Cardinal O’Connor on military chaplains
Bishop John J. O’Connor, then the auxiliary bishop to the Military Vicar, wrote on chaplains in ‘America’ in 1982.
Posted inNews
A priest is walking from Pope Leo’s childhood home to Ellis Island to highlight plight of migrants
A Chicago-area priest is on a mission to highlight the plight of families upended by the current mass deportation efforts in the United States by making a 50-day pilgrimage—on foot—from Chicago to New York.
Posted inNews
Report: Graduate and college-level seminary enrollment continues to decline
CARA said that the 2024-25 college seminary enrollment stood at 840, down 6% from 889 the previous academic year.
Posted inPodcasts
Podcast: We need to talk about ‘hot priests’
This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley and guest host Sebastian unpack the trend of “hot priests” on social media with Maggie Phillips, a contributing writer for Tablet Magazine.
Posted inPodcasts
Ronald Rolheiser on the spirituality of ‘sticking with it’ and priestly celibacy
Father Rolheiser’s approach helps us see celibacy not simply as an ascetic practice for the sake of denying ourselves but as intentional solidarity with the loneliest people in the world.
Posted inFaith, News
Leaders of men’s religious orders discuss fraternity and faith at annual assembly
Acceptance of changing tides was a major theme at the recent Conference of Major Superiors of Men National Assembly.
Posted inFaith, News
Pope Leo offers advice to seminarians around the world: Don’t be afraid of your feelings and reject hypocrisy
“Keeping our gaze on Jesus, we must learn to give a name and voice even to sadness, fear, anguish, indignation, bringing everything into relationship with God,” Pope Leo said.