Simone Weil once commented that it’s not enough today to be merely a saint; rather “we must have the saintliness demanded by the present moment.” She’s surely right on that second premise; we need saints whose virtues speak to the times.
Peru’s people had a very different energy, a special quality. I know I’m generalising, but so what? Nations do produce stereotypes, and the majority actually do conform. I mean, if Mario Vargas Llosa can get away with saying, just last week, that “Britain... still seems to me to be the most civilised and democratic country in the world” then I can surely generalise enthusiastically about his homeland.
'As human beings we are not defined by the bad things we have done in our lives. We can all hope for a narrative of redemption'. National prison charity, Pact, has outlined a different approach to rehabilitation based on Catholic social teaching and the inherent dignity of every human being.
Might the current crisis in the Church be a moment of renewal? A sociologist of religion argues that the best hope for a revitalised Church might lie in dialogue with a ‘post-secular’ world. Perhaps this moment just might be an opportunity for the Church – laity and leaders – to dig deep into the Catholic tradition and to search there for resources that could help it to forge new relevance.
Ampleforth College is in crisis after an inspection report found it was failing to reach child protection standards, and its acting head is stepping down. The Tablet can reveal that Deirdre Rowe will be leaving after just ten months in post ... after a highly critical inspection report that found the school did not meet standards for safeguarding, leadership, behaviour, bullying and complaints handling.
The Church of England on Monday published its first ever set of social media guidelines aimed at encouraging a more positive atmosphere online. “Social media has transformed the way we live our lives. As Christians we are called to engage in a way which is shaped by the example of Jesus. As we respond to the call on each of us to be witnesses to Jesus Christ, I encourage all of us to consider how we live our lives as witnesses online..."
Each year, I write a column sharing with readers the title and a brief synopsis of the ten books that touched me most that year. Occasionally, however, I judge a book to be exceptional enough to merit its own column. Robert Ellsberg’s new book, A Living Gospel – Reading God’s Story in Holy Lives, is such a book.
The Committee for the Reconciliation of the Korean People of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea (CBCK) held a special Mass on June 25 at Peace World Park in Imjingak, near the demilitarized zone dividing North and South Korea.
Growing up as a Roman Catholic, like the rest of my generation, I was taught a prayer called, The Act of Contrition. Every Catholic back then had to memorize it and say it during or after going to confession. The prayer started this way: Oh, my God, I am truly sorry for having offended thee and I detest all of my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell. …
Does God lead people into temptation? Not anymore, at least if you’re a Catholic in France, Spain, or - as of this week - Italy, where the Bishops’ Conference has approved (with Pope Francis’ blessing) a translation of the Our Father that wrestles the blame for sin away from God, and into the world.