Catholicism does not call us to be passive. It calls us to act, to respond, to wake up, writes Peter Kasko We often find ourselves working with all sorts of people in the workplace. Some are friendly, others not so much, and others yet – well, let’s just say they don’t care about anything or…
As a former student of canon law at the Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven), I find myself reflecting on the remarkable legal and pastoral legacy of Pope Francis following his death, especially as the university prepares to celebrate its 600th anniversary in 2025. Founded in 1425, KU Leuven has long stood as a centre…
A rare exhibit of the Holy Tunic of Christ, believed to be the garment worn by Jesus during His passion, is drawing record crowds to the Basilica of Saint-Denis in Argenteuil, near Paris. Open from April 18 to May 11, the exhibit is expected to attract over 400,000 pilgrims, more than double the 2016 attendance.…
Mercy and compassion “Mercy is the true power that can save humanity and the world from sin and evil. Love makes us draw closer to others, it is the soul of faith, it makes faith fruitful. Without love, faith dies. Mercy is the very foundation of the Church’s life; all of her pastoral activity should…
The Vatican announced Monday that the canonisation of Blessed Carlo Acutis, scheduled for April 27, has been postponed following the death of Pope Francis. The Holy See Press Office confirmed the suspension of the canonisation, which was to coincide with the Vatican’s Jubilee of Adolescents and expected to draw over 80,000 teenagers to Rome from…
Dear Editor, As the worldwide Catholic family mourns the death of its spiritual leader, Pope Francis, it is important to examine his legacy on current issues. He is rightly remembered for his 2015 landmark encyclical “Laudato Si” which focused on care for the environment, justice for the marginalised and activism to save the planet. Included…
2013 March 13 – Pope Francis is elected: Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina, is elected pope on the second day of the conclave becoming the first Pope from the Southern Hemisphere and the first non-European elected in almost 1,300 years. The Jesuit was also the first member of his order to be…
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople offered a hopeful perspective on healing the millennium-old division between the Orthodox and Catholic churches, suggesting the historic 1054 “Great Schism” was not a sudden break, but a gradual process with tensions that “are not insurmountable.” “Of course, problems have accumulated over a thousand years. But we are full…
Dear Editor, Felix M. Larkin’s review of Edward Burke’s Ghosts of a Family, on who perpetrated the McMahon killings in Belfast in March 1922, points to a fascinating piece of historical detective work. It made me want to read the book. A caveat, however. Larkin’s characterising systemic attacks on northern nationalist communities, by forces of the…
The belief that we are created in the image of God does not mean that he has brown hair, blue eyes, or the body of a rugby player. It is the ability to reason, writes Peter Kasko. We are creatures of habit, and as such, we sometimes operate on autopilot. What I mean is, we…