Russell Shaw Cardinal Robert Prevost has selected the name Pope Leo XIV, an apparent nod to Pope Leo XIII, who deserves to be called the founding father of Catholic social doctrine in modern times, with his encyclical Rerum Novarum as its foundational document. The Catholic Church has taught social morality for many centuries. This body of teaching includes…
Ann Marie Foley Ardfinnan has seen nothing but change in recent years. Yet in the rural parish somehow everything continues – sacraments from birth to death, celebrations of birthdays, weddings, and prayer – most recently in front of the Carlos Acutis shrine. The combined parishes of Ardfinnan, Ballybacon, Grange, Newcastle, Fourmilewater, Touraneena and The Nire,…
Justin Robinson OSB Whilst the legacy of Pope Francis may take years to be fully understood, interreligious dialogue clearly emerged as one of the quiet yet defining themes of his papacy—particularly in his engagement with the Islamic world. Key appointments to the College of Cardinals, landmark visits, high-profile meetings and the publication of historic…
Paolo Affatato There is the Pope who, as soon as he is elected, falls off his horse. And the one who leaves the cardinals in suspense for three days before saying the fateful ‘I accept’. There are the bets, which were already going crazy in the 16th century. And there is the tale of the…
By Fr. Shay Cullen. There are some good Filipino bishops and priests who have stood for human rights, especially those of vulnerable and abused children. One bishop has encouraged people to file criminal charges against clerical child sex abusers. He is Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David of the Diocese of Kalookan. This brave follower of Jesus…
The conclave beginning May 7 is expected to be the largest in history, with 135 cardinals under 80 eligible to vote. By comparison, 115 cardinals participated in the 2005 and 2013 conclaves. The cardinals represent 72 countries, reflecting a wide geographical mix. For example, three Italians are serving outside Italy: Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch…
The People’s Celebration of the Eucharist, by Fintan Lyons OSB (Messenger Publications, €12.95 / £10.95) When it comes to the Eucharist, some of the toughest question are the simplest: who celebrates the Eucharist and what are they celebrating?” Fintan Lyons’ little book examines this basic question: just who are we when we celebrate the Eucharist?…
The Philippines madehistory on April 27, Divine Mercy Sunday, by becoming the first nation in the world to consecrate itself entirely to Jesus through divine mercy. While African bishops consecrated their continent to divine mercy in 2016, the Philippines is the first individual country to take this step. Fr James Cervantes of the Marians of…
There’s a very catchy jingle that was repeated over and over again on radio commercials and ringtones during the recent Islamic holy month: “Ramadan fi masr haga tanya,” meaning something like “Ramadan in Egypt is something else.” It was certainly true, and the same might be said for the celebration of Easter which is about…
John Mulderig From the moment of his election in early 2013, Pope Francis naturally became one of the world’s most newsworthy individuals. But it was especially in the latter half of his pontificate that he proved an intriguing figure for moviemakers. Both documentarians and the creators of feature films were drawn to him over that…