The Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association has insisted that China “conscientiously implements” religious freedom. Mexico’s immigration policy is violating migrants’ dignity, the country’s bishops have said. Authorities in Australia have removed a mural depicting Cardinal Pell with a demon. Uganda’s parliament has approved a motion paying tribute to St Paul VI. Jeanette Flood says the Catholic response

Catholic priests are reportedly protesting Pope Francis’ reinstatement of a cardinal who is facing allegations of financial mismanagement and of failing to report the rape of a nun. Cardinal George Alencherry heads the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic Church in union with Rome and one of the two main

Only half of US Catholics understand Church teaching on the Eucharist, according to a new Pew Research Center study. The Cause of Boys Town founder Edward Flanagan has taken a step forward. Fr Benedict Kiely witnesses the “remarkable resurrection of the Albanian Church”. Cyprien Viet profiles the world’s first contemplative community to welcome people with

What does it mean to be “born again”, to be “born from above”? If you’re an Evangelical or Baptist, you may have already answered that for yourself. However, if you’re a Catholic or a mainline Protestant then the phrase probably isn’t a normal part of your spiritual vocabulary and, indeed, might connote for you a biblical fundamentalism which

Are you interested in how a funny, sporty, charismatic, well-read, modern woman might want to spend the rest of her life shut up in a traditional, enclosed order of nuns, spending most of the day in silence (when not praying in plainchant)? If you are, then The Joy of God, a new collection of writings

Julius Evola (1898-1974) was an extraordinarily bizarre and colourful individual, who must be considered to be the father of European right-wing magical paganism. Born in Rome of humble Sicilian parentage (he was not a baron, for all that he is claimed to have been one), he studied engineering, became a talented artist and writer, and

Cryptic across 6 1 coming from Lindisfarne, after the Great North Road, goes by the book (5) 7 Benjamin’s place in chat show is to engage host from the outset (6) 9 Fringe characters on both sides chew the fat (4) 10 Runs rings around artist with a rocking trio making the music (8) 11

Ordinary Form Divine Office Week I Sunday, July 28: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Gn 18:20-32; Ps 138; Col 2:12-14; Lk 11:1-13 Monday, July 29: St Martha Ex 32:15-24, 30-34; Ps 106; Jn 11:19-27 Tuesday, July 30: Weekday in Ordinary Time or St Peter Chrysologus Ex 33:7-11; 34:5B-9, 28; Ps 103; Mt 13:36-43 Wednesday, July 31: St Ignatius

St Ignatius of Loyola, whose feast is celebrated by the Catholic Church on July 31, is famous principally for founding the Society of Jesus, but his Spiritual Exercises are considered among his greatest gifts to Western Christianity. Ignatian methods of prayer, observed Pope Pius XI a century ago, “lead a man by the safe paths

It is often said that we take our health for granted until something happens to it. I think this is never more the case than with mental health. We operate on the premise that we can tell the difference between what is real and what is the product of a mind diseased. If we can’t, then

On the 17th Ordinary Sunday the Collect for Holy Mass once again presents military imagery. It’s as if our Holy Mother were trying to make a point: we are pilgrim soldiers marching through this world and we had better be disciplined if we are going to attain our homeland. The following was in the 7th-century Veronese

The 17th Sunday of the Year Gen 18:20-32; Col 2:12-14; Lk 11:1-13 (Year C) “The Lord said, ‘How great an outcry there is against Sodom and Gomorrah! How grievous is their sin!’” The Genesis account of Sodom and Gomorrah, and their ultimate fate, has ensured that these cities have become synonymous with the darkest evils