Recent Editorial

• Pope preparing for America

  Sep 11, 2015

  Pope Francis, in his televised virtual audience on ABC News’s 20/20 on Friday September 4, gave a clear indication that he is not only prepared for the task ahead, but is also fine tuning his message of comfort and personal kindness that bespeak a “Shepherd of Souls.”

  

• No one separated from love of God

  Sep 11, 2015

  With his visit to the United States not far off, a less courageous man than Pope Francis would have kept quiet concerning abortion — one of the issues that has dominated Church-state relations there for a generation.

  
• 

  Pope Francis: forging a legacy

  Sep 04, 2015

  Pope Francis has been Bishop of Rome for only two and a half years. In this relatively short period of time he has been incredibly successful in reigniting the hopes and enthusiasm of reform-minded and self-described Vatican II Catholics.

  

• Francis’ day to pray underlines priority for environment

  Sep 04, 2015

  September and October will be crucial in Pope Francis’ mission to Church and world. He had earlier declared the first of September an annual day to pray for the care of Creation.

  

• Listen and proclaim the good news

  Sep 04, 2015

  He put his fingers into the man's ears, and he spat and touched his tongue; and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." And the man's ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.

  

• Stewardship or ecological virtue?

  Aug 27, 2015

  There’s a striking absence of ‘stewardship’ language in Pope Francis’ recent encyclical, Laudato Si’. The term, which often features heavily in faith-based calls for environmental concern, accounts for just two of approximately 42,000 words.

  

• The divorced and re-married in the early Church

  Aug 21, 2015

  It is well-known that even before the Great Schism of 1054AD* that made a clear-cut division of the Church, there was a diversity of pastoral practices, especially in the East, on this issue.

  

• Family violence more complex than sexual abuse

  Aug 21, 2015

  How appalling and complex is the reality of family violence ..

  
• 

  Today’s Slaves

  Aug 06, 2015

  The Vatican’s gardens are lush. Palm trees create a canopy unique to that part of the world, marble buildings punctuate the landscape, often at unexpected turns, and it is not unusual to see members of the papal staff or cardinals scurrying about, either hurrying off to a meeting or pacing in deep reflection amid the quiet surroundings.

  

• Gospels must point way on gay issues

  Aug 06, 2015

  Can Pope Francis hold the Catholic Church together on the issue of homosexuality? A group of leading African bishops has already begun to organise itself to fight changes to the traditional Catholic stance, which regards the homosexual condition as “disordered,” and homosexual acts as gravely sinful.