Some good news from Maynooth (for a change) - Nine deacons to be ordained in Maynooth today
Bishop Brendan Leahy reflects on the marriage referendum result.
Catholic Herald - Baroness Flather says the Catholic Church has done nothing for women. Here’s why she is wrong
As the publication date of Pope Francis encyclical on the environment approaches, it is interesting to note that the initial outlines of the new encyclical were given at an address by Cardinal Peter Turkson at the Pontifical University in Maynooth back in March 2015:
- Vatican Radio - Cardinal Turkson: together for stewardship of creation
- Irish Bishops Conference - Cardinal Peter Turkson delivers the Trócaire 2015 Lenten Lecture, Saint Patrick’s Pontifical University, Maynooth
- Crux - Cardinal previews Francis’ encyclical on the environment
- iCatholic - you can watch the video of the talk here
- What makes environment encyclical unusual? The pope sees 2015 as an ideal time for the Church to weigh in on ecology, but critics are lining up.
- Pope’s environmental encyclical to be titled ‘Laudato Sii’ (Praised Be You)
- Greenbacks and the green economy: Ecology is good business
The second sitting of the Synod on the Family gathers in Rome in October 2015 and the commentary online grows, especially following what has been termed "the shadow synod" of German, Austrian and Swiss bishops which met in Rome during the week:
- Pope Francis, Between the Shadow Synod and a New Direction
- The two-step of the Argentine pope - Perfectly in keeping with tradition when he talks about abortion, divorce, homosexuality. But also open to changes in doctrine and practice. An anthology that intensifies the mystery. Pope Francis on abortion, divorce, euthanasia, contraception and homosexuality since last October's synod.
- Will Pope Francis Break the Church? The new pope's choices stir high hopes among liberal Catholics and intense uncertainty among conservatives. Deep divisions may lie ahead.
Pius XII - hated or revered by the Third Reich? An interview with historian Pier Luigi Guiducci about his new book on the war-time pope.
A generation is now growing old, which never had anything to say for itself except that it was young - The first progressive generation.
The Tablet (UK) (of all publications!) tries to find something positive in the visit of Cardinal Burke to the UK - A certain beauty about watching Cardinal Burke in action
Selfish, ‘armchair’ Christians distance people from Christ, pope says
A commonplace book - reflection on journaling in this fast paced digital world
Pope urges engaged couples to take time, be open to God's surprises
Catholic history and tradition is full on many strange things which are often held up to ridicule the understanding of the church and its role in people's lives. One area which often draws fascination is the area of death and in particular the Incorruptibles - the saints whose bodies have not decayed! A couple of articles which look at the issue from a historical, religious and high level scientific point of view:
- Gee, your corpses smells terrific
- The Skeptic's Dictionary - Incorruptible bodies
- The Incorruptibles of the Catholic Church
- The Incorruptibles - The bodies of many medieval Catholic saints and martyrs have resisted decay for centuries— just the sort of mystery that begs for scientific inquiry
- The incorruptible bodies of the Saints
- From The Incorruptibles; A Study of the Incorruption of the Bodies of Various Catholic Saints and Beati by Joan Carroll Cruz
- The Incorrupt bodies of the saints (photos)
- ‘A girl always remembers the first corpse she shaves’ - Caitlin Doughty has written a surprisingly uplifting book about working in a San Francisco mortuary. Her message? The West needs to stop hiding from death
- A healthy approach to life and death
- The Order of the Good Death encourages people to be realistic and embrace the finality of death
