Editorials 2013

Francis of Rome

GUEST EDITORIAL BY MICHAEL SHACKLETON When he was interviewed last month for the Jesuit publication La Civilta Cattolica, Pope Francis admitted to its editor, Fr Antonio Spadaro...

The missionary parish

GUEST EDITORIAL BY MICHAEL SHACKLETON On Mission Sunday we recall that Vatican II said the Church is missionary by her very nature (Ad gentes, 2). This statement...

Women in the Church

Among the many cats which Pope Francis has placed among the pigeons since his election in March is the issue of how to give women greater influence...

A Revolution of Mission

A Little over six months ago, an elderly South American appeared on a balcony overlooking St Peter’s Square and bade the crowd a good evening. That Buona...

To be alone with God

Our need and duty to pray to God, and our endeavours to do his will faithfully, have had many expressions in the history of the Church. Indeed,...

Intervention in Syria

Guest Editorial by Fr Peter-John Pearson   The South African government has reiterated its condemnation of the use of chemical warfare and other weapons of mass destruction,...

Using the media

Addressing  Catholic journalists in Johannesburg, Archbishop William Slattery pin-pointed the reason why the Church finds it so difficult to get its message covered in the secular media.

Today’s public square

In ancient times public exchange of information and discourse would take place in communal areas: the market square, the university and other places of assembly. The Greeks...

A Question of Rights

Many South Africans, and Catholics worldwide, have been inspired by the courageous example of the South African-born Redemptorist Father Cyril Axelrod, who has not allowed his disabilities...