Private Morality vs Public Morality
JH Goossens, Pretoria – I refer to the interview with Rev Dr Walter Brueggemann, “Why we must learn to read the Bible anew” (May 24). This is an interview with a Protestant theologian who...
Category: Christian Living
Only Love “In Here” Can Spot Love “Over There”
Fr John Allen Green OFM – John Duns Scotus (c. 1266-1308) was a Franciscan philosopher and theologian who in many ways paralleled Bonaventure’s ideas. Duns Scotus helped develop the doctrine of the univocity of being....
The Gig’s Up: We Are Weak and We Need God
Christians who acknowledge their own weakness and limitations will find the saving power of God’s strength, Pope Francis said. However, recognising one’s own vulnerability is “one of the most difficult things in life,” and...
What Exactly is a Mortal Sin?
I confessed my sins to a priest and somehow I used the term “mortal sin” at the conclusion. To my surprise, the priest commented that he hadn’t heard me confess any mortal sins. Now...
Nervous Before Christ’s Majesty
Fr Michael Mapulanga – To be nervous can be either positive or negative, depending on the circumstance. Over five days recently I conducted interviews with 36 candidates who were going to receive their First...
Pope: Prayer and Patience are Powerful Weapons in Dark Times
In good times and in bad, prayer and patience can keep hope alive, Pope Francis said. God is close to those who suffer with patient hope and helps Christians see truly “beautiful moments” in...
Focus on the Father
The arrival of Father’s Day in contemporary society raises what can be a challenging issue for passing on the faith from one generation to the next. When a third of millennials don’t affiliate with...
The Road Map of the Christian Spirit
The Christian road map for life’s journey is to keep Jesus in one’s heart, one’s eyes on heaven and one’s feet on the ground, spreading the Gospel, Pope Francis said. “Christian life will be...
Learning to See – God Is In All Situations
Fr John Allen Green OFM – Most religious searches begin with one massive misperception. People tend to start by making a very unfortunate, yet understandable, division between the sacred and the profane worlds. Early...
Behind Hatred and Violence is an Unloved Heart
Violence and hatred often are signs that a person is unhappy and feels unloved and unwanted, Pope Francis said. In today’s world, people – especially children and youths – often feel that unless “we...
A Clear Conscience – Learning from the Saints…
Guest Editorial by Michael Shackleton – Let’s consider the martyrdom of two saints who stood firm in the 16th century against the king of England, Henry VIII, who had divorced his lawful wife, Catherine...
‘Is Truth Dead?’ Time Magazine Asks – No Answer
In hopes of getting my lads to read it, I recently started re-reading “1984,” the classic novel by George Orwell of a dystopian future dominated by “the Party” and its leader “Big Brother.” Life...
