Catholic Bishop Erik Varden, 49, of Trondheim, Norway. He has just published a brilliant, compelling book entitled Chastity: Reconciliation of the Senses (link). The theme of chastity is a central one in the history of the Christian, and human, search for blessedness and happiness, but this theme has been "canceled" in our "post-modern" culture, and, [...]
British Dominican theologian Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, 78. Fr. Radcliffe gave a very important talk (text below) yesterday morning (October 23) in Rome to the "Synod on Synodality." He said that a seed has been planted in these days, but that the seed must now grow for 11 months, until the synod meets again in October [...]
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 69, the Vatican Secretary of State. As such, Parolin heads up the Vatican's diplomacy and is currently working to keep open all contacts in the hope of a negotiated settlement for peace in the Holy Land. Parolin's efforts have drawn the attention of many Vatican watchers, and some — in particular J.D. [...]
St. Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897), the little flower... The Pope -- who keeps the saint's autobiography by his bedside -- has just written a beautiful letter about her, perhaps the most poetic and beautiful thing he has ever written... “It is confidence and nothing but confidence that must lead us to Love.”—from the autobiography of [...]
“It is unacceptable that you put out a statement expressing worry primarily for Gazan civilians while Israel is burying 1,300 who were murdered.”—Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, in a phone call yesterday evening to the Vatican's "foreign minister, British Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, according to a statement released by the Israeli Foreign Ministry. The Israeli [...]
A session of the Synod on Synodality (link) now meeting in Rome from October 4 to October 29. This is the 16th bishops' synod since the Bishops' Synod was established as a new office in the Vatican by Pope Paul VI in 1965 (link) The gathering of more than 350 delegates from around the world, [...]
The Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, where St. Francis (1181-1226) is buried. The bishop of Assisi, Domenico Sorrentino, on October 4 — the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi — sent a letter to the participants of the Synod on Synodality, which began its proceedings on October 4... Letter #139, 2023, Thursday, October 5: [...]
Leonid Sevastianov, a Russian Orthodox layman who is also the leader of the "Old Believer" community in Russia, is shown here with his daughter, Natalia, and wife, Svetlana Kasyan, meeting with Pope Francis in the Domus Santa Marta in Rome... Sevastianov will join us in a live podcast at noon tomorrow, Eastern Standard Time in [...]
The Synod on Synodality (Vatican Media) Participants at the Synod on Synodality during the first session on October 4 look at texts from the Church Fathers dealing with the action of the Holy Spirit; the texts were recommended to them by Pope Francis Letter #137, 2023, Thursday, October 5: Pope Francis's October 4 [...]
Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, 91, retired bishop of Hong Kong | File photo | CNS photo|Gregory A. Shemitz Letter #136, 2023, Thursday, October 5: Cardinal Joseph Zen, in a letter, calls for Synod bishops to petition against what he terms a "plan of manipulation" Yesterday, The Pillar news agency published an important letter [...]
