A flash of insight is a comment or analysis piece that draws attention to a moment, event, or idea—inviting readers to pause, reflect, and perhaps see things differently.
“Life is not simply a bare succession of events, but a history, a story waiting to be told through the choice of an interpretative lens that can select and gather the most relevant data.
“In and of itself, reality has no one clear meaning. Everything depends on the way we look at things, on the lens we use to view them.
“If we change that lens, reality itself appears different.”
– Pope Francis 2017 Communications Day message.
A flash of insight disrupts the flow of everyday life and opens up space to perhaps see things differently.
Features of a Flash of Insight
A Flash of Insight typically includes the following characteristics:
- It is between 400 and 500 words.
- It is written for an international English-speaking readership.
- It is theologically grounded, engaging with the challenges and questions facing today’s—and tomorrow’s—Church.
- It speaks to those committed to the post-Vatican II Church, who want to see it grow, respond, and evolve.
- It is a spark, not a raging fire—provocative, but measured.
- It comes from a broad theological perspective.
- It is energetic and dynamic in tone and content.
- It addresses topics about or of interest to the global Catholic Church community.
- It is both local and global. If based on a local event, it must highlight its wider relevance.
Why the 400–500 Word Limit Matters
- It reflects the fact that people increasingly read on the go.
- Writing for a digital screen is fundamentally different from writing for print.
- Most readers now consume content on small mobile devices, not large monitors.
“About and of interest” to the Church
Articles about the Church are easy to identify. What is of interest to the Church is broader, but no less important.
Gaudium et Spes, Paragraph 1 offers guidance:
“The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the people of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ.
“Indeed, nothing genuinely human fails to raise an echo in their hearts.
“For theirs is a community composed of human beings. United in Christ, they are led by the Holy Spirit in their journey to the Kingdom of their Father and they have welcomed the news of salvation which is meant for every person.
“That is why this community realises that it is truly linked with humanity and its history by the deepest of bonds.”
This means that commentary on topics of human concern is also commentary of relevance to the Church.
Topics will either be generally important or of current interest.
- Education
- Economics, Tax, Banks, Financial Institutions, Infrastructure, Mining
- Immigration
- Child Care, Child Abuse
- Family, Family Relations, Sexuality
- Poverty, Substance Abuse, Unemployment, the Disadvantaged
- Human Rights, Religious Freedom
- Ecumenism, other religions and religious tolerance
- Race Relations
- Church: Reform, Liturgy, Priesthood, Bishops, Theology, New Religious Movements, Church Attendance, Women and Church, Society, Society and Church
- Primary Industries e.g. Fisheries, Agriculture
- Defence, Foreign Relations, Emergency aid, Foreign Aid
- Science/Medicine: e.g. Reproductive technology Genetic Manipulation, Stem cells, Euthanasia, Climate Change, Energy
- Information Technology, Nano Technology, Bio-technology, Artificial Intelligence
- Inter-Church relations
- The relationship between Society and the Church.