Kenya’s Bishop Emily Onyango called the appointment “very significant,” saying women bishops are thrilled by the chance for change. Conservative Anglican leaders in Africa say Mullally’s appointment undermines doctrine. Rwandan Archbishop Laurent Mbanda accused her of promoting “unbiblical teachings” on marriage and morality, warning the decision could deepen existing divisions and alienate millions of believers…

When liturgy is done well, it teaches. People recognise reverence, beauty, and community. Through prayer, song, and gesture, the assembly experiences Christ alive and active. The celebration itself becomes formative, shaping believers in faith and unity.

Cardinal Blase Cupich’s decision to honour Sen. Dick Durbin drew criticism over the lawmaker’s abortion stance. Bishop Thomas Paprocki opposed the award and has denied Durbin Communion since 2004. Following the backlash, Durbin declined the honour, prompting Cupich to express sadness but respect.

Pope Leo is slowing beginning to reveal himself, not through dramatic gestures but through cautious, lawyerly responses; most of which is scripted.

Pope Leo XIV’s first interviews reveal a leader who listens carefully yet holds firm lines. Women leaders will be promoted, but ordination to the diaconate is not on the table. LGBTQ Catholics are welcomed in Pope Leo XIV’s Church, but doctrine on sexuality and marriage remains unchanged.

Palestinians need more than humanitarian aid, said Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, they seek dignity and recognition as a people. He still sees the two-state solution as ideal, though increasingly less realistic given today’s circumstances.

For decades, Israel was seen through the prism of the Holocaust. Today, Gaza reshapes that perception. The atrocities committed under political self-interest risk burdening Jewish communities worldwide with a legacy they never authorised and must now carry.

Catholic social teaching on immigrants, the poor and creation finds little space in the Catholic right. While bishops accompany immigrants to hearings and teach about environmental stewardship, many Catholics dismiss such concerns as “radical left politics,” narrowing faith to partisan agendas.

Joy is not decoration but central to Christian worship. Every liturgy carries a note of joy, even in the face of suffering. It is the abiding flavour of faith, an expression of hope in the risen Christ and the victory of life over death.

Empathy begins with recognition. Violence thrives on dehumanisation, but radical listening restores compassion. Gene Knudsen-Hoffman captured it simply: “An enemy is one whose story you have not heard.” To hear another’s story is to rediscover our own humanity and expand the boundaries of care.