Flashes
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Violence in our veins, glory in our bones
August 6 marks both Hiroshima and the Transfiguration — a date of devastation and divine hope. One event shows what humans can destroy, the other what we can become. The contrast urges us to reflect on who we are and who we are meant to be.
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We who are many: a theology of interruption
St Paul wrote, “We who are many are one body.” That became true in a guard’s van, where grumbling turned to gratitude, division to dialogue. Eucharist emerged not from consecrated bread, but from disrupted plans and a shared human response.
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Missionary discipleship: From power over to power with
The terms “clergy” and “laity” can trap us in outdated hierarchies. Could adopting the language of “missionary disciples” help the Church rediscover shared leadership and mutual respect?
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The Sistine Chapel’s God isn’t enough today
Can a white, male God creating a white, male Adam still speak to today’s world? Jesus welcomed all—Jews and Gentiles, slaves and free, men and women. Diversity was always part of the divine plan. What if creation looked like all of us?
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The fragile gains of global progress
The world’s poorest are being asked to bear the cost of a system rigged against them. With declining development aid and rising debt repayments, hope is fading fast for millions whose lives are treated as disposable.
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Language shapes power: Words matter
Brambilla’s historic appointment is shadowed by a telling detail: an invitation to male-only meetings addressed to her with a masculine title. This slip highlights ongoing resistance to recognising women as equals within the hierarchy of the Catholic Church.
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From medieval loaves to global hunger crises
Pope Leo XIV recently denounced the deliberate use of hunger as a weapon. “Civilians languish in misery,” he said, while leaders profit from conflict. His words challenge global indifference and call believers to confront policies that deepen famine and suffering.
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The possibility of lay ministry in anointing of the sick
Bold but careful: allowing lay ministers to celebrate the Sacrament of the Sick would demand training, safeguards and oversight, yet could profoundly bless the Church’s ministry to the sick.
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Faith on the footpath
A true story of homelessness, small mercies, and the kind of faith that doesn’t wait for Sunday. It’s about people who see others with compassion, and act.
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Decoding clericalism
Early Christian communities shared ministry between women and men without the idea of a “sacred” priesthood. The current model evolved from Roman tradition, creating a privileged clerical caste and deepening divisions within the Church over who may serve.
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