Flashes

  • The silent schism

    The silent schism is not dramatic or violent. It unfolds in disillusioned hearts and empty pews, as Catholics quietly conclude that staying within the Church brings more heartache than hope. Unlike past schisms, it lacks noise—but its damage may be far greater.

    The silent schism
  • Cardinal Sarah’s paper tiger

    Cardinal Sarah’s opposition plays into a paper tiger: a strategy of threats and polarization that risks distracting from the patient work of cultural adjustment already underway in the Church. The danger is giving more oxygen to an issue already quietly shifting.

    Cardinal Sarah’s paper tiger
  • Five streams of Catholic renewal

    The five renewal paths highlight divisions within Catholicism. From hope-filled engagement to anger and withdrawal, each stream reflects different responses to decades of reform efforts. Together, they show how Catholics wrestle with faith, institution, and identity under Pope Leo’s leadership.

    Five streams of Catholic renewal
  • Lay ministers take on baptisms in German dioceses

    These new developments are more than temporary measures. They reflect a deeper rethinking of sacramental ministry that considers today’s pastoral challenges. While the long-term future of lay-led baptisms in Germany remains uncertain, they are already firmly part of parish and diocesan life.

    Lay ministers take on baptisms in German dioceses
  • Improvised liturgies expose gaps in Pacific liturgical support

    Without lectionaries, Pacific dioceses improvise. The Good News Bible is often the only vernacular scripture available. Readers rely on ordos from other countries for references, flipping ahead in their Bibles to find passages for proclamation at Mass, however fragmented they may be.

    Improvised liturgies expose gaps in Pacific liturgical support
  • Tradition or submission: Tradwives and new media spotlight

    The “tradwife” debate is not only about fashion or lifestyle. It touches faith, gender, and culture. With younger generations watching, the Church faces a choice: to embrace diversity of expression or allow tradition to dominate the conversation again.

    Tradition or submission: Tradwives and new media spotlight
  • Finding culture in Synodality

    Every culture will find its own pathways into synodality. What matters is drawing on the strengths of local traditions—fairness, resilience, openness—to shape a style of reform that is both authentic and hopeful. In this way, synodality becomes a global conversation of faith.

    Finding culture in Synodality
  • Follow the money

    Laudato Si’ insists that human and natural environments affect the vulnerable most severely. The common good, Francis teaches, demands solidarity and countering systems that treat people as expendable in global markets.

    Follow the money
  • Young faith grows; liturgy must meet it

    Vatican II calls the Eucharist the “source and summit” of Christian life. That conviction invites priests and people to recover the art of celebrating: words we can hear, gestures that include, and a table we gather around. Renewal in worship nourishes renewal in faith and mission.

    Young faith grows; liturgy must meet it
  • Prayers alone are not enough to stop school shootings

    Pope Leo XIV ended the Jubilee for Youth with hope-filled words, but days later, violence struck Annunciation Catholic Church. The contrast between his message and the tragedy underscores the urgent need to transform inspiration into action against what he called the “pandemic of arms.”

    Prayers alone are not enough to stop school shootings

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