Culture & Faith
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God crashes Mary’s mundane Monday
When Gabriel appears to Mary, she is likely at her daily tasks, grinding grain, perhaps, or drawing water. God crashes into her mundane Monday. The Christmas story begins not in sacred spaces but in ordinary life—and that changes everything about how we understand faith.
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Culture shapes Christianity more than we admit
Stories continue to shape Christian faith because they move hearts into action. Jesus used vivid images that stirred people to rethink their lives and spark gratitude, courage and renewed purpose today.
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The ideology of “the land” and its quiet power over politics and culture
Land is more than physical territory. It holds emotion, memory, and meaning. Across cultures and histories, land becomes a source of identity, pride, and grief. Its importance transcends soil—it shapes who we are, where we belong, and how we understand others and ourselves.
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Liturgy needs a living voice, not a frozen page
Worship often sounds more written than spoken, as if directed at God rather than spoken with God. Liturgy that stays on the page risks sounding noble but distant. Translation is not imitation but incarnation.
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Spiritual fireworks don’t last
Many renewal movements start strong but fade fast. The difference lies in whether they transform culture or simply stir emotion. Renewal that lasts leads to mission, not just moments of conversion or Church-building.
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“Last Supper”— great art or fake news?
Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper” is one of the most recognised works in the world, but its beauty may disguise a deeper problem. However, great art—like social media—can sometimes distort truth, creating powerful myths that replace historical reality.
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When violins argue like world newsfeeds
Bach’s Goldberg Variations stirred unexpected reflections on justice, war, and the chaos of public discourse. The music became a mirror for inner conflict, revealing how struggles for justice may sometimes mask deeper personal unrest.
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Absolutely Right
Two voices echo across time: one calling for battle, another for God’s kingdom on earth. Between them lies the clash of worldviews shaping our age, where populist leaders and faithful dreamers compete to write the story of tomorrow.
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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.
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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.
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