Commentaries

Former minister Lakshman Namal Rajapaksa, son of the former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse has blamed the wrong decisions of the government officials for the crisis in Sri Lanka, which is under facing an economic crisis, reported BBC.

Fr. Ramon Echica talks about mission in Cebu, the place where Filipinos were first baptized 500 years ago.

Stephen Borja, an officer at the Secretariat of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Episcopal Commission on Youth, talked about how important the youth are to the mission of the Church because they are the largest demographic group in the country.

Sister Añanita Borbon, a member of the Religious of Good Shepherd, shared her congregation’s mission during the Second National Mission Congress, Cebu, and April 17-24, 2022.

Father Samuel N. Agcaracar, examined the consequences of the most recent Apostolic Constitution, Praedicate Evangelium, (Preach the Gospel) on the Church as a missionary church.

Couples for Christ (CFC) International Council member Michael Ariola presented "Mission and the Laity" at the second National Mission Congress in Cebu, Philippines, April 17 – 24, 2022.

There are three fundamental challenges of the cities today after the Covid-19 pandemic and now during the war as the situation of peace is very much challenged.

“The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, whom you have killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior” (Acts 5: 30-31).

Do not be afraid, I have overcome the worl.

Hell is not the last word. Love is.

At the Last Supper when Christ offered the bread and wine and pronounced the words of institution "this is my body...this is my blood" the sacraments of the Eucharist and the Priesthood were duly instituted.

Dr. Rosemary Varghese reflects on the recent Hijab Controversy to navigate the communal division India recently faces right from school settings in the educational institutions to the political propaganda of the fringe groups. She recalls nostalgic memories of yesteryears of children of different faith communities who grew with a sense of friendship. Dr. Varghese proposes a holistic approach where each can feel safe, respected, and treated with dignity.

The first unwritten scripture was coded in silence, millions of years ago, before humans arrived on this planet. That continues to be the language of creation. God’s mother tongue must be silence! The word spirituality starts with the word Spirit who communicates through the medium of silence. God is attuned to earless hearing and wordless speaking.
I regard silence held in love as the best prayer ground before God.

The call for 'synodality' is an invitation to re-define who we are. All the roles we play, keep us away from our true selves. Two particular roles have separated 'frattelli tutti' from one another. The deepest and an almost unstoppable gap is created with gender roles.

Father Ittoop Panikulam, SVD, seeks to incarnate hope reflecting on the life of Jesus – littleness can make all the difference.

A Myanmar priest opens up to describe what hope would look like for people under dictatorship for almost seven decades. The priest hopes for something unknown to bring us joy amid the recent military coup. Like Mother Mary, the Myanmar people do not know the future. But young priest invites fellow pilgrims to hold hands and move towards what we are hoping for and accept the situation like Mary. The author looks for great things to happen in Myanmar with just hope the month of December brings.

Church in the internet age should deal with child pornography like plagues in past centuries

The author reflects on the importance of the solemnity of Christ the King in the context of the Season of Advent, revealing the meaning of kingship and messiah. Each Advent, we renew our hope that the King to come will free us from afflictions.

It is not uncommon for grieving loved ones to experience what psychologists call “After Death Communication,” in which the bereaved believe that they see, hear the voices of, or even smell their dead loved ones.

These experiences, sometimes called “bereavement hallucinations,” can be healing and comforting for those who grieve, multiple studies have found.

The author invites Catholics and church leadership to rekindle the faith in the resurrection, reexamine the prevailing traditions around All Saints Day and All Souls Say and to express faith in inaccurate ways in light of the Christian mystery.