Expert says Nigeria has more Christian martyrs than anywhere else on earth
YAOUNDÈ, Cameroon – When “Mary Olowe,” a pseudonym adopted for security purposes, converted from Islam to Christianity, her father and brothers threatened to kill her. Fearful for her daughter’s life, Mary’s mother smuggled her to a Christian community and the two sought and fortunately obtained a restraining order from a high court in northern Nigeria. […]
Mongolia trip captures Pope’s passion for the peripheries
ULAANBAATAR – While Pope Francis is in Mongolia this week, not only will the geopolitical undertones of the visit be on full display, but so will his affinity for the global and ecclesial peripheries, as he meets one of the Catholic Church’s smallest flocks. Speaking during his Aug. 27 Sunday Angelus address, Francis called his […]
U.S. Archbishop: ‘Urgent work’ needed to support working families
The chairman of the U.S. bishops’ domestic policy committee said the nation has “urgent work” to do to really show a “radical solidarity with working families” and provide ongoing support for the well-being of all families. “There are signs of improvement and concern regarding the economy,” Archbishop Borys Gudziak of the Ukrainian Archeparchy of Philadelphia […]
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time: For your life
Jer. 20:7–9 / Ps. 63:2–6, 8–9 / Rom. 12:1–2 / Mt. 16:21–27 This Sunday’s First Reading catches the prophet Jeremiah in a moment of weakness. His intimate lamentation contains some of the strongest language of doubt found in the Bible. Following God’s call, he feels abandoned. Preaching his word has brought him only derision. But […]
Finding yourself when nobody’s around
“He Who Dances on Wood” (2016) is a documentary short, under six-minutes long, produced and directed by Brooklyn-based, Mexican-Ethiopian filmmaker Jessica Beshir. You can watch it for free on YouTube. The backstory is that many years ago Fred Nelson was on the New York City subway with his young son, when the son disappeared. Turned […]
Get Behind Me, Satan: Why Does Jesus Rebuke Peter?
In last Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus called Peter “the rock.” Today, He calls him “Satan.” What happened? Gospel (Read Mt 16:21-27) In the verses preceding today’s passage, Jesus and Peter had a remarkable exchange. Peter identified Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God; Jesus announced that God had revealed this truth to him. On that […]