Timothy P. O’Malley in his review of Stephen Bullivant’s Mass Exodus, which examines the phenomenon of the mass exodus of Catholics out of the Catholic Church in the United States of America and the United Kingdoms, states that “Disaffiliation is rarely a single moment in the life of a Catholic. Instead, it is a process in which one no [...]
When the soldiers came to arrest Jesus at the Garden of Gethsemane, we read that the disciples were so filled with fear that “they all left him and fled” (Mark 14:50). This was not an ordinary fear that the disciples experienced, but the fear which was intense to the point of even a young man tearing himself out of the [...]
There are several aspects of today’s gospel that we can ponder upon. We reflect on one of them. The two disciples were in deep discussion about what took place in the past days with little or no depth of knowledge of the truth. They were both trying to make sense of their disappointment without a reference point. They only had [...]
After the Crucifixion of Jesus, the disciples spent most of their time in a kind of exile – this was seen physically – they locked themselves indoors, and this was also seen psychologically – they returned to the things which they knew, they were familiar, and comfortable with – they returned to their trade as fishermen. It was not easy [...]
In the movie Fiddler on the Roof, Tevye, a poor Jewish milkman is delivering milk, pulling the cart himself as his horse has taken the day off. He has a question for God: Dear God, you made many, many poor people. I realize, of course, that it's no shame to be poor But it's no great honour, either. So what would [...]
One of the things I dislike more than public speaking is difficult conversations. According to Google, “A difficult conversation is any situation where the needs/wants, opinions or perceptions of the involved parties are diverse, with their feelings and emotions running strong. Usually the reason behind such strong feelings and emotions is that they have a lot at stake and they dread the [...]
The Covid-19 virus otherwise known as the 2019-nCoV acute respiratory disease has as of the 12th of February 2020, killed more than 1,000 people, infected over more than 42,000, and reached some 25 countries, according to the World Health Organisation. The virus is thought to have originated from bats, and was transmitted to human beings via intermediary contact through other [...]
Recently I came across the K-Pop Group BTS and discovered they had a strong fandom of followers known collectively as ARMY. BTS’s messaging across their music albums resonates with young people across the globe – one of which was to tell young people to ‘Love Yourself’. The BTS ARMY, in turn, show their loyalty and love in many ways. As [...]
Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfil (Matt 5:17). What did Jesus mean by this? He did not reject the laws of old taught by Moses, Abraham and the prophets, but demand of his followers a more perfect, more sincere, fulfilment of them. He [...]
The Bishop’s Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei decided in 2007, that abstaining from meat will no longer be the only expression of this ancient tradition of abstinence. This is a change from the previous decision which required the abstaining from meat on all Fridays. The removal of the abstinence from meat does not mean the obligation to abstain on Fridays is [...]