Tag Archives: roman catholic church

Michal Siewniak

What next for the Catholic Church?

By Michal Siewniak | Fri 9th May 2025 - 5:53 pm

Although I am neither a theologian nor an expert on the teaching of the Church, I found the moment of choosing the next Pope deeply important. I would never shy away from the fact that faith plays an important part in my life. No, I am not better than anyone else because I believe. However, I find it extremely helpful to know that I have, to put it simply in lay terms, someone I can spiritually lean on or rely on.

I am also aware that, as we live in a more secularised society, religion to some is becoming less relevant. However, I am personally convinced that the faith communities continue to make such a positive and meaningful impact on our communities.

Now, back to the Vatican! Cardinal Robert Prevost becomes 267th Pontiff, as the first American Pope! He has chosen to be known as Leo XIV. Born in Chicago, he spent many years in South America, in particular in Peru. He actually holds dual citizenship. Some argue that he is young (69) and inexperienced as he was nominated by Pope Francis as a Cardinal only 2 years ago. He comes from the Augustinian order. Some say that he has a joyful, outgoing character and a very good sense of humour.

The Catholic Church is at a big crossroad. The tensions between the liberal and more traditional wings of the Church have deepened. I am delighted that he already emphasised the importance of building bridges and creating opportunities for dialogue. I am pleased that, although he is described as a moderate, he might continue and enhance the work that has been undertaken by his predecessor, Pope Francis.

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Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged | 9 Comments
NewsHound

Sarah Teather on equal marriage – “I tied myself up in ridiculous intellectual knots”

By NewsHound | Tue 6th July 2021 - 9:48 am

Embed from Getty Images

Sarah Teather has written the following public post on Facebook:

Next week marks 8 years since the Marriage (same sex) Act gained Royal Assent and became law. When the proposal for gay marriage came to parliament I tied myself up in ridiculous intellectual knots trying to find a way to navigate official Catholic teaching on marriage and my liberal instincts and campaigning history on gay rights. In the end, I voted against the bill. Wise friends said to me then that it didn’t fit with what they knew of me and I would regret it. They were right. In the years since as friends and acquaintances have got engaged and married I have inwardly cheered and thanked God that I was then in an irrelevant minority. I think this anniversary is a good time to say more publicly that I was wrong then and I am delighted now that gay people have the right to be married.

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Alex Foster

Daily View 2×2: 3 December 2009

By Alex Foster | Thu 3rd December 2009 - 11:17 am

Good morning and welcome to Daily View. With just 28 days until the end of a year, what an ideal time to hear Delia on Woman’s Hour and prepare for Christmas – whatever your gender.

Today is the anniversary both of Elvis’s ’68 Comeback Special and the awful Indian Bhopal disaster where, in 1984, a chemical leak killed thousands and injured hundreds of thousands. The Guardian has a photo series.

Today we also sing happy birthday to Eamonn Holmes and remember International Day of Disabled Persons.

2 Big Stories

Gays won’t go to heaven, says cardinal

Over in the Telegraph is the latest skirmish in the battle between Catholics and homosexuals.

“Transsexuals and homosexuals will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven and it is not me who says this, but Saint Paul,” said Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, 76. In remarks which outraged gay rights groups, he claimed that people were not born gay, but chose to embrace homosexuality of their own free will.

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Joe Taylor

Opinion: In praise of Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor

By Joe Taylor | Tue 14th April 2009 - 11:17 am

To my deep amazement, it was standing room only at 9.30 am Mass at St Piran’s Catholic Church in Truro, Cornwall, on Easter Sunday. I arrived shortly before the service started but could only get a space on the floor at the back. Every bench and chair was occupied. It was easily the best church attendance I have seen for over a decade.

And for a practising Catholic like me, it was an inspiring – not to say, astonishing – sight, given the accepted wisdom that God is irrelevant, churchgoing is in terminal decline, and the only people who …

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Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged and | 40 Comments
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