Pope Francis
The Pope and Selfishness: Contradictions and Fictions
It was a record-scratching, “hold up, wait a minute” moment a few days ago when Pope Francis, who had just a couple of weeks back told Catholics that they don’t need to “breed like rabbits,” followed that up by stating that “the choice not to have children is selfish.” KtB editor Mary K. Valle and…
The Papal Explainer: Breeding Like Rabbits
Lots of headlines are trumpeting Pope Francis’ recent declaration that Catholics need not breed like rabbits. However, Catholics are still not allowed to use artificial birth control. There are “licit” ways of preventing pregnancy, said the Pope. Human breeding in a manner unlike rabbits must be done by means of natural family planning (which is…
Synod ’14: Schism in the Air
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Vatican: Bad Romance
Thanks, Irish Times, for answering a bewildering question. How did the Vatican get a seat amongst the nations of the world? “It just did.” OK, so how do they retain their status? The whole of the situation is mind-boggling: how does an organization that boldly discriminates against half of humanity and has an outsize influence…
Is The Pope a Rock Star?
I recently saw a banner hanging on a nearby hospital which said “Our Nurses Are Rock Stars!” I took a moment to imagine a soul-deadening cycle: the people who thought of this idea, formatted it on a PC and sent it to China, where the banner was printed in a factory and shipped to San…
Over the Rainbow
Gay Argentinians’ views on marriage, legal or not, are still shaped by forces beyond their control.
Everybody’s Talkin’ (To The Pope)
So the Pope has been calling people. People keep saying “Hey, have you heard about the Pope’s phone calls? He’s calling pregnant adulteresses and troubled gay youths and being like ‘Special mama, have that baby and don’t let anyone give you the hairy eyeball!’ and ‘Dear little hombre, It’s 2013! Be proud of your gay…
Many Sour Saints
Pope Francis has made some statements regarding Catholic moods lately—admonishing clergy for having “sad, long faces” and saying “Buenos dias” to religious who may have psychiatric problems. Pope Francis has also said that “melancholy Christian faces have more in common with pickled peppers than the joy of having a beautiful life.” He added “Christian joy is…