Posts in Catholicism
Churches Across Ireland Using Music To Engage With Young People

The sounds of music are everywhere these days in Dublin’s churches. While rates of religious affiliation are rapidly dropping in Ireland, the music continues. Church leaders believe that music can touch young people and keep them open to exploring faith. Music is also a focus of Catholic efforts to reach the youth.

Read More
X-Men’s Nightcrawler Reveals Modern-Day Expectations For Christians In A ‘Negative World’

(ANALYSIS) Nightcrawler has always been an explicitly Catholic character in the X-Men comics, and his faith is almost always integral to his portrayal. A lot of that is due to the irony of having a devilish-looking character be so religious. Because he is a largely positive Christian character in a secular brand, you can see what secular people, or religious people who work in mainstream entertainment, think of faith.

Read More
Claudia Sheinbaum Elected Mexico’s First Female Jewish President

Claudia Sheinbaum, a climate scientist and former mayor of Mexico City, won a landslide victory on Sunday to become Mexico's first female president. Sheinbaum, won the presidency with nearly 60% of the vote, defeating opposition candidate Xochitl Galvez. She is also Jewish in a country that is majority Catholic.

Read More
Church And State Divide: Why Poland’s New Government Is Challenged By Abortion

(ANALYSIS) When Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk formed a coalition government in 2023 committed to making “historic changes,” he promised to improve the country’s track record on women’s rights. Noticeably absent in the coalition’s agreement, however, was any specific wording on access to abortion, one of the most controversial issues under the previous government.

Read More
On Religion: Harrison Butker’s Speech Put A Spotlight On Catholic Tensions

(ANALYSIS) This bitter divide resurfaced during the May 11 Benedictine College commencement speech by Harrison Butker, a three-time Super Bowl champion from the nearby Kansas City Chiefs. While remarks about women and family life dominated headlines, most of the placekicker's 20-minute address focused on divisions inside Catholicism.

Read More
Vatican Issues Apology After Pope Francis Utters Anti-Gay Slur

Pope Francis issued a rare apology on Tuesday after it was revealed that he had used a vulgar term for gay men when asked about the Catholic Church’s ban on homosexual priests entering seminaries. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni issued a statement acknowledging the comment made by the 87-year-old pontiff.

Read More
Catholics Across America Unite For First Ever Eucharistic Pilgrimage

The largest Catholic Eucharistic pilgrimage in U.S. history launched across the country on Pentecost Sunday, May 19, and will travel through Southern Idaho May 27 through May 31. Across the nation, over 100,000 people are expected to participate in this momentous movement of feet and faith.  

Read More
Crossroads Podcast: CBS Plays Papal Softball With Francis

I am old enough to remember when “60 Minutes” was must-watch television for journalists. In those days, this CBS News “magazine for television” had a crack research team that dug deep and found the documents and evidence needed to support tough questions for political, cultural and business leaders who granted interviews.

Read More
5 Notable College Commencement Addresses That Featured Faith

College students across the country are graduating this month. As is custom, famous people are invited to speak to students about the future. Sometimes, religion and faith comes up — especially at Christian colleges — and it’s not always something that resonates with the U.S.’s broader, more secular culture. Here are five that stood out this spring.

Read More
On Religion: Did Harrison Butker’s Graduation Speech Sail Wide Right?

(ANALYSIS) The team's star placekicker stressed that “being Catholic alone doesn't cut it” while attacking many famous Catholics, including President Joe Biden, for, among other choices, making the sign of the cross during a Florida abortion rights rally. Butker spent most of his address criticizing many American bishops while also offering blunt defenses of Catholic teachings on sexuality.

Read More
Will Catholics Determine Whether Biden Or Trump Wins In ‘24?

A recent series of crosscurrents and eruptions remind us that Catholic voters may well decide this odd contest between unwelcome nominees. As with Americans in general, Pew Research Center polling shows they give fellow Catholic Biden an unfavorable rating of 64 percent and 57 percent unfavorable toward Trump. 

Read More
Outrage Over A Catholic Commencement Speech At A Catholic College

(OPINION) While a petition calling for the firing of Harrison Butker, one of the greatest placekickers in the NFL, has gained more than 100,000 signatures, sales of his jersey are skyrocketing. Why all the controversy?

Read More
Catholic Site Honoring Mary Draws Thousands Thanks To Its Miraculous Waters

Tucked away in the mountain range of the Kenyan Rift Valley, amid flourishing forests overlooking the vibrant little town of Subukia lies a Marian shrine. This special Catholic site dedicated to prayer regularly hosts of thousands of pilgrims from many parts of the world. It is also the source of the legendary water of the Subukia Shrine.

Read More
The Murder Of A Catholic Priest Highlights Rising Violence Against Clerics In South Africa

The murder last month of a Catholic priest is the latest in a spate of attacks against Christian clerics. Overall, South Africa’s crime rate has spiked to its highest levels in two decades. At the same time, many see these recent attacks against clerics as an infringement on their religious freedom to worship since Christians are increasingly fearful of going to church as a result of the increased violence.

Read More
Crossroads Podcast: The Catholic Trads Are Coming!

The feature is framed with bad news — that progressive Catholics in the United States are experiencing pain because of the rising numbers of young priests and young adults (especially parents with, wink-wink, lots of children) seeking a more pro-Catholic Catechism approach to faith.

Read More
The Fight Against Clergy Sex Abuse Also Involves ‘Missionary Kids’

(OPINION) In fact, my strong hunch is that these “under the radar” Christian boarding or reform schools will prove to be the next chapter in the ever-present, still burgeoning clergy abuse crisis. And those of us who’ve long supported such survivors will be called upon again to offer sympathy, consolation and guidance to hundreds of mostly invisible victims who have been violated in circumstances even more extreme than the ones in which we were abused. 

Read More
‘Wildcat’ A Masterful Love Letter To The Inner Life Of A Religious Creative

(REVIEW) “Wildcat” is the perfect film for any Christian who loves or is involved in the arts and wishes to see their experiences deftly portrayed in the unique language of film. This movie gives hope that the actual inner lives and beliefs of believers can live up to their potential within this medium and provide at least one model of how to do so.

Read More
Islamic Terrorists Increase Attacks On Christians In Mozambique

Islamic extremists waging an insurgency in Mozambique have increasingly targeted Christians and churches in the first three months of this year. As a result, priests and their followers — a total of 100,000 people — have been forced to flee following increased attacks that have left scores of dead and some church buildings destroyed.

Read More