Monthly Archives: July 2013

John Allen: Pope Francis’ spontaneous interview

Posted on July 31, 2013 by Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D.

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE One way to tell that a pope is feeling good at the end of a long trip is when he comes back to the press compartment and does precisely what he said at the beginning of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Pope Musings | 1 Comment

‘Who am I to judge?’ marks new tone on homosexuality

Posted on July 30, 2013 by Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D.

It’s amazing how five simple words – “Who am I to judge?” – can change perceptions and open doors. The words came from Pope Francis to reporters on his plane back to Rome following a weeklong trip to Brazil, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Pope Musings | 1 Comment

Pope2Bishops: Get out of Church!

Posted on July 29, 2013 by Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Pope Francis on Saturday challenged bishops from around the world to get out of their churches and preach, and to have the courage to go to the farthest margins of society to find the faithful. … Continue reading →

Posted in Pope Musings | Leave a comment

Pope Francis @ WYD: The Cross!

Posted on July 27, 2013 by Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D.

Dear Young Friends, We have come here today to accompany Jesus on his journey of sorrow and love, the Way of the Cross, which is one of the most intense moments of World Youth Day. At the end of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Pope Musings | Leave a comment

Pope Paul VI: Spot on Re Sex

Posted on July 27, 2013 by Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D.

few weeks ago, while pondering the upcoming sapphire anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s Humanae Vitae (Of Human Life) and the continuing controversy over the “birth control encyclical” throughout both Church and society, I came across the following, in an essay the Polish Nobel … Continue reading →

Posted in Pope Musings | Leave a comment

Papal wisdom for U.S.

Posted on July 26, 2013 by Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D.

Met by crowds inspired by both adoration (for the Pope) and indignation (towards their government), the visit of Pope Francis to Brazil provides valuable insights for how the United States can better approach its Latin American neighbors. The pronouncements of … Continue reading →

Posted in Pope Musings | Leave a comment

Pope @ Franciscan Drug Rehab Facility

Posted on July 25, 2013 by Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D.

Dear Archbishop Tempesta, brother Bishops, Distinguished Authorities, Members of the Venerable Third Order of Saint Francis of Penance, Doctors, Nurses, and Health Care Workers, Dear Young People and Family Members, God has willed that my journey, after the Shrine of … Continue reading →

Posted in Pope Musings | 1 Comment

Charity: The Place of the Poor in the Biblical Tradition

Posted on July 24, 2013 by Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D.

It has long been acknowledged that Jews and Christians distinguished themselves through charity to the poor. Though ancient Greeks and Romans were also generous, they funded theaters and baths rather than poorhouses and orphanages. How might we explain this difference? In this significant … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith Resources | Leave a comment

Faith and Science in the Vatican

Posted on July 23, 2013 by Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D.

Brother Guy Consolmagno, S.J. is the lead astronomer for Pope Francis. Listen to this interview in which he gives Premier’s Justin Brierley an insight to life in the Vatican, what his work actually entails, faith and science, and his own … Continue reading →

Posted in Theologizing Faith | Leave a comment

Francis steps into a revolution in Brazil

Posted on July 20, 2013 by Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D.

John L. Allen Jr.  |  Jul. 18, 2013 World Youth Day 2013 While he’s busy launching one revolution in Rome, overhauling entrenched ways of doing business in the Vatican, Pope Francis is about to step into the middle of another … Continue reading →

Posted in Pope Musings | Leave a comment