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A Hunger That Never Ends: Part Two
So, to continue from my previous post: why is chastity a virtue? Why does the Church teach that fulfilment of sexual desire—outside marriage and openness to life—is a mortal sin? Because sexual desire is a hunger that, unless rightly ordered, will never be fully satisfied. Sins of the flesh promise delight—but leave us emptier than Continue reading
4 minutesNo comments on A Hunger That Never Ends: Part Two -
A Hunger That Never Ends: Part One
How does the Church speak to a same-sex attracted person who feels terrified at the thought of being condemned to a life of loneliness—because same-sex relationships are mortal sins? Or to a divorcee who, after fleeing an abusive marriage without an annulment, fears the same fate because the Church forbids remarriage? One of the most Continue reading
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My Strange Journey with the ICAEW CFAB
If you wish to become a licensed professional accountant in Britain, you need to complete a series of examinations combined with several years of practical training. The largest accounting body in the UK is the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). One of their more fascinating initiatives is allowing virtually anyone in Continue reading
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Charlie Kirk and the Collapse of Catholic Apologetics
This blog has been quiet lately—because I’ve been swamped with the start of the new school semester in Vietnam and other challenges. But recent events demand that I speak out. When major American Catholic media—once the powerhouses of Catholic apologetics—informally hail and canonize a dyed-in-the-wool, far-right, American nationalist Evangelical (who called Pope Francis a “Marxist” Continue reading
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Vocations Deliver What the World Only Promises
Continuing from my previous post, and my reflection on the vocations boom in the Vietnamese Church, the shortage of vocations—both to marriage and the priesthood—in the West is a grim reminder of the Church’s condition there. I won’t speculate now on what caused it or where it may lead. I don’t know the future. God Continue reading
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The English Bible Summer Camp in Vietnam: A Season of Grace Extraordinaire
One reason I’ve been so uncharacteristically quiet on this blog lately is that I recently participated in a gloriously successful and joyful English-themed catechesis camp launched—for the first time this year—by the Archdiocese of Hanoi. My duties included daily catechesis from Monday to Friday. There were two seasons of the camp: one in June and Continue reading
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What do ‘MAGA’ Catholics Want?
In my last post, I spoke about ultraconservative Catholics, many of whom (though not all) are vocal supporters of the Trump administration. While largely American, this mindset isn’t confined to the U.S.; for instance, I recently came across a UK-based YouTube channel, Catholic Unscripted, whose presenters expressed relief at Pope Francis’s death. Enough said. Given Continue reading
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Glory to Jesus in Mary
Glory to Mary in Jesus
Glory to God alone