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Phyllis Zagano
Phyllis Zagano holds a research appointment at Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York. Her most recent book is Just Church: Catholic Social Teaching, Synodality, and Women (Paulist, 2023).
Tackling matters that are the topic of political debates today, the new Vatican document Dignitas Infinita, or "Infinite Dignity," drew more controversy than intended.
"The Christian celebration of Easter is about new life, yet the world's consciousness remains flooded with ideas of death," writes Phyllis Zagano. That includes war and famine, plus euthanasia and abortion, she writes.
"When presumably educated, responsible politicians sound as if they are preaching from a bar stool," Phyllis Zagano writes, "what can the rest of us do to remove angry denigration from whatever other pulpit we might be near?"
"There are too many hurting people frightened today," writes Phyllis Zagano. "Can we not quietly and with respect focus on their needs and discard the noise and disrespect that fuels the wars large and small?"
The people of God agree that the mission of the church is to carry the Gospel to the world. That task is the principal duty of the deacon, argues Phyllis Zagano.
The optics of the latest meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, June 14-16 in Orlando, tell the story. It is not about us, Phyllis Zagano writes. The view from the pews is of men talking about men.
Anger-plus-fear-plus-guns destroys too many lives. Whether for random shootings or the horror of war, individuals or entire nations are picking up guns to solve their real or imagined disputes.
Book review: The Nature of Theology presents three intellectual problems attacking Christian theology that all relate to the question of what is real. If God is real, then the task of theology is to answer these attacks.
We see everywhere news of children murdered in their classrooms, soldiers suffering in their homelands, people displaced by famine and politics, and a dying planet. Where is the Easter promise in all this?
Lately, the question of ordination for women seems restricted to the growing requests for women priests. Even Francis uses that shorthand. But the tradition of ordaining women as deacons could easily be restored.
Members of the pope's opposition are well situated to gather like-minded cardinals in the sort of conspiratorial meetings not known since the Middle Ages.