By electing Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV, the College of Cardinals has sent a subtle but unmistakable message: The Catholic Church will continue the reformist energy of Pope Francis, but with a fresh calibration toward tradition and doctrinal clarity. In Prevost, the cardinals have chosen both an insider and an outsider—someone rooted...
Category: Lifestyle
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A view of mountains from the back of the pack
There are many things those who climb mountains can’t say about the mountains. When we city folk look at mountains from the lowlands or from the sea, they become plain geographical features, heaping mounds of rock and earth with some green on them, or backdrops for our Instagram posts. And when we imagine the task...
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Wrestling with cerebral concerns, such as the nature of Nature
It used to be my golf swing that kept me up at night. I would find myself awake at past midnight and crawling out of bed in order not to wake my wife, going to the living room (where I once nicked the coffee table with a golf club while practicing indoors) or the yard...
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Pope Francis of the streets personifies ‘the Church which goes forth’
ROME—As soon as news of Pope Francis’ passing on Easter Monday broke, many people from all walks of life flocked to the Vatican to pay their last respects to the beloved shepherd. The streets of Rome erupted in a frenzy as traffic snarled along the long lines of Via della Conciliazione, with priests and nuns...
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Pope Francis’ funeral is a simplified but still grand celebration of a pastor and disciple of Jesus
Till the end, Francis wished to keep to the simple style he had set for his papacy. On March 13, 2013, after his election as pope, he broke with tradition when he appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica wearing a plain white cassock. He had chosen not to wear the traditional red ermine-trimmed...
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Why were Mary Magdalene and other women first to witness the Resurrection?
“I have seen the Lord.” Mary Magdalene made this announcement to the apostles after she saw, heard and spoke with the Risen Jesus. As told in the Gospel (John 20:11-17), this made her not only the very first witness of the resurrection but also its first apostle, or one sent to do a mission for...
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A testament to faith stands strong in a coastal town in Camarines Sur
CALABANGA, CAMARINES SUR—In the heart of this first-class municipality by the coast, a testament to faith stands strong. The wooden figure Amang Hinulid and the passion play “An Pasyon ni Kristo” have become integral parts of Calabanga’s identity, drawing tens of thousands of pilgrims each year and making the sacred tradition a source of pride...
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Land before time: Road trip turns into time travel
SYDNEY—Between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day people pause from the hectic holiday pace before the next round of festivities. Some stay home, perhaps catch up on their reading or simply catch their breath. Others take the opportunity to engage in an activity not always manageable during the regular work week. That period last year...
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When the Pope and priests wear pink
“Gracia” was dismayed to see the parish priest wearing pink while celebrating Sunday Mass. She said a priest should be neutral and not openly declare himself a “kakampink” (literally, pro-pink), a supporter of then presidential candidate Leni Robredo. Pink was then the campaign color of choice of Robredo and her supporters. Was the parish priest a “kakampink”?...
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Gaita Forés’ first birthday in eternity gives us a Cibo kind of love
My good friend and fellow freelance writer Alma Cruz Miclat knew I was in Manila (down from my base in Baguio City) for just a week and insisted on a long ladies’ dinner on a Sunday at Cibo (second level of the original Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong City). The name “Cibo,” meaning “food” in Italian,...