Introduction In recent times, particularly around Christmas 2025, attempts by certain right-wing Hindu activists to disrupt Christian celebrations have included questioning the virginity of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Such challenges, often rooted in cultural or ideological differences, prompt a deeper exploration of miraculous births across religious traditions. This article examines extra-biological or supernatural conceptions in Hinduism, with a...
Emerging Christologies from Synodality
Avery Cardinal Dulles was a distinguished Catholic theologian who provided valuable insights into how God communicates with humanity. In his thoughtful work on revelation, he outlined five key models to describe this divine self-disclosure. The first model views revelation as doctrine—timeless truths and teachings conveyed through sacred texts and the Church’s tradition. The second sees it as history, where...
Synodal Models of the Church
In Catholic theology, Avery Dulles’ influential book Models of the Church offers a profound way to understand the Church’s identity through different lenses. Dulles, a prominent Jesuit theologian, outlined five key models—institution, mystical communion, sacrament, herald, and servant—with a later addition of community of disciples. These models are complementary, helping the Church reflect on its nature in a balanced...
The Pastoral Challenge of Casting into the Deep
In his teachings, the late Holy Father, Pope Francis, called the faithful to become “missionary disciples,” urging a transformation in how we live out our faith. He envisioned a Church that moves beyond being a sanctuary for the devout to becoming a dynamic force of evangelization. This call echoes the Gospel story from Luke 5:4, where Jesus tells Simon...
Turn to Practices and Synodality in the Church
Mostly we are used to search ideas when we do research. To examine and analyse ideas we go to book, libraries and web sources. Michel Foucault brought the dimension of practices in research. His focus on practices opened profoundly deep and critical mode of studying and doing research. It led us to see practices and power as intertwined. His...
Parish Priests’ Anxieties: Leading Christian Discipleship Today
In the quiet sanctuaries of parish churches, priests stand as shepherds of Christian discipleship—a call to follow Christ through community, moral formation, and spiritual growth. Yet, in today’s world, this ancient vocation is fraught with profound anxieties. Drawing from Michel Foucault’s analysis of disciplinary societies and Gilles Deleuze’s vision of emerging “societies of control,” modern society presents a tidal...
Mirror Neurons and Pastoral Care: Bridging Neuroscience and Spiritual Support
In the intersection of modern neuroscience and ancient practices of spiritual guidance lies a fascinating connection: mirror neurons and pastoral care. Mirror neurons, a type of brain cell discovered in the 1990s, activate both when an individual performs an action and when they observe someone else doing the same, essentially allowing us to “mirror” others’ experiences in our own...
Navigating the Brave New World: Challenges for a Parish Priests
In Aldous Huxley’s dystopian masterpiece Brave New World, published in 1932, the author envisioned a society where control was not exerted through Orwellian pain and surveillance, but through the seductive embrace of pleasure. “People are happy; they get what they want, and they never want what they can’t get,” Huxley wrote, describing a world engineered for endless gratification, where...
Navigating the Challenges of Synodality: Insights from “Surrounded by Idiots” for Parish Priests
In the Catholic Church today, synodality has emerged as a profound call to journey together as the People of God. Promoted by Pope Francis, it emphasizes listening, dialogue, and communal discernment, inviting all members of the Church—clergy, religious, and laity—to participate actively in the mission of evangelization. At its core, synodality is about accompanying one another on the path...
Embracing Resilience: David Goggins’ “Can’t Hurt Me” as a Model for Parish Priests in Pastoral Care
In the demanding world of pastoral ministry, parish priests often navigate a landscape fraught with emotional, spiritual, and physical challenges. From counseling grieving families to visiting the sick, managing parish operations, and maintaining their own spiritual health, the role requires unyielding commitment that can lead to burnout. David Goggins, a former Navy SEAL, ultra-endurance athlete, and author of the...
