Matthew Tan is a Lecturer in Theology and Philosophy at Campion College Australia. He completed a PhD in Political Theology at the Australian Catholic University, and his Licentiate in Sacred Theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. He is the editor of The Divine Wedgie. His upcoming book, Justice, Unity and the Hidden Christ: the Theopolitics of the Social Justice Approach to Ecumenism in Vatican II, will bereleased by Pickwick in 2014. divinewedgie.blogspot.com

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On 26 May 2013, we will celebrate Trinity Sunday. Why is this an important feast day on the Church calendar? And where does this teaching come from?

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Did you know that no Christian denomination prior to 1930 ever taught the contraception was anything but sinful? The first denomination to depart from this received teaching was the Anglicans, who at the 1930 Lambeth conference set aside more than 5000 years of Jewish and Christian wisdom and embraced the modern contraceptive notion that there is no necessary connection between procreation and sex. One by one the other Protestant denominations fell, such that today, only Catholic and Orthodox Christians, as well as some Orthodox Jews, are left holding the light of ancient antiquity.

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Many people will tell you that “based on human logic” the Resurrection makes no sense. The first thing we need to remember is that “human logic” is not omnipotence. God makes it very clear that “(His) ways are not our ways, nor are His thoughts our thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

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Catholics believe the Pope is infallible because Jesus gave the role of Pope the authority to make decisions for the Church when He first appointed Peter as head of the Church.

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Some Christians deny that the Pope, as successor of St. Peter, has any special authoritative role in the Church founded by Christ. Some claim that according to the Bible, St. Peter never served as the leader of the Church. Others may recognize his special authority, but deny Apostolic Succession, the passing on of this office by the Church.

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This week Gideon asks Fr. Barron about the relationship between faith and reason. And, specifically, what do we do when our reason has reached its limit? Fr. Barron has some helpful insights as to how we think about both.

An expert in medieval history spoke to Catholic News Service about the pope who set the precedent for papal resignation.

Do you have any questions about the Papal Conclave, the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, and what is going to happen next? Here is an interview with canon lawyer Fr. Mark Podesta and Director of Catholic Communications for the Archdiocese of Sydney, Katrina Lee.

Christ knew (Simon) Peter was not perfect; yet He still chose him for an all-important task of guiding the Church on earth. Visit this great article from Lifeteen.com for the Biblical evidence of the importance of the role of the Pope.

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