Catholic Theology

Catholicism has had difficulties and problems, to say the least, with human sexuality. This was most evident in 1968, three years after the end of Vatican II, the Council of renewal and reform, when Paul VI issued his encyclical, Humanae Vitae, in which he declared that each and every act of sexual intercourse must be open to life, prohibiting, therefore, as immoral any artificial means of birth control. The encyclical caused an uproar of disapproval and dissent, especially because he ignored the Final Report of his own commission-positively endorsed by sixty-four of the sixty-nine voting members present-which he inherited from John XXIII and expanded. Instead, he sided with four commission dissenting theologians and Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani, Prefect of the recently renamed Holy Office as Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The so-called Minority Report was largely prepared by John Ford, S.J., aided by a married lay philosopher, Germain Grisez.

W niniejszym artykule przedstawię pogląd wybranych Ojców Kościoła na temat przyjaźni. Podkreślają oni jej wagę w dążeniu do doskonałości chrześcijańskiej. Na początku wskażę na kontekst myśli patrystycznej dotyczącej tej kwestii, czyli uwzględnię zarys myśli filozofów pogańskich starożytności. Stosując metodę analizy oraz porównawczą wykażę ostatecznie elementy łączące różne spojrzenia, ukazując tym samym ogólny zarys doktryny wczesnochrześcijańskiej o przyjaźni. Celem tego artykułu jest przypomnienie uniwersalnej wartości przyjaźni, wzbogaconej o wiarę w Chrystusa, ponieważ współcześnie dochodzi do patologii w przestrzeniach relacyjnych, a alternatywa wobec tego zjawiska, jaką jest chrześcijański punkt widzenia, może pozwolić uniknąć bolesnych sytuacji oraz pogłębić życie poprzez dodatkowe spojrzenie na przykazanie miłości bliźniego przez relację przyjacielską. Ostatecznie ta refleksja prowadzi do wykazania, iż przyjaźń jest jedną z dróg, jaka może prowadzić wierzącego do świętości, poprzez jej właściwą realizację, co może być współcześnie pobudką dla wielu do dążenia do doskonałości, gdyż jako temat bliski życiu codziennemu łączy naturalną potrzebę więzi, kroczenie ku relacji miłości.

The volume commemorates the life and work of Fr. Joseph Mueller, S.J., former Dean of the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University and a Catholic theologian specializing in patristic exegesis, ecclesiology, and ecumenism. This tribute brings together contributions spanning a broad range of theological disciplines, including biblical, historical, and systematic theology, with a particular focus on ecclesiology. Several essays in the volume aim to reflect Fr. Mueller’s scholarly interests, as initially articulated in his doctoral dissertation on the use of the Old Testament in the ecclesiology of the Church Fathers. The memorial volume thus closely follows Fr. Mueller’s academic journey, showcasing the breadth and depth of his influence on theological scholarship.
https://www.gorgiaspress.com/embodying-the-tradition

Streszczenie: Kościół żyje i spełnia misję powierzoną przez Chrystusa w świecie i cywilizacji głębokich przemian społecznych, ekonomicznych i politycznych. W ich świetle rodzi się pytanie o naturę i miejsce kapłaństwa. Jego Inicjatorem, Formatorem a także Najwyższą Racją jest On sam. W Jezusie Chrystusie znajduje się pełnia kapłaństwa a człowiek uczestniczy w nim przez powołanie. Nieprzemijającym problemem pozostaje właściwe jego rozeznanie oraz nakreślenie kryteriów tego procesu. Rozeznawanie powołania kapłańskiego dokonuje się w relacji Chrystus -powołany -Kościół. O ile powołanie posiada charakter subiektywny, to jego rozeznawanie wykracza poza ten wymiar i musi być również rozeznawane obiektywnie w Kościele i przez Kościół. Publikacja podejmuje problem nakreślenia zarówno tych subiektywnych kryteriów, jak również zobiektywizowanych. Aby tego dokonać konieczne jest podjęcie zagadnienia natury kapłaństwa i jego realizacji w kontekście społeczno-kulturowym.

untuk mewujudkan pendidikan yang mentransformasi setiap insan menjadi pribadi yang utuh, unik, dan berkarakter Kristiani." Visi ini menegaskan bahwa pendidikan tidak hanya berfokus pada penguasaan ilmu pengetahuan, tetapi juga pada pembentukan karakter yang berakar pada iman Kristiani. Dalam terang visi ini, membangun kewirausahaan di sekolah bukan sekadar kegiatan ekonomi, melainkan sarana transformasi untuk membentuk pribadi yang kreatif, tangguh, bertanggung jawab, dan takut akan Tuhan.

This article explores the ways in which magical realism has been helpful to Gabriel García Márquez in raising a voice of protest against social injustice in his novella Crónica de una muerte anunciada [Chronicle of a Death Foretold, (Chronicle) 1981/1983], a protest against two contributing factors, honour killing and slavery. Our study undertakes a close reading of the text within the framework developed from postcolonial theory and new historicism. We argue that throughout Chronicle, Garcia Márquez highlights the concept of honour as a thriving cultural phenomenon in the Latin American society and raises a voice of protest against several other issues, including racial discrimination as an after effect of slavery.

Matthew Scully est américain, chrétien, conservateur et végane. Il a beaucoup écrit en défense des animaux. Ce livret contient une présentation de cet auteur et un compte rendu de son œuvre maîtresse, "Dominion: The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals and the Call to Mercy", parue en 2002.

Analizzare la relazione tra Israele, la Chiesa e la Terra contesa richiede oggi, più che mai, umiltà, rigore e un profondo rispetto. Chi si addentra in tale ambito è consapevole di muoversi tra ferite ancora aperte, passioni vivide, sofferenze concrete e speranze inesauste.
Questo scritto nasce dalla profonda convinzione che il legame tra ebraismo e cristianesimo non  sia un capitolo chiuso, ma un cammino ancora in divenire. Non si tratta soltanto di una semplice questione teologica o dottrinale, bensì di una realtà umana, spirituale e anche geopolitica che tocca le radici della fede e i drammi della nostra epoca.
In qualità di cristiano evangelico, ho imparato a nutrire amore per le Scritture, ad apprezzarne l’unità e la profondità, e a riconoscere come il popolo d’Israele costituisca parte integrante del disegno salvifico di Dio. In qualità di osservatore della storia, non posso trascurare le sofferenze del popolo palestinese, i conflitti che lacerano la Terra Santa, né le tensioni che caratterizzano i rapporti tra ebrei, cristiani e musulmani.
Troppe volte nei secoli i cristiani hanno considerato Israele con arroganza, distorcendo le promesse divine e cadendo nell’errore della cosiddetta “teologia della sostituzione”, secondo cui la Chiesa avrebbe definitivamente soppiantato Israele. Da tale fraintendimento sono scaturite incomprensioni, divisioni e, tragicamente, persecuzioni.
D’altro canto, anche tra i cristiani profondamente legati alle profezie bibliche, è facile cadere nell’estremo opposto: interpretare ogni evento geopolitico come adempimento automatico della Parola, trascurando le sofferenze tangibili dei popoli che abitano la Terra contesa.
Il presente contributo si propone di seguire una via diversa: non ideologica, ma biblica; non semplificata, bensì riflessiva e approfondita, capace di tenere insieme:
- Il mistero dell’elezione di Israele
- La missione universale della Chiesa
- Il dramma della questione palestinese
- Il richiamo evangelico alla giustizia e alla pace
Mi rivolgo, dunque, a chi desidera approfondire la relazione tra Antico e Nuovo Testamento, tra Israele e la Chiesa, tra le promesse fatte ai padri e la grazia estesa alle genti; a chi osserva con attenzione e preoccupazione i conflitti mediorientali e desidera una prospettiva biblica non subordinata alle logiche della politica, ma ancorata al Vangelo della riconciliazione.
E soprattutto mi rivolgo a chi crede che Dio non abbia cessato di operare, che il Suo disegno sia tuttora attivo, e che “i doni e la chiamata di Dio sono irrevocabili” (Romani 11:29).
Se questa riflessione potrà aiutare anche solo qualcuno a comprendere più a fondo il mistero di Israele, la grazia manifestatasi in Cristo e l’importanza di essere operatori di pace, allora avrà raggiunto il proprio scopo.

Since the promulgation of the encyclical Pacem in Terris in 1963, Catholic social teaching has recommended the ongoing strengthening of institutions of global government. As political experience limits the idealistic prospects which motivated the postwar project of global government, the Church's social teaching may appear committed in principle to a dubious policy. Engaging the encyclical's invocation of the principle of subsidiarity, this article shows that the relationship of global government to the nation-state laid out in Pacem in Terris suffers from an inattention to questions of political form. I argue that through his "science of political forms, " Pierre Manent both provides an account of what social teaching would call the propria of the nation-state, and shows why these propria cannot be maintained within global dimensions. Turning to the inter-war encyclicals of Pius XI and Pius XII, I then retrieve an earlier strand of social teaching which, instead of proposing an ambiguous revision of the nation form, offered points of moral orientation for politics by defending a proper love of nation within the structure of what Augustine calls the ordo amoris. The paper thus shows how political philosophy enables a coherent application of the principle of subsidiarity to the nation-state, and why theological insights present within the tradition of social teaching can support the preservation of the valuable propria of the nation form.

What are the words that describe the different ideas and even the different human anthropologies? I have the wrong body, wrong gender, for me. The culture, even the government and teachers, tell me that with technology I can remake myself. God created man in the image of himself, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27. In Gender theory there is no end to produce new life, it is a dead end. Interest in genealogy would come to an end.

In this paper the author seeks to contribute to a better understanding of the reality of the human personal moral interiority from the perspective of the Belgian moral theologian, Servais Pinckaers. It is understood in the context of present-day dominant scientific view of the world in which the categories of technical and other positive sciences, through their dominance, bring into question the human form of existence and activity. Following introductory thoughts on the importance, value and necessity of interdisciplinary collaboration, we are given an insight into the basic features of human life, which are twofold, depending on whether the same features are underpinned in the moral interiority of the human person or merely stem from the technical and positive view of the world.

Vladimir Lossky and Archimandrite Pierre L'Huillier's elucidation of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, as presented in "Notes sur le «Credo» de la messe" (1962), stands apart by virtue of a theological-liturgical methodology which re-establishes this declaration of conviction within the ecclesiastical milieu, as an articulation of devotional faith. This present study scrutinises the commentary's line of reasoning, accentuating its capacity to amalgamate scriptural hermeneutics, dogmatic theology, and liturgical spirituality.
The study, grounded in textual analysis, lies at the confluence of systematic theology and liturgy, with particular focus on the Orthodox interpretation of dogma. The examination of the commentary reveals its deep roots in the patristic tradition and its significant contribution to an evolving understanding of the text.
The proffered interpretation evinces how Lossky and L'Huillier's deliberation reinstates the Creed's performative role, rendering it a fundamental facet of ecclesiastical existence.

William of Ockham, a 14th-century philosopher and Franciscan, developed a political reflection focused on the common good, evangelical poverty, and the limitation of papal power. He argued that friars should live according to apostolic poverty, distinguishing between use and ownership of goods, and claimed that the pope is not infallible and can be corrected by the authority of the faithful. His conception of subjective rights and the separation of spiritual and temporal power places moral responsibility at the center. Pope Francis updates these principles, promoting sobriety, care for the environment, and attention to the most vulnerable, making the common good the political and social goal. Thus, Ockham’s vision of responsibility and power limitation resonates with contemporary ideas of social justice and integral ecology.

In the essay God as Reason, Vittorio Hosle attempts at sketching a rationalistic philosophy of religion where he provides a rationalistic interpretation of Christian theology. While such an attempt provides Christianity a place in rational secular society, it needlessly reduces the unique, divine figure of Christ into a mere historical figure, thereby dissolving the very foundation of Christian doctrine. Admitting to the difficulties of traditional Christology, Hosle openly resorts to such a reductive interpretation of the figure of Christ. This paper, however, proposes an interpretation that could salvage the figure of Christ in Hosle's rationalistic philosophy of religion. Drawing from Alain Badiou's interpretation of St. Paul, I argue that the Christ-event can be interpreted as inevitably exclusionary, rationally contradictory, and specifically divine without resorting to any fideistic interpretations. Therefore, a fully human and fully divine Christ can properly be maintained within a rationalistic philosophy of religion.

Questo concilio, la maggior opera di Innocenzo III, ebbe un duplice scopo: la riforma della Chiesa -intesa come difesa della fede e rinnovamento dei costumi del popolo e del clero -e la crociata, quale impresa del populus christianus, che rappresentano peraltro i punti salienti della linea di azione di questo pontificato. 28 Nella terza ed ultima sessione, il 30 novembre 1215, il papa presentò tutti i 71 canoni 29 (o costituzioni) approvati dall'assise conciliare in particolare soffermandosi sui primi due, di carattere dogmatico. Per quello che concerne il presente studio, ovvero

Many scholars argue that there were no monepiscopal bishops of Rome until well into the second century at the earliest, perhaps into the third. That view is often based on silence in the Shepherd of Hermas, Ign. Romans, and 1 Clement. The basic argument from each source is the same: The author does not name or refer to the bishop or his office, and the non-existence of the bishop and the monepiscopal office explains that silence. I argue that these inferences from silence are unsafe. There are plausible alternative explanations of the silence that do not require the absence of monepiscopacy. There are plausible inferences from presence that sometimes go the other way—especially in Ignatius. There are many uncertain assumptions on which the arguments from silence depend. And there are many counterexamples—cases in which some source fails to mention an office but in which it is plausible to suppose, on independent grounds, that the office existed. Although monepiscopacy may have developed late at Rome, that conclusion cannot safely rest on the typical inferences from the silence in the Shepherd, Ign. Romans, and 1 Clement.

Humanism: A philosophy emphasizing human values and the importance of human agency. Tribal: Relating to a tribe, which is a social group with a common ancestry or culture. Feudal: Relating to a historical system where land was held by nobles in exchange for service and loyalty, particularly in medieval Europe. Heaven (T'ien): In Chinese philosophy, it refers to a supreme moral order that governs the universe and influences human affairs. Virtue: Moral excellence or goodness; behavior showing high moral standards. Deity: A god or goddess; a divine being. Soul: The spiritual essence of a person; often considered immortal in various philosophical traditions, consisting of both earthly (p'o) and heavenly (hun) aspects. Anthropomorphic: Attributing human characteristics to non-human entities, such as gods or deities. Legacy: Something handed down from one generation to another; often referring to a person's lasting impact or influence after death.

KJV Luke 24:49
And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Many Christians today view this field as "kookism," and that is not without justification. But what if we were wrong? What if it were still available, and many practitioners are using it wrongly?

Science and religion have historically shaped human understanding in complementary yet often conflicting ways. Science relies on empirical evidence, observation, and experimentation to explain natural phenomena, whereas religion emphasizes faith, spiritual teachings, and moral frameworks. Students exposed to both domains frequently encounter contradictions, particularly regarding the origins of life, human identity, ethics, and supernatural events. These contradictions can produce cognitive dissonance, emotional stress, and confusion, especially when academic teachings conflict with religious beliefs. Peer pressure, familial expectations, and community norms further intensify this dilemma, sometimes compelling students to choose between scientific understanding and spiritual adherence. To cope, students may employ strategies such as compartmentalization, accepting scientific explanations in academic settings while maintaining religious beliefs privately, or seeking reconciliation through frameworks like theistic evolution, which integrate scientific discovery with divine guidance. Promoting critical thinking and open dialogue between science and religion can help students navigate these dual realities constructively. Educational policies play a crucial role in this process: curriculum design that includes philosophy of science and religion, alongside support systems like counselling and safe discussion spaces, can equip students to manage conflicts without compromising academic integrity or spiritual identity. Ultimately, understanding and addressing the tensions between science and religion can empower students to develop a nuanced worldview that respects empirical evidence while valuing existential and moral perspectives, fostering intellectual maturity and personal growth.

A katolikus egyházi vezetők valamikor azt hitték, hogy a korszerüsködéssel, a modern formákkal vissza lehet csalogatni a híveket az egyházba, templomokba. Ilyen, amikor már az egyházi vezetők sem tudják, hogy mi a szent, mi az, hogy megragadva lenni általa. A modernitás, a szekularizáció, annak formái a szakrális tagadása. Ezen formákat alkalmazni mechanikusan, a szakrális, a katolicizmus válságának a jele, ami korhűséggel nem megoldható. Erre nincs gyakorlatias megoldás, mert a Lélek, minden megújulás forrása nem gyakorlatias, vagyis nem szekularizált. Egy vallás, csak a kollektív tudattalan archetípusos mélységeiből születhet újjá, amit nem lehet eröltetni. Ne megőrizni kell, hanem valaminek meg kell halnia, hogy valami újjszülessen. Jézus azt mondta Nikodémusnak, hogy újjá kell születnie. Szóval az embernek kell újjászületnie a saját bilológiai, tudattalan mélységeiben, hogy Isten újjászülessen benne. Ahogy Eckhart mester írja, Krisztusnak meg kell születnie a lélekben. De ehhez az embernek kell újjászületnie, miután meghalt a kereszten. Ez csak abban tudatosodik, aki átéli a kereszt archetípusos ellentétpárjai lelki energiáinak feszültségét, mely sokszor a lelki halállal egyenlő. Újjászületés, feltámadás, ami egy és ugyan az, csak ebből lehetséges. Ekkor születik meg az emberben a transzcendens. De ez már az ember-Isten, mert az ember-Isten képes csak megszülnie magában az ember-Istent, mert először is az embernek kell újjászületnie, hogy megszülje magában Istent. Ezért mondta Jézus Nikodémusnak, hogy újjá kell születned, hogy benne megszülethessen az Isten. A kereszténység nagy hibája, hogy rosszul értelmezte Jézus isteni mivoltát, az istenit helyezve az emberi elé. Holott az Istent a tudattalan archetipusos világa közvetíti, tehát ennek kell az elsőnnek lennie. Az ember csak ebből a természetes, biológiai talajból tud újjászületni, mert maguk az archetípusok, azok szimbólumai, az újjaszületés forrásai, megújítván ezzel a lélek tudattalan energiaforrásait. Ebben a megújult lélekben születik meg a transzcendencia, mely tulajdonsága mindannak, ami természetes. Ez magyarázza, hogy miért kell először a természetnek újjászületnie. Mert ugye először a búzának kell elhalnia a földben, hogy új magok szülessenek. Először ez szükséges ahhoz, hogy a kenyér Krisztus teste legyen. Vagyis a biológia megelőzi a misét. A katolikus racionalizmus igen mereven elválasztotta a kettőt. A transzcendencia sokkal szervesebben gyökerezik a természetben, mint azt a katolikus teológia absztrakt racionalizmusa megengedi. A katolikus egyház ezért nem volt soha képes az igazi újjaszületésre, mert a mag halálát csak prédikálta, ennek meg az archetípusos lélekben kell megtörténie, a természetben, mert így a természet is újjászületik, megújulván a természet transzcendens oldala. Jung írja a Piros könyvben, ha az ember nem ápolja önmagaban az Istent, Isten meghal a lélekben. A belső természetünkben történő újjászületés eredményezi az archetípusos szakrális formák feltöltődését friss energiákkal, mert csak ezek képesek magukkal ragadni, mert a lelkünk transzcendens energiái azok, melyek magukkal ragadnak. A modern templomformákból épp ez hiányzik, mint a csíkszeredai szörnyszülött modern templomból is, ott a város fölött. Ezek mit nem közvetítenek, ami elengedhetetlen, hogy a szakrális élménye, a természet aktív legyen bennünk? Érzelmeket! Ezért ezek nem szakrális formák, hanem halott formák, melyeknek a szakrálishoz semmi köze.

Section I repugnance, or by physical potency through extrinsic denomination from active or passive potency, as has also often been touched upon in the above discussions. Finally, real potency taken broadly, whether active or passive, is predicated of any principle of acting or being acted upon, and thus it is attributed to substantial principles, such as prime matter insofar as it is a receptive potency of forms, and to substantial form insofar as it is the principal principle of acting, and to God himself insofar as he is omnipotent. This name is also attributed to habits, which are principles of operating; for thus Aristotle in Metaphysics IX, chapter 5, numbers arts and virtues among potencies. Qualities of the third species also, such as heat and cold, which are proximate principles of acting, are comprehended under this transcendental acceptance of potency. And finally, whatever is a principle of acting or receiving is called potency by this general notion; concerning which acceptance enough has been said while disputing about material and efficient cause. But we here dispute more strictly about potency, namely about potency as it is the second species of quality. For since enough has been said about the other acceptances in the cited places, this alone remains and is proper to this place, as we noted in the preceding disputation. But because act corresponds to potency with proportion, therefore we shall speak simultaneously about the act accommodated to this potency, although that pertains to the first species of quality, as was said above. Concerning this potency, therefore, we must first see what it is and how manifold, then how it compares to act. SECTION I WHETHER POTENCY IS CORRECTLY AND SUFFICIENTLY DIVIDED INTO ACTIVE AND PASSIVE, AND WHAT EACH IS ( ) ( ) Section IV passive potency which is in natural things to artificial forms, and this way of speaking is taken from St. Thomas, II Phys., lect. 1. Because that potency also is not for its perfection or natural inclination. Hence under this aspect such potency can also be called neutral, because it neither inclines to the act naturally, nor is repugnant to it. But because it is not reduced to act by a merely natural agent, but by an intellectual one, operating both through art, which is in some way superadded to nature, and through the motion of the will, which is usually called command, therefore such potency is called obediential; for, as we said above, passive potency corresponds to active, hence it also receives a denomination proportionate to it. But there is a wide difference between obediential potency to artificial and to supernatural forms, for the former can be reduced to act by a created agent operating through natural powers, but the latter only by an uncreated agent, at least as principal. Likewise, because the action concerning the former potency, although it is not merely natural, as natural action is distinguished from free, nor is it natural as owed to nature, is nevertheless absolutely contained in the order of nature, as distinguished from the order of supernatural grace, and not miraculous, for in that action no effect or motion intervenes which cannot be made through natural virtues and potencies. Nor through that action is any form made which pertains to a superior grade or order of things. But the posterior potency is not reduced to act except through supernatural or miraculous action, either in mode or in substance. Finally the prior capacity is very limited, and to imperfect forms; but the posterior is most ample, so much so that it cannot be fully satisfied and filled, even by the absolute power of God, as is taken from St. Thomas, II-II, q. 24, a. 7, and q. 29 de Verit., a. 3. For whatever God operates in it, it always remains capable of receiving more, for this very thing pertains to the infinite power of God.

Wormatiense, 1 in confessionibus fidei, et alii Patres infra referendi. Cf. BHF, t. V, p. 314." "VII de Trinit." 2 "In VI Synod., act. 4." 3 ( ) "V. Synod., collat. 3; VI Synod., act. 11; Conc. Ephes., can. 4. Cf. 4 BHF, t. V, p. 381." ( ) ( )

Christianity AD 2054 is an international conference on the past,
present and future of Christianity. The conference is a part of a
thirty-year long project of the same name, which started in 2024 and
will run until 2054, with the aim of interdisciplinary and
interconfessional research of old and new challenges for
Christianity, in light of the millennial anniversary of the Great
Church Schism in 2054.

This year, as we commemorated the 1700th anniversary of the First
Council of Nicaea, the main theme of the conference was "Creed
and the Challenges of the Future." Our aim was to shed light on the
ecclesial and socio-political context of Nicaea, crucial motifs in the
emergence of the original Creed, the impact of Nicaea and the
Creed throughout the Church history, both in the East and the
West, as well as the challenges of various ideologies as alternative
"creeds" throughout the past, today, and in the world of tomorrow,
among other topics.

The topic of war has taken centre stage in the long and intricate life of Giuseppe Dossetti (1913-1996). First and foremost, war was an experience that he had lived first hand, that had affected his reflections and the priorities that inspired his life choices ; but the topic of war has also shaped his concept of the role of Christianity in contemporary society.

This essay explores how the Holy Spirit guides Christians in the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It highlights the Spirit’s role in providing discernment, ethical wisdom, and missional empowerment amid challenges posed by artificial intelligence, digitalization, and bioethics. The study concludes that while technology can aid ministry, true transformation and witness depend on Spirit-led living.

The family, as the “domestic Church,” holds a decisive role in nurturing priestly vocations within the Catholic Church. Rooted in Scripture, Church tradition, and magisterial teaching, this paper explores how Catholic families become the seedbed of priestly vocation by fostering faith, prayer, and sacrificial love in daily life. It examines the theological and pastoral foundations of vocation, highlighting the family’s influence in shaping the spiritual, human, intellectual, and pastoral formation of future priests. Scriptural examples such as Samuel, Samson, the Holy Family, and John the Baptist illustrate the familial dimension of God’s call, while Church documents from Ad Catholica Sacerdotii to Pastores Dabo Vobis reaffirm the centrality of the family as the first seminary. Practical ways for families to cultivate vocations—including prayer, sacramental life, friendship with priests, parish involvement, dialogue, and acts of charity—are presented alongside contemporary challenges such as materialism and parental concerns. Ultimately, this paper affirms that the vitality of priestly vocations depends on Catholic families who embrace their mission as witnesses of faith, hope, and love, thereby ensuring the future of the Church.

Transgender people experience incongruence between their gender identity and sex assigned at birth. In South Africa, the transgender population has remained an invisible population until the development of organisations such as Gender Dynamix, who are lobbying for the rights and the visibility of transgender and intersex people in Africa. This study aimed to explore the religio-cultural concepts used to negotiate and engage transgender individuals located within the landscape of African Independent churches in the Midlands area, KwaZulu Natal. Part of this study was to explore the experiences of transgender people in the development of their gender identity. How the transgender identity is embodied in the Zion churches and how transgender individuals respond to an embodiment of their identity in these churches. The study focused mainly on the three key central themes that form an important part in the development of the transgender identity, the key themes are Naming, body, and cultural identity. Feminist queer and transgender theorise were utilised in this study and the study used the phenomenological approach as it explored the lived experiences of transgender individuals.