Culture
Vatican astronomers’ book uses humor to explore faith, science
As members of the research staff at the Vatican Observatory, Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno and Jesuit Father Paul Mueller are asked a lot of questions related to science and faith.
‘Run All Night’ and watch for a tale of conversion
The crime drama starring Liam Neeson can be viewed as a Catholic-inflected redemption story, if you can step over the high body count and sordid urban landscape.
Fresh and faithful take on ‘Cinderella’ fits like a glass slipper
The venerable fairy tale exudes vibrant new life as it opts for exuberance and sincerity over a revisionist approach. Watch for Cinderella's shimmering blue dress, which steals the show.
Comic-book reissue of St. John XXIII’s life improves on the original
Forget the Avengers. The coolest Marvel-related character this year is Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, better known to the world as St. John XXIII.
Relics can be key to understanding life in Jesus’ time, Jesuit says
Is the Shroud of Turin real, as many Catholics believe? Or is it a product of the 14th century, as suggested by tests conducted of strips taken from the shroud?
Evolution of death: How church teachings shifted on capital punishment
An author argues that St. Pope John Paul II set the foundations for declaring capital punishment always morally and ethically wrong -- and in doing so, broke with 2,100 years of church tradition.
Movie review: The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Based on its ingratiating surface, the comedy sequel "The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" (Fox Searchlight) might be categorized as the sort of film that, while safest for adults, could also be appropriate, at a stretch, for well-grounded teens.
‘Focus’ eyes up the underside of depravity, in a slick package
More than most heist movies, the flimsy crime drama starring Will Smith glamorizes wrongdoing. And there is plenty of that to go around, from lax sexual morals to a carpet-bombing of expletives.
Book looks candidly at Europe’s religious wars
Contrary to the belief that religion causes war, the author argues convincingly that the idea of Christendom became universal after Europe's wars of the mid-16th and 17th centuries.
Movie review: The Lazarus Effect
There's not much new explained about the hazards of tampering with nature in the second-rate horror exercise "The Lazarus Effect" (Relativity).