Catholicism

Teenage Diaries Revisited: A Gay Teen's Family, 'Evolved'

editor — Mon, 06 May 2013 17:08:00 +0000

Name: Amanda Brand

Hometown: Queens, N.Y.

Current city: New York, N.Y.

Occupation: Massage therapist

Then:

"My mother's always yelling at me, 'How are you supposed to find a man?'... I tell her, I'm like, 'I'm not interested in men.' "

Amanda is gay. Her family is Catholic, and when she was a teenager, her parents were convinced she was only going through a phase. Back then, Amanda recorded a diary about coming out to her parents and to the world.

"The Vatican Diaries" With John Thavis

Rachel Solomon — Fri, 03 May 2013 03:00:00 +0000

What happens behind the scenes at the Vatican? Journalist John Thavis has covered the Vatican for almost 30 years, and he hopes to offer insight into its power and politics in his new book, “The Vatican Diaries.”

Thavis was in Rome when Pope Benedict XVI resigned and when Pope Francis was elected. He spoke at the Elliott Bay Book Company on April 7, 2013.

Annette Spaulding-Convy's "Bonsai Nun"

Elizabeth Austen — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:48:21 +0000

As a former Dominican nun in the Roman Catholic Church, Annette Spaulding-Convy is intimately aware of the complex messages the institution sends about women's bodies. Her poem "Bonsai Nun" finds an apt metaphor in the severe pruning required to make a tree fit the aesthetic and spiritual ideal.

Conclave For A New Pope Begins

Producer — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000

An historic conclave to select the new pope begins today. One hundred and fifteen cardinal-electors will vote one by one to select the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church. It's the first conclave in 600 years to take place while the previous pope is still living. What's the mood in Rome right now? Writer Tiffany Parks joins us live from St. Peter’s Square to explain the conclave process and which candidates have Rome buzzing.

How To Pick A Pope (With Latin Subtitles)

Linton Weeks — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 20:41:23 +0000

For lovers of the lapsed language Latin, the selection of a new pope is an ecstasyfest.

The Roman Catholic Church is so steeped in centuries-old traditions, Pope Benedict XVI announced his surprise retirement on Monday the old-fashioned way — in Latin.

"Fratres carissimi," the Pope's retirement announcement began.