Benedict Cumberbatch

This article about a legendary female pope, or popesse, appealed to me as a Catholic who has learned a lot about Church history in nine years of Catholic schooling. A pope had a lot of influence in the Middle Ages as the head of the highly powerful Church, and the idea of an accidental female pope interested me due to the low status of women at the time. I also enjoy reading stories about mysterious legends and myths. Noble wrote this article intending to explain where her story came from,…

How can a group like the Vatican keep such a large population of the church together and so strong for over 2000 years? The Vatican and the church rely on four key factors to keep itself together; those factors are the strong words, One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic. By incorporating these four words the church is able to stay so magnificent and in unison with itself. Each of these words has a separate and well-built definition that helps the church stay as great as it is. As the result of one,…

Why does it seem that some are more fortunate than others? Does God like them more? "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19 The passage of Philippians 4:19 teaches that my question is answered by God. The passage states that God will meet all of our needs in Christ 's eyes (Phil. 4:19). In humans eyes we may think that if someone has more money than us that we are not blessed this is not the case. In Gods eyes blessings…

Environmental issues have been the talk of the town by many public figures recently, but it does not always seem to “stick” in the minds of the viewers. Both Pope Francis and Naomi Klein discuss the topic in great detail, but take different approaches in convincing their readers. Klein seems to evokes a great deal of negativity in her book, to the point where it questions the reader’s own actions and almost makes them feel that they are partially to blame for the current state of Earth. Pope…

Bernie Sanders, the well-known senator from Vermont, writes, “Let us understand that when we stand together, we will always win. When men and women stand together for justice, we win. When black, white and Hispanic people stand together for justice, we win.” This quote truly shows the power of standing for justice. Like Sanders points out, we are “winning” by seeking justice, and by “winning” we are creating the Kingdom of God. But even more, when we stand together no matter the race, we are…

Over the years, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) has become more common as infertile couples seek solutions to fulfill their desire for biological children. The procedure involves extracting eggs and sperms, which are then fused together in a Petri dish in a laboratory. The fertilized egg or eggs are later implanted in the woman. In addition to the many social implications, the Catholic Church has raised numerous moral issues with the process and has remained steadfast in its opposition to the…

Research Paper: Second Vatican Council The Second Vatican Council began in 1962, and convened in 1965. In those brief three years, some of the Catholic Church’s long held traditions either changed or went away. For some it was the ushering in of the new era of a modern Catholicism. For others, it signaled the destruction of centuries of traditions, and the devaluation of some of the most sacred rituals. It is true that the heart of Catholic teachings were untouched, and that the beliefs that are…

In Elizabeth Browning’s pleading letter to Napoleon III, Elizabeth uses many rhetorical devices in order to convince the Emperor of France to pardon Hugo. She flatters His Majesty Napoleon III in an attempt to win his goodwill. Second, she uses syntax in order to create an intelligent letter. Finally, she thoroughly explains her purposes to Napoleon. Thus using flattery, syntax, and logos, Browning was able to effectively persuade Napoleon III to pardon Hugo,had of course he sent the letter.…

Pope John XXIII initiated the Second Vatican Council in January of 1959. This came to a suprise for many as they believed that Ecumenical Council was an outdated method for change. However, Pope John XXIII believed this would be an effective way to make doctrinal changes. This Council brought about many changes to the Mass that were significant. Four changes that were momentous were the language change, the readings change, singing during Mass, and fasting times. Before the Second Vatican…

Pope John XXIII was born to the name “Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli” circa the year 1882. After being ordained in 1904 and being drafted by the Italian military to be a chaplain, Angelo served the church in multiple other ways. Angelo became the bishop of Bulgaria, as well as the papal ambassador of Turkey and Greece. Working his way up, Angelo became pope in 1958 and took the name Pope John XXIII. People expected Pope John XXIII to do much, as he was 76 at the time, nor did they expect him to stay…