Catholic Research Articles

Rome’s Religious Diversity: Cultural Memory, Mnemosyne, and Urban Heritage

Rome, historically regarded as a monumental center of Catholic Christendom, now stands as a multi-layered environment shaped by diverse religious communities whose overlapping architectures, rites, and narratives expand the city’s cultural memory. This article employs Warburg’s Mnemosyne methodology to investigate how symbolic motifs, architectural forms, and intangible practices—from Eastern Orthodox iconography to the Great Mosque of Rome’s transnational design—migrate, adapt, and reconfigure within Rome’s urban fabric. Drawing on interdisciplinary approaches from cultural memory studies, religious studies, and urban geography, it reveals how minority communities—Jewish, Muslim, Orthodox Christian, Protestant, Methodist, and Scientology—act as “memory agents”, negotiating visibility and introducing new heritage layers that challenge monolithic perceptions of Rome’s identity. The analysis underscores that intangible heritage, such as chanting, prayer, and interfaith festivals, is equally central to understanding how collective memory is produced and transmitted. Tensions arise when key stakeholders do not validate these emerging cultural forms or question their “authenticity”, reflecting the contested nature of heritage-making. Ultimately, Rome’s religious plurality, shaped by migration and historical transformations, emerges as a dynamic memoryscape. By recognizing the vital role of minority faiths in heritage-making, this study contributes to broader debates on cultural pluralism, super-diversity, and the evolving definitions of religious and cultural heritage in contemporary global cities.

Association between needs and anxiety/depression in family of intensive care patients.

When a loved one is hospitalised in the intensive care unit (ICU), the family members' attention is on the patient's condition. This can interfere with family members' own needs and affect psychological wellbeing. To investigate the needs and stressors of family members of patients in ICU and their associations with symptoms of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 340 family members of patients admitted to the ICU of a public hospital in São Paulo state, Brazil, between January 2020 and August 2022. Data on sociodemographic characteristics were collected. The Critical Care Family Needs Inventory (CCFNI) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were administered. Family members of patients in the ICU placed a very high level of importance on their needs (median=172). Although the family members were satisfied, not all their needs were met (median=116). In the multivariate analysis, the variables that influenced the CCFNI Importance/Satisfaction score were age (P<0.001), marital status (P<0.001), education level (P<0.001), Catholic religion (P<0.001), previous hospitalisation experience (P<0.001), and HADS depression (P=0.026/P=0.002). The variables that influenced the HADS score included female sex (P<0.001), age (P<0.001), direct relation to the patient (P<0.001), Catholic religion (P<0.001), living with the patient (P<0.001), and CCFNI Importance/Satisfaction (P<0.001). Family members of patients in the ICU have essential, but not completely satisfied, needs. HADS was positively associated with the importance of needs and inversely related to the satisfaction of needs. Age and the Catholic religion were the only common variables affecting the variations in needs constructs.

Perception of guidance counseling and engagement with the role of guidance counselor among senior high school students in selected private schools in the city of Binan, Laguna

Guidance counseling is crucial in supporting the academic, emotional, and social development of Senior High School (SHS) students, especially as they face career choices and personal challenges (Gysbers &amp; Henderson, 2020; ASCA, 2020). While its impact on academic and emotional outcomes is recognized, less is known about how students perceive and engage with guidance services—particularly in private school settings where cultural attitudes and access may vary (Lapan, 2020). This study aimed to examine students’ perceptions and levels of engagement with guidance counselors in selected private SHS in Biñan, Laguna. The study utilized a descriptive-correlational design and surveyed SHS students from selected private schools in Biñan, Laguna. Data was gathered through questionnaires focused on demographics, perceptions of guidance counseling, and engagement levels. The theoretical framework was anchored on Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), emphasizing how personal beliefs and contextual factors influence career-related behaviors. The study revealed that most respondents were female, Roman Catholic, and from middle-income families, with household heads primarily employed in the private sector or owning businesses. Students generally held a favorable perception of guidance counseling, with an average weighted mean of 3.44. However, their level of engagement with guidance counselors was low, reflected in a mean score of 1.95, indicating limited participation, especially in one-on-one counseling sessions. Statistical analysis showed that economic status significantly influenced students' perceptions of guidance counseling (p&lt;0.05), with middle-income students reporting more favorable views, while gender and religion had no significant impact. In terms of engagement, there were no notable differences across all demographic variables. Importantly, a significant positive correlation was found between students’ perceptions of and their engagement with guidance counselors (p&lt;0.05), suggesting that students with more positive perceptions were more likely to engage with counseling services. These findings informed the creation of a targeted action plan aimed at improving students' perceptions and increasing engagement with guidance services in private SHS settings in Biñan, Laguna. The study concludes that while students recognize the value of guidance counseling, they seldom engage deeply with it. Economic status influences how students perceive these services, with middle-income students generally showing more favorable attitudes. Lack of engagement may be due to misconceptions or limited accessibility. Addressing these gaps through targeted programs, inclusive policies, and improved counselor-student interaction is recommended. A contextualized action plan for private schools in Biñan, Laguna was proposed to enhance guidance services and student well-being.

Diplomacy and Divided Nations: The Holy See’s Approach to China and Taiwan

The diplomacy of the Holy See (the Vatican) is among the most puzzling subjects in post-Westphalian history. While the entity itself lacks the capacity to exercise its sovereign power through coercion, the durability and prevalence of the Roman Catholic Church have given the Holy See influence over great power politics and allowed it to shape the international relations through active diplomacy in humanitarianism, peacekeeping, conflict resolution, and global governance, particularly within the framework of the United Nations. With a vast number of followers, properties, and spiritual principles to defend without any standing army, the diplomacy of the Holy See has experienced a constant struggle between morality and realist politics, and it is important to better understand what has guided these difficult decisions. This study will tackle the question by surveying the issue of divided nations, which are often torn apart by difficult circumstances such as civil wars, ethnic conflicts, ideological divisions, and great power politics. Taiwan and China represent a particularly complicated challenge for the Holy See. A closer look at their history from 1947 until today can help decode the fundamental principles and methods of the Holy See’s diplomacy and provide valuable insights into the theories of international relations.

The Precedent for Vernacular and Multilingual Liturgies in the Catholic Church in Latin America

This paper examines the emergence of vernacular liturgies in Latin America, particularly through the incorporation of folk music in Nicaraguan Masses following the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II). In response to the Romanization of the Catholic liturgy in the nineteenth century, folk songs in local languages became a form of theological and cultural resistance, offering an alternative to the Latin-dominated liturgical tradition. Despite Vatican disapproval of certain Mass settings due to their non-traditional texts, these vernacular liturgies transcended their missionary origins, enriching both devotional practice and theological discourse. The study explores key Vatican II documents on liturgical participation, examines the role of liberation theology in framing vernacular and multilingual Masses as tools for social and religious transformation, as well as historical precedent as a lens for understanding the progression of change in the setting of the Mass, particularly in Latin America. Using the Misa Campesina, by Carlos Mejía Godoy, as a case study, the paper demonstrates how Nicaraguan folk Masses embody the intersections of ecclesial reform, cultural identity, and social justice within the broader context of Latin American liturgical innovation.

Mission and Migration: Epistemological Tension in Two Research Fields

In this article, I argue that the research fields of migration and mission navigate similar tensions between normative interests and descriptive categories. With its biblical legacy, mission is actualized in a variety of ways within the contemporary paradigm of mission everywhere and for every Christian. In the field of mission, a history of colonialization and de-colonialization has resulted in disciplinary struggles over the content and inclusiveness of mission as a scientific category. In the field of migration, political interests related to nation-state regimes often influence research, resulting in several migration scholars pushing back and placing their analytical object—the migrant—as a suffering subject in need of protection. However, tensions between the notions of prescriptive/descriptive and political/ethical produce interesting concepts, and one of them is reverse mission. Applying reverse mission to the case study of the Catholic Church in the Philippines and Denmark, I conclude that different forms of mission (missionary discipleship and domestic mission) are a powerful leit motif for global church work.

A Most ‘Valuable Class’: The Shetland Female Emigration Society and the Emigration of Single Women to South Australia and Tasmania in the early 1850s

This article examines the reasons behind the formation of the little-known Shetland Female Emigration Society and its reception in the Australian colonies. Much has been written about emigration from Scotland and, even more extensively, about female emigration from the United Kingdom in the second half of the nineteenth century. The question of female emigration from Scotland at the time has, by contrast, attracted little attention from scholars so far, even though the country represents a particularly interesting case-study, offering as it did candidates for emigration that differed widely from one region to another in linguistic, religious and ethnic terms. Yet, the SFES, which was launched in 1850 to help in the emigration of young and single women to South Australia and Tasmania, presents the particularity of having offered a Presbyterian, Scandinavian, English-speaking set of emigrants whose moral, domestic and religious qualities made them stand out from their Celtic (and Roman Catholic) Highland and Irish counterparts. Drawing on a wide range of primary sources, this paper looks at the conditions in which this philanthropic society was launched, at the intersection of Scottish, British and Australian needs. It also, and mostly, argues that the reception of such schemes must not only be analysed through the lens of gender, famine-relief and imperialist goals, but also through that of a cultural, religious and ethnic bias.

Religion in Scotland’s 2022 Census: the Rise of the ‘Nones’

This article examines a key feature of Scotland’s religious landscape as reported through the 2022 Census: the rise of the religiously unaffiliated, or ‘Nones’. Nones are marked out by strong age factors and clear – though diminishing – sex differentials. Considerable regional variation is also explained through the extent of secularisation amongst (formerly) Protestant communities and greater resistance to those forces amongst Roman Catholics. Overall, whilst the rise of Scotland’s Nones is striking it is by no means unique, and reflects wider patterns of secularisation in highly developed societies.

Biblical Authority and Moral Tensions in a Polish Catholic Migrant Community in Denmark

The Catholic Church in Denmark hosts several migrant communities, with the Polish-speaking group among the largest and most visible. Institutionally, Catholic priests from Poland serve as chaplains for migrant congregations, accompanying these mobilities and providing educational practices (e.g., family guidance, biblical teaching). This paper examines how perspectives on Catholic scriptural authority differ between the Church’s institutional representatives and its members, revealing tensions between biblical authority, social accommodation, and family values in a migratory setting. Based on 20 months of fieldwork in a Polish Catholic community in Copenhagen, this paper highlights the dynamic interplay of how Church members assess scriptural authority as evaluative engagement in their transnational lives in the Danish public sphere, illustrated through interconnected ethnographic excerpts. This article illustrates how scriptural engagement offers a productive lens to explore divergent notions of Polish Catholic diasporic life and the tensions between transnational religion, national belonging, and moral navigation.

Ndeshtrasha and Its Use of Biblical Code

This paper offers a detailed and rigorous analysis of Beqir Musliu's novel Ndeshtrasha, focusing on the novel's engagement with biblical themes and their interplay with literary and real life figures. It examines how key characters, such as Mejrem, who is a reflection of Mary, and Baton, who is portrayed as a Christ-like figure, shape the narrative. The study applies descriptive, analytical, and comparative methods to interpret the novel, particularly through the lens of Baton, tracking his journey from birth to the writing of his memories. Central motifs - loneliness, absence, inadequacy, sacrifice, and fear- are analyzed within the novel’s cultural and religious context. An essential aspect of this novel is the fusion of Islamic and catholic religion into one, symbolizing a core value of Albanian identity. This analysis is significantly important as Ndeshtrasha remained unpublished during Musliu's lifetime and received little attention after. Consequently, the paper has remained unstudied in depth and unknown by the readers, making this paper the very first scholarly study of this novel. By introducing Ndeshtrasha to a broader audience, the study aims to uncover its universal themes while also shedding light on the distinctive elements of Albanian literature.

Adaptive Pastoral Leadership in a Multicultural Church

The Catholic Church in the United States is no longer a Euro-American church receiving immigrants. Rather, it is an immigrant church, the cross-cultural Body of Christ. Serving such a diverse church is difficult and complex, providing both prophetic and pragmatic challenges for pastoral leaders seeking to build the parish as a dynamic, relational, multicultural community, living out the Gospel of Christ. The challenges of creating vibrant parishes in the light of growing diversity was the subject of a qualitative research study that interviewed more than 500 Catholic pastors, staff, and parishioners, from 40 parishes across the US. This study discovered that, while parishioners from different cultures want the same things—good liturgy, leadership, community, and faith formation—they want it in culturally distinct ways. This has created challenges not previously encountered by parish leaders. Effective leaders in these communities exhibited the skills of adaptive leadership, learning to put aside biases and assumptions, in a synodal style of ministry in which they listen deeply, and respond to, the needs of their faith community while using intercultural competencies. Together, pastoral leaders are becoming bridges, bringing together the faithful across cultures, enriching the life of the community.

Perfect Society or Voluntary Association?: Locke, Maritain, and the Autonomy of Church and State

This paper explores two different theories of Church-State relations proposed by John Locke and Jacques Maritain, focusing specifically on their account of religious autonomy within secular, pluralistic societies. Locke, writing shortly after Europe's great religious conflicts, envisions a society in which the state is charged solely with guarding "civil," or temporal, interests, with churches treated as mere voluntary associations devoid of coercive power. In this framework, one of the state's principal goals would be to secure each citizen's right to pursue their own conception of the good life, which would, in turn, grant the state authority to suppress religious viewpoints that might subvert this end. Maritain's theory, on the contrary, seeks to reconcile pluralistic democracy with the traditional teachings of the Catholic Church. He argues that the state, while retaining its secularity, should acknowledge the Church's sovereignty over spiritual and moral matters, pursuing cooperation with the Church to achieve the religious good of their citizens. As this paper argues, however, Maritain's position is untenable. His vision depends upon an impossible separation between the "temporal" and "spiritual" and overlooks their inevitable overlap. Locke, on the other hand, more accurately predicts the actual dynamics of Church-State relations in the Modern West. In examining this debate, we make progress toward answering two questions of fundamental importance to the issues of Church-State relations: what kind of status should spiritual entities enjoy in a democracy with no established religion? How should members of religious congregations, bound by specific moral dictates, participate in a political body composed of individuals of all faiths?

The Activities of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Under the Soviet Totalitarian Regime and the Second Vatican Council

The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was officially liquidated by the Soviet authorities at the L’viv Pseudo-Council of 1946. However, the clergy and faithful who remained loyal to their Church formed an underground church structure. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the underground Greek Catholics had special hopes for the revival of the UGCC. This was due to the easing of repression in the USSR after Stalin’s death and the preparation and convening of the Second Vatican Council. It was at this time that Pope John XXIII managed to secure the release of the head of the UGCC, Metropolitan Josyf Slipyj, who had spent 18 years in the Soviet labor camps and exile. At that time, many suspicions and accusations arose among the clergy and faithful of the underground UGCC due to insufficient information about the actions and decisions of the Council. In those years, a movement emerged that later grew into an apocalyptic sect (“Pokutnyky”). Ecumenical talks between the Vatican and the Russian Orthodox Church, the issue of patriarchal status for the UGCC, ritual disputes, and so on also caused a lot of discussion among the Greek Catholics in Ukraine. This paper is an attempt to provide a better understanding of the perception of the Vatican II decisions by underground Greek Catholics within their struggle for the existence and revival of their Church.

The role of the catholic church in enhancing secondary school education: an analysis of facilities, student enrollment and performances in gboko catholic diocese, Benue State, Nigeria

This study examines the role of the Catholic Church in enhancing secondary school education in Gboko Catholic Diocese, Benue State, Nigeria. The research focuses on three key areas: facilities availability, student enrolment trends and performances in External examinations. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, data were collected from Catholic secondary schools within the Diocese to assess their contributions to educational development. Findings reveal that enrolment trends from 2012 to 2023 reveals fluctuating patterns, with schools such as St. Thomas De Apostle, Uga, and St. Lucy, Awajir, experiencing a decline while others, such as Notre Dame Mkar and St. Peters Uchagh, show steady growth in enrolment. Findings also review excellent performance in external examination from the schools. Interviews with school principals confirm that inadequate facilities, and poor management of personnel and learners contribute to decline in enrolment trends. The study recommends targeted investment in infrastructure, improved funding, and strategic policy interventions to bridge the resource gap and enhance educational outcomes in Catholic secondary schools within the Diocese.

Manggaraian Marriage in Legal Dualism: Reconciling Customary Law and Church Doctrine

Every culture has a customary legal system designed to maintain social order, preserve traditions, and strengthen communal identity. In Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), customary values and traditions are passed down through generations, including in traditional marriage practices. However, these local marriage customs often conflict with the regulations of the Catholic Church, particularly the Code of Canon Law (KHK), which serves as a guiding framework for the majority of the Manggaraian people. This study aims to explore the reciprocal relationship between the Code of Canon Law and customary law in Manggaraian marriage practices and how both can contribute to fostering harmonious family life. A qualitative research approach was employed, utilizing data collection techniques such as literature review, document analysis, and field observations. The findings indicate that both customary law and the Code of Canon Law play significant roles in shaping a prosperous family institution. However, substantial differences between the two legal systems often create tensions in practice. This research seeks to offer a conceptual framework for harmonizing religious and cultural perspectives through open dialogue between Church authorities and customary leaders

LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT GENDER AMONG MOTHERS, TEENAGERS, FATHERS IN THE VILLAGE AREA OF SUMBER DUKUN MAGELANG

Background; Gender equality in Indonesia still needs to be fought for, because society still considers gender to be just body shape and sex. However, if we examine gender more deeply, gender is not just a difference. but according to religion it also varies, according to the Catholic religion, gender is the nature of God, so it needs to be taken care of. Gender itself is a social concept that describes the differences in roles, behavior, and identity between men and women. And it is different from gender which is determined by biological factors. In Indonesia, gender equality is still not evenly distributed, so it still needs improvement, and there are still challenges that must be faced by both the government and society.Method; The type of research is qualitative research, the population is teenagers, fathers, mothers who do not understand gender, purposive sampling technique, the number of samples is 8 respondents as informants.Result; the age characteristics are mostly between 31-45 years old at 50%. Occupations are the same between housewives, teachers, students and farmers at 25%. The majority of education has secondary education at 75%. understanding gender is the difference between men and women including, tasks, roles and responsibilities. gender equality needs to differentiate its tasks, because being able to live together does not need to be exaggerated, and gender is only from social construction, and from the creation and nature of God. the application of gender in tasks at home, at school, in society in tasks for gender equality, namely there are still differences, women are considered friends behind, not all decisions are taken by men, but there are also families who respect, in offices, educational institutions, campuses gender issues have begun to fade, there has been recognition of women.Conclusion; Gender is still an issue that must be fought because every place, every person is always different.

Perancangan Bangku Doa Jemaat Pada Gereja Katolik Santo Yohanes Evangelista Kudus Dengan Pendekatan Ergonomi

The church is a place of worship for Christians. It is expected that a church provides a space that offers both physical and spiritual tranquility. In order to promote physical and spiritual peace, church facilities should strive to offer comfort to their users wherever possible. For instance, this can be achieved through the provision of comfortable congregational prayer bench facilities. However, some of the existing prayer bench facilities for the congregation do not deliver the expected comfort. This discomfort arises from the historical design of church pews, which dates back to the church's founding and did not prioritize comfort considerations during its design. The same issue is prevalent at St. John Evangelista Kudus Catholic Church, where the pew quality for the congregation remains the same as the initial design from when the church was established. Consequently, there have been several complaints from users about the discomfort. The research methodology employed in this study involved using an ergonomic approach to redesign the congregational prayer benches at Santo Yohanes Evangelista Kudus Catholic Church. Anthropometric data from Javanese and Chinese ethnic groups, encompassing both men and women, were collected to inform the design of these prayer benches The research findings yielded a redesigned prayer bench for the congregation of St. John Evangelista Kudus Catholic Church, featuring the following dimensions: prayer bench length = 334.96 cm; prayer bench width = 43.80 cm; prayer bench height = 39.2 cm; height of shoulder rest = 47.53 cm, and height of prayer hands = 60.17 cm.

Implikasi SEMA No. 2 Tahun 2023 terhadap Disparitas Cultus dalam Perspektif Undang-Undang Perkawinan dan Hukum Gereja Katolik

This paper focuses on an elaboration of the implications of SEMA No. 2 of 2023 for interfaith marriages/ Disparitas Cultus in Indonesia. The implications are raised from a discussion with the Republic of Indonesia Law on Marriage and the perspective of Catholic Church Law as seen in the Code of Canon Law. The methodology used is descriptive qualitative and critical reading of the text, namely: The Code of Canon Law that regulates Disparitas Cultus (especially Canon 1086, Canon 1125, Canon 1126, and other related canons) and Law Number 1 of 1974 article 2 paragraph (1) juncto article 66; and other related laws. The author finds that SEMA No. 2 Year 2023 raises quite complex issues. The complexity lies in the consequences. First, the state more explicitly does not recognize Disparitas Cultus marriages. Second, the state is not present to accommodate the interests of people who enter into Cult Disparity marriages. Third, there is a question of justice for those who continue to enter into these marriages. Fourth, the strong and fair foundation or motive of a legal decision is not raised.

Meningkatkan Kemandirian Berliterasi dengan Metode PBL Materi Menghormati Orangtua Kelas 4 Fase B SD Negeri 8 Pardomuan – Samosir

The majority of students in Grade 4 Phase B SD Negeri 8 Pardomuan face difficulties in understanding the value of respecting parents due to low literacy independence. As a result, students tend to be passive in comprehending and connecting texs. In addition, the teacher has not yet determined a student-centered method in the learning process.This study aims to improve literacy independence amon Grade 4 Phase B students at SD Negeri 8 Pardomuan in the subjectof catholic Religion and Character Education, particularly in the topic Respecting Parent. To address this issue, an engaging learning method is required to enhance literacy independence. The chosen method is Problem Based Learning (PBL), wich has proven affective and serves as a motivational trigger for students. It emphasizes student activity and ancourrages literacy independence by focusing on the “independent dimension of the Pancasila Student Profil. The goal is to strengthen affective aspects during the learning process. This classroom action Research was conducted in two cyles and consisted of four stages: planning, implementation, evaluation, and reflection. The study involved 8 students. The result showed significant improvements in student learning outcomes on the topic Respecting Parents, particulary in the Independent dimension. The average score in cycle I was 64.4%, wich increased to 91.1% in cycle II again of 26.7%.cognitive test result also improved, with the average score rising from 78 in cycle I to 88 in cycle II an increase of 12.82%.Reflections indicated that strengthening the affective aspect helps students improve their literacy independence. The findings affirm that the PBL method can effectively enhance students literacy independence and help them meet learning objectives.

Psychological Consequences in Victims of Ecclesiastical Sexual Abuse by Catholic Church Representatives: A Qualitative Study in Chile

Psychological Consequences in Victims of Ecclesiastical Sexual Abuse by Catholic Church Representatives: A Qualitative Study in Chile