Catholicism

Reintroducing the Catholic Professionals Network of Zimbabwe

I was encouraged by the humble yet beautiful beginnings of CPNZ. In the age of social media, events sometimes buckle under the pressure to be aesthetic and glamorous. For this reason, people (including myself) are reluctant to start because they feel they don't have the resources to meet the high standards keyboard warriors demand. The CPNZ event didn't seem to concern itself with all that, resulting in a relaxed environment that allowed authentic conversation to flow. I felt my heart grow lighter as the conversation progressed because I finally had the physical representation of what I imagined an organised effort to equip Catholics for evangelisation and service in daily life would look like.

How I'm coping with a church in crisis

The greatest source of my frustration with the church is the rigidity of some and over-excitement of others in dealing with the moral issues of our time. Take for instance, the furor surrounding Fiducia Supplicans. One camp applauded the document without reservation, disregarding the very real concerns of scandal. The other camp forcefully brought down the hammer, almost ready to tear the church apart. One side shouted, “kindness, mercy, compassion”, the other chanted “justice, consequences, excommunication”. 

How to Fail at Lent

There are so many resources that help Catholics the world over to go through Lent “the right way”. Hallow had the #Pray40 challenge. Ascension Press has books, parishes have retreats and almsgiving opportunities. There seems to be nothing out there that details the very simple steps on how to do Lent the wrong way. And so, as someone who has failed at Lent yet again, I feel it is only fair to share this valuable information, in case someone else finds it useful. Follow the simple steps below for the most unfruitful spiritual experience of the year. Bonus points if you find creative ways to repeat said steps every year. 

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