Monthly Archives: October 2015

Listen to your priest

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Quentin

It is of course right that we should be a ‘listening Church’. We think of ourselves as a communion or a community – and that means communication. How, we married people may ask, can the hierarchy command and advise when … Continue reading →

Posted in Church and Society, Quentin queries | Tagged | 37 Comments

But is it art?

Posted on October 22, 2015 by Quentin

“And the first rude sketch that the world had seen brought joy to his mighty heart, Till the Devil whispered behind the leaves, ‘It’s pretty, but is it Art?’” Kipling’s reflection on Adam’s first drawing goes to the heart of … Continue reading →

Posted in Catholic Herald columns, Philosophy, Quentin queries | 26 Comments

Tie a yellow ribbon…

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Quentin

Perhaps some of you watched Oak Tree: Nature’s Greatest Survivor in the last fortnight. It was a fascinating story of a year in the life of a four hundred year old tree, using the most modern methods of analysis. I … Continue reading →

Posted in evolution, Quentin queries, Spirituality | 47 Comments

A quandary

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Quentin

In the Working Paper for the Synod there is a paragraph which seems to have put the cat amongst the pigeons. It reads: 137. In relation to the rich content of Humanae Vitae and the issues it treats, two principal … Continue reading →

Posted in Bio-ethics, Moral judgment, Quentin queries | Tagged , | 69 Comments

The upheaval of change

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Quentin

Douglas McGregor, writing in the late 1950s, described two common and contrasting assumptions which managers make. One of these, which he called Theory X, held that people are inherently lazy and unmotivated. The proper management approach is therefore one of … Continue reading →

Posted in Catholic Herald columns, Church and Society, Quentin queries | Tagged , , | 80 Comments