Category Archives: Spirituality

PJFT

Posted on February 9, 2019 by Quentin

Prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance – the classical cardinal virtues. They read well but their old fashioned names allow us to leave them in the back of our minds. So it might be useful to look at some of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Quentin queries, Spirituality, virtue ethics | 34 Comments

How odd of God

Posted on November 7, 2018 by Quentin

Now here’s an interesting statistic. Currently the proportion of Christians in the world today is about a third, that is 2.4 billions. So what is going to happen to the other 5 billions, given that the New Testament assures us … Continue reading →

Posted in Moral judgment, Quentin queries, Spirituality | 37 Comments

Are you conscientious?

Posted on June 21, 2018 by Quentin

While the idea of conscience has always been important in the Church, it is certainly much more emphasised in recent times. I would date this from Vatican II when its importance was clearly described. But of course it has always … Continue reading →

Posted in Scripture, Spirituality, virtue ethics | Tagged | 7 Comments

Original Sin re-visited

Posted on February 8, 2018 by Quentin

A number of years ago I had my own website. It no longer exists because it cannot be hosted through my current internet provider. But I was looking through the old files this week when I came across the page … Continue reading →

Posted in evolution, Moral judgment, Quentin queries, Scripture, Spirituality | Tagged , , | 49 Comments

The paternal God

Posted on December 14, 2017 by Quentin

A day or two ago I found myself in discussion with a Catholic friend. Like me, he is elderly; unlike me he is a lifelong bachelor. Where my Catholic work is mainly through writing, his is through Catholic associations and … Continue reading →

Posted in Moral judgment, Quentin queries, Spirituality | 23 Comments

Do you disagree?

Posted on November 16, 2017 by Quentin

At what level does stealing constitute a mortal sin? The answer as I write is £155.02. I say this with confidence because the good Jesuits taught me, in 1944, that £5 constituted “grave matter”, and so potentially a mortal sin. … Continue reading →

Posted in Catholic Herald columns, evolution, Moral judgment, Spirituality | 36 Comments

Loving

Posted on June 29, 2017 by Quentin

Imagine a nurse who is caring for a sick person who is in pain, and ultimately in danger of death. She can take one of two attitudes. In the first, all her sympathies are with the patient. She is very … Continue reading →

Posted in Quentin queries, Spirituality | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Good judgment

Posted on October 20, 2016 by Quentin

One day we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. How would we like him to judge us? Our answer may be personal but I will describe what I hope for. I accept that the picture will be … Continue reading →

Posted in Moral judgment, Spirituality | Tagged | 169 Comments

Authority in action

Posted on October 7, 2016 by Quentin

Subsidiarity is a very dull word. Which is a pity, because it describes a very important idea. It is in fact the approach of authority or leadership most like the one which Christ taught us. In simple terms it means … Continue reading →

Posted in Catholic Herald columns, Church and Society, Moral judgment, Spirituality | Tagged , | 50 Comments

The paralysis of fear

Posted on August 11, 2016 by Quentin

“…the only thing we have to fear is fear itself” said Franklin D Roosevelt facing the economic crisis of 1933. He went on to describe it as “nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes…” Strong words for a strong occasion, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Catholic Herald columns, Neuroscience, Spirituality | Tagged , | 69 Comments