Clemency is the inclination to lessen punishment and it originates in love. Love as justice will sometimes require punishment; love

In 1790, the revolutionary government of France enacted a law denying Papal authority over the Church in France. The

If temperance is the virtue concerned with moderating our physical desires, then where does continence (which seems to be about

Twenty-Fourth Sunday of the Year. Fr Peter Clarke suggests that the possibility of discipleship sets us apart from other animals. 'If anyone

Virginity is not seen in a positive light by many in society. The first of the seemingly endless series of

When chastity is spoken of in these times most people simply associate it with the edict of ‘not having sex

At first sight the notion of sobriety as a virtue might seem rather dull, or even worse, puritanical, but St.

Twenty-Third Sunday of the Year. Fr Mark Edney encourages us to speak out. This week I am in Rome for a conference

John Paul II, a handy goalkeeper in his youth, often lauded the positive aspects of sport:The correct practice of

By fasting, St Thomas means to go without food for a period of time. According to this definition, we are

It used to be very much part of Catholic culture and consciousness to abstain from meat on Fridays. Indeed, this