Channeling Erasmus in Communist Poland: Leszek Kolakowski, Vatican II, and the Reinvention of "Counter-Reformation".

Polish intellectual historian Leszek Kolakowski proposed in the 1960s an innovative, now virtually forgotten, reimagining of a crucial concept in the history of Roman Catholicism: the idea of "Counter-Reformation." Kolakowski's lifelong affinity for early modern Europe's Catholic dissidents led him into dialogue in the era of Vatican II with Tadeusz Mazowiecki, the leader of a movement of young Polish reformers who styled themselves "Catholic socialists." Seeing them as the bedrock of a new Catholic Counter-Reformation, Kolakowski sketched the role he hoped Poland might play in reinventing not only Catholicism, but religious life in the modern world.

["God for us!": Catholic festivals and rites in times of epidemics, Salvador-BA, Brasil, 1918-1919]. / "Valha-nos a Providência!": festas e ritos católicos em tempos epidêmicos, Salvador-BA, Brasil, 1918-1919.

This article analyzes the reactions of Catholics linked to lay associations in the city of Salvador, in the period of the Spanish flu (1918) and smallpox (1919). Newspapers were the main sources used to identify the festivals and rites, both those practiced to ask for the intercession of the saints, and those that were suspended due to the need for social isolation. In spite of both diseases being transmissible and the short interval between the two epidemics, the analysis of the sources showed different reactions from the faithful regarding the measures of protection and the search for a cure.

O artigo analisa as reações dos católicos vinculados às associações leigas na cidade do Salvador, no período da gripe espanhola (1918) e da varíola (1919). Os jornais foram as principais fontes utilizadas para a identificação das festas e dos ritos, tanto dos praticados para pedir a intercessão dos santos quanto daqueles que foram suspensos em função da necessidade de isolamento social. Apesar de ambas as doenças serem transmissíveis e do curto espaço de tempo entre as duas epidemias, a análise das fontes evidenciou diferentes reações dos fiéis quanto às medidas de proteção e busca da cura.

A war against the natural order: Joseph Nicolosi, Reparative Therapy, and the Christian Right.

This article situates Joseph Nicolosi's first book, Reparative Therapy of Male Homosexuality, in historical context. Nicolosi, a Catholic clinical psychologist, was one of the most vocal practitioners of sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE) from the early 1990s until his death in 2017, and in these decades, the Christian Right became a key supporter of SOCE. In this article, I argue that two features of Nicolosi's book appealed to the Christian Right. First, Nicolosi relied on psychoanalytic thought to pathologize not only same-sex sexual desires but also poor parenting. The use of psychoanalytic thought was of particular interest to conservative Christians who believed that American fathers had forfeited their role as strong patriarchs. Second, Nicolosi's approach to therapy, which included changing one's dress and mannerisms and assertiveness training, stressed that same-sex desires could be eliminated through behavioral reconditioning. Nicolosi's psychological eclecticism, a common feature for mental health practitioners at the end of the twentieth century, has not been emphasized in prior scholarship on reparative therapy. Importantly, the psychological eclecticism practiced by Nicolosi became common within the Christian Right after the publication of Reparative Therapy of Male Homosexuality. By offering a close reading of Reparative Therapy of Male Homosexuality, this article demonstrates the interrelationship between one of the core texts of the ex-gay movement and the psychological and religious thought of the Christian Right at the turn of the twenty-first century. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Church leader's Interpretation of COVID-19 in Nigeria: Science, Conspiracies, and Spiritualization.

The need for governments across the globe to collaborate with religious leaders in the fight against COVID-19 has been emphasized by international organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO). However, there has not been much discernible scholarly effort to know what religious leaders think of COVID-19. The present study, therefore, explored the interpretations church leaders have about COVID-19 in Nigeria. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eighteen leaders from Catholic, Anglican and Pentecostal churches in Nigeria. Using a thematic analytical approach, the study found that only few church leaders interpreted COVID-19 as a medical problem in line with science (33%). The rest interpreted the virus as a tool of conspiracies/political manoeuvrings (27%) and as a spiritual event (39%). The study discussed the implications of the findings for policy and research as well as how to address some of the harmful interpretations.

A Plausible Historical and Forensic Account of the Death of Thomas Aquinas.

Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) was an influential medieval Christian theologian and arguably one of the greatest scholastic philosophers. He produced more than 60 works in his 48 years, including his magnum opus, the Summa Theologica. The Catholic Church regards him as a canonized saint and one of 37 Doctors of the Church. On his way to an ecumenical council in 1274, he was "struck with sudden illness" requiring rest at a monastery where he was cared for until death several weeks later. An obscure Latin text describes an incident where he hit his head violently on an overhanging branch. Becoming progressively ill, he arrived at a Cistercian abbey where he died on March 7. Through an analysis of his final illness as documented in key Latin and Italian historical texts, and careful observation of the reputed skull relic in Priverno, Italy, the authors postulate that Aquinas may have suffered a traumatic brain injury and that his death at age 48 was occasioned by a chronic subdural hematoma. Examination of the skull was inconclusive; however, the historical textual analysis supports this theory. A more in-depth forensic analysis of the skull may help confirm the diagnosis.

Racial and ethnic disparities in short interval pregnancy following delivery in Catholic vs non-Catholic hospitals among California Medicaid enrollees.

OBJECTIVES: We examined the impact of Catholic hospital delivery on short interval pregnancy in the California 2010-2014 Medicaid population. STUDY DESIGN: We used Cox regression to estimate the association between hospital affiliation and short interval pregnancy, adjusting for patient factors. RESULTS: Catholic hospital delivery had increased the risk of pregnancy within 6 months for Black (hazard ratio [HR] 1.11, 95% CI 1.06, 1.17) and Hispanic (HR 1.07, 95% CI 1.05, 1.09) but not for White women (HR 1.02, 95% CI 0.98, 1.05). CONCLUSIONS: Among California women with Medicaid, Catholic hospital delivery was associated with short interval pregnancy only among women of color.

Investigating temporal bone variation of colonial populations from St-Lawrence Valley, Quebec: A 3D geometric morphometric approach.

OBJECTIVES: In Quebec, genetic and genealogical research are used to document migratory events and family structures since colonial times, because bioarchaeological analysis is limited by poor skeletal preservation. This article aims to fill this gap by exploring past population structure in the St-Lawrence Valley from the French (1683-1760) and British (1760-1867) regimes using morphological variation of well-preserved temporal bones. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 3D geometric morphometrics shape data from seven populations (five Catholics of French descent and two Protestants of British descent; n = 214) were collected from temporal bones. Using Procrustes distances and both MANOVA and Discriminant Function Analysis, morphological differences were measured to calculate affinities patterns among populations. Shape variations were explored with between-group analysis, Mahalanobis distances and quantified by means of Fst estimates using Relethford-Blangero analysis. RESULTS: Despite strong affinities between all Catholic cemeteries, all show divergent morphological regional diversity -especially Montreal and the fortified villages dedicated to its defense. Montreal exhibits low increase in morphological variance over three centuries. As our results show no morphological differences between the Catholic and the Protestant cemeteries in Montreal, this fact may highlight the potential presence of Irish or admixed individuals in Montreal cemeteries after the British takeover. DISCUSSION: Patterns of morphological diversity highlighted that French colonists did not equally contribute to the descendant populations as reflected by significant interregional variation. Although historical records show that French and English-speaking populations did not tend to admix, morphological affinities between Protestants and Catholics in the beginning of the industrial era in Montreal could reflect the genetic contribution of Catholic Irish migrants. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: All Catholic cemeteries display distinct morphologies, highlighting differential contributions from French colonists and founder effects, which have increased regional differences. Montreal Catholic (French descent) and Protestant (English colonists) cemeteries show significant morphological affinities at the beginning of the industrial era. The Irish migration following the British conquest may explain morphological similarities observed between Catholic and Protestant cemeteries.

OBJECTIFS: Au Québec, les phases de peuplement suivant l'arrivée des premiers colons européens ont presque été exclusivement documentées par des recherches génétiques et généalogiques. Les analyses bioarchéologiques sont limitées par l'important état de fragmentation des collections. L'étude de la variation morphologique de l'os temporal, particulièrement bien conservé, permettrait d'explorer l'histoire des populations de la vallée du Saint-Laurent, du régime français (1683-1760) au régime britannique (1760-1878). MATÉRIELS ET MÉTHODES: Un total de 214 os temporaux issus de sept cimetières catholiques (ascendance française) et protestants (ascendance britannique) a été modélisé en 3D et analysé par morphométrie géométrique. Des analyses de/par distance Procruste couplées avec une analyse discriminante et une MANOVA ont été utilisées pour évaluer les différences et affinités morphologiques entre les cimetières. Les fluctuations morphologiques ont été étudiées à l'aide d'une analyse de distances de Mahalanobis et quantifiées au moyen d'estimations Fst en utilisant l'analyse de Relethford-Blangero. RÉSULTATS: Malgré une forte affinité entre tous les cimetières catholiques, ces derniers présentent également une diversité morphologique régionale divergente - en particulier Montréal et ses villages satellites fortifiés. Montréal présente une faible augmentation de la variance morphologique sur trois siècles. Nos résultats ne montrent pas de différences morphologiques entre les populations francophones et anglophones, ce qui pourrait refléter la présence d'Irlandais après la conquête britannique. DISCUSSION: Les modèles de diversité morphologique interrégionale démontrent que les colons français n'ont pas contribué de manière égale aux populations descendantes comme le démontre les différences morphologiques observés. Les affinités entre protestants et catholiques au début de l'ère industrielle à Montréal pourraient refléter les importantes vagues de migrations irlandaises et le potentiel métissage malgré des différences socio-culturelle importantes.

Religious affiliation and debt among U.S. households.

Religion has been shown to have both a direct and indirect role in shaping personal values, especially pertaining to money and wealth accumulation. Existing research establishes a strong relationship between religious affiliation and wealth attainment. However, previous scholarship has largely ignored the link between religious affiliation and debt, an important yet overlooked indicator of total net worth. To address this gap, we utilize data from the 2017 wave of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) and examine how religious affiliation is associated with two forms of household debt: credit card and mortgage debt. Findings from a series of logistic regression models indicate that Black Protestants have the lowest rates of both credit card and mortgage debt and Hispanic/Latinx Catholics have comparably low rates of credit card debt relative to Conservative Protestants. KHB decomposition analyses reveal that race/ethnicity explain some of the relationship between a Black Protestant or Hispanic/Latinx Catholic religious affiliation and household debt. While our study is the first to document the link between religious affiliation and debt profiles of Americans, we would encourage future research to explore how other elements of religiosity-long acknowledged by sociologists to affect wealth and social status-influence different types of debt accumulation in nuanced and meaningful ways.

The Message of the Beatitudes in End-of-Life Care for Catholics.

An enthusiastic approach to understand Catholic theology and the relativity it has in modern-day healthcare will immediately recognize a connection between the Beatitudes (Matthew 5.) as preached by Jesus Christ and their applications through the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. The latter represents Church doctrine on human dignity and the common good in society. The Beatitudes are a core message of faith and the map to help us return to the presence of our creator, securing our alignment with His purpose for our life. The Beatitudes inspired the saints, who put them into action through the graces they convey. Additionally, the Beatitudes' guidance prepares the faithful followers of Christ to enter eternal joy, "where there is no more pain nor sorrow but eternal life" (Revelation 21:4.). Claiming a multicultural and multinational history of two millennia allows Catholics to connect with time and space that is not only transcendent but well understood intergenerationally in our human experience. With this concept in mind, clinical providers are encouraged to connect with the theological and spiritual Catholic themes in this chapter. Additionally, a correlation to the human experience of universal emotions will be of great benefit in this integrated approach.

Sexual grooming processes carried out by offending rabbis toward religious men and their families.

BACKGROUND: Research regarding sexual grooming in cases of sexual abuse by religious authorities (SARA) is limited, despite the assumption that many SARA cases go unreported. To the best of our knowledge there is no research regarding sexual grooming committed by rabbis who sexually abused Israeli Jewish religious men. OBJECTIVE: The present study examined how Israeli religious SARA victims and their family members experienced sexual grooming carried out by offending rabbis. METHODS: Based on a constructivist-phenomenological paradigm, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 16 formerly and/or currently still religious men who had been sexually abused by rabbis in their adolescence, and 14 of their family members. RESULTS: In comparison to the Sexual Grooming Model (SGM), findings showcased that unlike other kinds of sex offenders, offending rabbis incorporated religious elements throughout the grooming process. Additionally, offending rabbis used different grooming tactics than did Catholic priests (e.g., offering joint religious studies with victims' family members; using religion to justify sexual discourse and contact). CONCLUSIONS: The findings expand the SGM, enable a more complex understanding of the grooming processes in SARA, and emphasize the importance of further research focused on increasing the ability to use the SGM for detecting and preventing grooming behaviors.

[The Catholic world and urology in the 20th/21st century]. / Die katholische Welt und die Urologie im 20./21. Jahrhundert.

The Catholic world is shaped by papal directives and their interpretation over time by appointed theologians. There are strict prohibitions on key questions about life and death, but in the context of the practical application of medical treatment techniques, the Vatican often remains vague. This may allow Catholic urologists to use a range of therapies that at first glance appear problematic. Furthermore, if physicians use a different form of expression than that stated in the doctrine of the faith, there is more space for medical practice.

When Does Catholic Social Teaching Imply a Duty to be Vaccinated for the Common Good?

In 2017, Carson and Flood outlined a general duty to be vaccinated, arguing from Catholic social teaching on justice, love, solidarity and the common good. This necessarily relied on assumptions about the typical nature of vaccination, assumptions which do not always hold true in concrete situations. I identify twelve criteria that, where they hold, strengthen the particular duty to be vaccinated, and, if not met, weaken or reverse it. These pertain to the biological agent which vaccination aims to protect against, the vaccine and its supply, the costs and benefits of vaccination to the individual and society, and the alternative courses of action. The two-way relationship between the moral duty to be vaccinated and vaccine mandates is discussed. Individuals and policy-makers need to know these criteria - and be provided the necessary information to evaluate vaccination against them - in order to make a truly rational judgement.

Real-world treatment outcomes of carfilzomib plus dexamethasone in patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma, focusing on the impact of trial-fitness: CAtholic REsearch network for Multiple Myeloma study (CAREMM-2203).

INTRODUCTION: Carfilzomib plus dexamethasone (Kd) is widely used in patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). However, the treatment outcomes of Kd, especially in trial-unfit patients, have not been extensively studied in the real-world setting. METHODS: We analyzed the outcomes of 152 RRMM patients who received Kd at our hospitals from April 2018 to March 2022. RESULTS: At the commencement of Kd, patients received a median of two (range 1-7) lines of prior anti-myeloma therapy. According to the ENDEAVOR study criteria, 93 (61.2%) and 59 (38.8%) patients were classified as the trial-fit and the trial-unfit group, respectively. The overall response (OR) rate for the entire cohort was 71.1% (95% CI 63.2-78.1%). Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 5.6 months (95% CI 3.9-6.9 months) and 24.0 months (95% CI 13.4-38.0 months), respectively. There was no significant difference in the OR rate between the trial-fit and the trial-unfit groups (76.3% vs. 62.7%; P = 0.105). However, the median PFS (3.6 months vs. 7.3 months; P < 0.001) and OS (15.0 vs. 36.8 months; P = 0.009) were significantly shorter in the trial-unfit group. On multivariate analysis, trial-fitness (unfit vs. fit) remained a significant covariate influencing the TRM (HR: 4.84, 95% CI 1.66-14.06; P = 0.004) and PFS (HR: 1.82, 95% CI 1.27-2.62; P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the treatment outcomes of Kd are acceptable in the real-world setting with significant differences between the trial-fit and the trial-unfit groups, although they are relatively inferior to those of a pivotal trial.

The Prohibition of Suicide and Its Theological Rationale in Catholic Moral and Canonical Tradition: Origins and Development.

This paper analyzes the nuances of the Roman Catholic Church's opposition to suicide. First, we analyze biblical suicide cases, showing that these were not usually met with clear condemnation. Next, we show the development of the Roman Catholic Church's moral teachings, with special attention to Augustine. The canon law of the Middle Ages still made some distinctions regarding motivation, but at this point, Roman Catholic funerals started to be refused to those having committed suicide as discouragement to others. This was maintained by the Council of Trent. In the twentieth century, the Roman Catholic Church followed modern psychiatry in attributing suicide to mental illness, and the ban on Roman Catholic funerals was lifted. Currently, the Roman Catholic Church tries to discourage suicide while accompanying people in need.