Flashes of Insight
@flashesinsight.bsky.social
Short-form, theologically grounded analysis and commentary. Pastoral theology.
The politics of the US church are rather raw and for everyone to see. A really good read.
#popeleo #ny
#popeleo #ny
OPINION: Dec. 15 began a most unusual week for the U.S. Catholic Church.
Why the news leak about New York's change in archbishops should trouble Catholics
(RNS) — We must end the sense among Catholics that one ‘side’ is winning or losing.
religionnews.com
December 24, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Choirs are not performers. They are prayer guides. Pope Leo reminds liturgical musicians that their work begins in silence, not rehearsal. Music is meant to draw people into prayer, not simply impress them.
flashesinsight.com/2025/12/02/l...
#liturgy #popeleo #pope #leo
flashesinsight.com/2025/12/02/l...
#liturgy #popeleo #pope #leo
December 5, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Choirs are not performers. They are prayer guides. Pope Leo reminds liturgical musicians that their work begins in silence, not rehearsal. Music is meant to draw people into prayer, not simply impress them.
flashesinsight.com/2025/12/02/l...
#liturgy #popeleo #pope #leo
flashesinsight.com/2025/12/02/l...
#liturgy #popeleo #pope #leo
Shared decision making. Equality for all genders. Optional celibacy. Positive sexual morality. Welcome for all.
Once were troublemakers, now are surface in every serious reform conversation worldwide.
flashesinsight.com/2025/12/02/c...
#celibacy #welcomeall
Once were troublemakers, now are surface in every serious reform conversation worldwide.
flashesinsight.com/2025/12/02/c...
#celibacy #welcomeall
December 5, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Shared decision making. Equality for all genders. Optional celibacy. Positive sexual morality. Welcome for all.
Once were troublemakers, now are surface in every serious reform conversation worldwide.
flashesinsight.com/2025/12/02/c...
#celibacy #welcomeall
Once were troublemakers, now are surface in every serious reform conversation worldwide.
flashesinsight.com/2025/12/02/c...
#celibacy #welcomeall
Seeing Jesus as a refugee reorients Christmas. His birth and life challenge us to resist dehumanisation, reject fear of the outsider, and embrace a theology of movement, mercy, reconciliation, and shared humanity.
flashesinsight.com/2025/12/02/m...
flashesinsight.com/2025/12/02/m...
December 5, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Seeing Jesus as a refugee reorients Christmas. His birth and life challenge us to resist dehumanisation, reject fear of the outsider, and embrace a theology of movement, mercy, reconciliation, and shared humanity.
flashesinsight.com/2025/12/02/m...
flashesinsight.com/2025/12/02/m...
A new kind of catholicism is emerging: global in scope, yet respectful of the local. It honours complexity, listens deeply, and resists easy answers. The challenge ahead is to hold unity and diversity in tension with grace and humility.
flashesinsight.com/2025/12/02/n...
flashesinsight.com/2025/12/02/n...
December 5, 2025 at 11:22 PM
A new kind of catholicism is emerging: global in scope, yet respectful of the local. It honours complexity, listens deeply, and resists easy answers. The challenge ahead is to hold unity and diversity in tension with grace and humility.
flashesinsight.com/2025/12/02/n...
flashesinsight.com/2025/12/02/n...
The Communion of Saints is not a tidy diagram of heavenly categories, but a living, breathing mystery. The boundaries are porous. Those struggling in war zones or poverty share something real with the canonised. All are caught up in one story of grace.
flashesinsight.com/2025/12/02/f...
flashesinsight.com/2025/12/02/f...
December 5, 2025 at 11:19 PM
The Communion of Saints is not a tidy diagram of heavenly categories, but a living, breathing mystery. The boundaries are porous. Those struggling in war zones or poverty share something real with the canonised. All are caught up in one story of grace.
flashesinsight.com/2025/12/02/f...
flashesinsight.com/2025/12/02/f...
Scripture promises swift justice. Reality delivers suffering. What happens in the gap between divine promise and human experience? And what's our role while we wait for God to act?
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/25/2...
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/25/2...
November 26, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Scripture promises swift justice. Reality delivers suffering. What happens in the gap between divine promise and human experience? And what's our role while we wait for God to act?
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/25/2...
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/25/2...
The Synod's liturgy team was supposed to model inclusion. Instead: minimal Global South voices, clergy-heavy, few women. When the messenger contradicts the message, can reform survive?
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/25/g...
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/25/g...
November 26, 2025 at 9:33 AM
The Synod's liturgy team was supposed to model inclusion. Instead: minimal Global South voices, clergy-heavy, few women. When the messenger contradicts the message, can reform survive?
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/25/g...
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/25/g...
The neighborhood parish is dying. But faith isn't. Lay-led communities and digital ministries show a new way forward—even when buildings close. Are we ready for what comes next?
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/25/r...
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/25/r...
November 26, 2025 at 9:33 AM
The neighborhood parish is dying. But faith isn't. Lay-led communities and digital ministries show a new way forward—even when buildings close. Are we ready for what comes next?
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/25/r...
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/25/r...
Ordination once meant service. Now it's treated as mystical transformation. How "Vicar of Peter" became "Vicar of Christ" reveals everything about power in the Church today.
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/25/c...
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/25/c...
November 26, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Ordination once meant service. Now it's treated as mystical transformation. How "Vicar of Peter" became "Vicar of Christ" reveals everything about power in the Church today.
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/25/c...
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/25/c...
Why do major Church reforms move so slowly? This analysis draws surprising parallels between synodality and society's energy transition. Persistence matters more than we think.
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/25/p...
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/25/p...
November 26, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Why do major Church reforms move so slowly? This analysis draws surprising parallels between synodality and society's energy transition. Persistence matters more than we think.
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/25/p...
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/25/p...
Vatican’s Synodal support strong, but global uptake uneven
Pope Francis envisioned a Church of communion, participation and mission. Yet, there is resistance even among high-ranking clergy in countries like Germany and Australia.
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/18/v...
Pope Francis envisioned a Church of communion, participation and mission. Yet, there is resistance even among high-ranking clergy in countries like Germany and Australia.
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/18/v...
November 19, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Vatican’s Synodal support strong, but global uptake uneven
Pope Francis envisioned a Church of communion, participation and mission. Yet, there is resistance even among high-ranking clergy in countries like Germany and Australia.
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/18/v...
Pope Francis envisioned a Church of communion, participation and mission. Yet, there is resistance even among high-ranking clergy in countries like Germany and Australia.
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/18/v...
When Pilate meets the algorithm: AI and the search for truth
Pilate’s ancient question echoes through our digital age. When truth can be generated, edited, and endlessly reshaped, how do we recognise it— and would we even know if we did?
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/18/w...
Pilate’s ancient question echoes through our digital age. When truth can be generated, edited, and endlessly reshaped, how do we recognise it— and would we even know if we did?
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/18/w...
November 19, 2025 at 8:49 PM
When Pilate meets the algorithm: AI and the search for truth
Pilate’s ancient question echoes through our digital age. When truth can be generated, edited, and endlessly reshaped, how do we recognise it— and would we even know if we did?
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/18/w...
Pilate’s ancient question echoes through our digital age. When truth can be generated, edited, and endlessly reshaped, how do we recognise it— and would we even know if we did?
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/18/w...
Rewriting Mary Magdalene
Names like Mary Magdalene and Photini, the Samaritan woman known as the first Evangelist, challenge a Church that still struggles to welcome women as full partners in ministry, governance and proclamation.
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/18/f...
Names like Mary Magdalene and Photini, the Samaritan woman known as the first Evangelist, challenge a Church that still struggles to welcome women as full partners in ministry, governance and proclamation.
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/18/f...
November 19, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Rewriting Mary Magdalene
Names like Mary Magdalene and Photini, the Samaritan woman known as the first Evangelist, challenge a Church that still struggles to welcome women as full partners in ministry, governance and proclamation.
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/18/f...
Names like Mary Magdalene and Photini, the Samaritan woman known as the first Evangelist, challenge a Church that still struggles to welcome women as full partners in ministry, governance and proclamation.
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/18/f...
Many renewal movements start strong but fade fast. The difference lies in whether they transform culture or simply stir emotion. Renewal that lasts leads to mission, not just moments of conversion or Church-building. - Bishop Peter Cullinane
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/18/s...
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/18/s...
November 19, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Many renewal movements start strong but fade fast. The difference lies in whether they transform culture or simply stir emotion. Renewal that lasts leads to mission, not just moments of conversion or Church-building. - Bishop Peter Cullinane
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/18/s...
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/18/s...
Worship often sounds more written than spoken, as if directed at God rather than spoken with God. Liturgy that stays on the page risks sounding noble but distant. Translation is not imitation but incarnation.
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/18/l...
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/18/l...
November 19, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Worship often sounds more written than spoken, as if directed at God rather than spoken with God. Liturgy that stays on the page risks sounding noble but distant. Translation is not imitation but incarnation.
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/18/l...
flashesinsight.com/2025/11/18/l...
Pope Leo XIV has reintroduced the 1962 rite in the Church’s heart. His invitation to Burke is being watched closely: will it be seen as a step toward unity, or will it embolden those who regard the post-Vatican II Church with suspicion? flashesinsight.com/2025/11/11/a...
November 15, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Pope Leo XIV has reintroduced the 1962 rite in the Church’s heart. His invitation to Burke is being watched closely: will it be seen as a step toward unity, or will it embolden those who regard the post-Vatican II Church with suspicion? flashesinsight.com/2025/11/11/a...
The author — both doctor and believer — sees parallels between medical diagnosis and the Church’s moral healing. Misdiagnosis delays recovery; honesty and accountability are the first steps toward restoring faith. flashesinsight.com/2025/11/11/w...
November 15, 2025 at 11:13 AM
The author — both doctor and believer — sees parallels between medical diagnosis and the Church’s moral healing. Misdiagnosis delays recovery; honesty and accountability are the first steps toward restoring faith. flashesinsight.com/2025/11/11/w...
As Leonard Cohen sang, “there’s a crack in everything — that’s how the light gets in.” The fall of a prince, like the fall of prophets before him, reminds us that grace hides in uncomfortable places — even behind prison walls or royal façades. flashesinsight.com/2025/11/11/a...
November 15, 2025 at 11:11 AM
As Leonard Cohen sang, “there’s a crack in everything — that’s how the light gets in.” The fall of a prince, like the fall of prophets before him, reminds us that grace hides in uncomfortable places — even behind prison walls or royal façades. flashesinsight.com/2025/11/11/a...
Interreligious families embody both fragility and beauty. Catholic children growing up amid multiple faith traditions must navigate festivals, rituals, and beliefs with curiosity and compassion — a lesson in diversity that many adults still struggle to learn. flashesinsight.com/2025/11/11/n...
November 15, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Interreligious families embody both fragility and beauty. Catholic children growing up amid multiple faith traditions must navigate festivals, rituals, and beliefs with curiosity and compassion — a lesson in diversity that many adults still struggle to learn. flashesinsight.com/2025/11/11/n...
Once hatred is sanctified as duty, violence can masquerade as obedience to God rather than rebellion against compassion. Scholars have tried to suggest the text was hyperbolic. Yet, fear and faith intertwine in acts of exclusion. flashesinsight.com/2025/11/11/d...
November 15, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Once hatred is sanctified as duty, violence can masquerade as obedience to God rather than rebellion against compassion. Scholars have tried to suggest the text was hyperbolic. Yet, fear and faith intertwine in acts of exclusion. flashesinsight.com/2025/11/11/d...
Blessing love without betraying doctrine
The Church faces a defining question: can it bless love without betraying doctrine? What began as pastoral care now challenges the very grammar of Catholic worship.
flashesinsight.com/2025/10/28/b...
The Church faces a defining question: can it bless love without betraying doctrine? What began as pastoral care now challenges the very grammar of Catholic worship.
flashesinsight.com/2025/10/28/b...
November 15, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Blessing love without betraying doctrine
The Church faces a defining question: can it bless love without betraying doctrine? What began as pastoral care now challenges the very grammar of Catholic worship.
flashesinsight.com/2025/10/28/b...
The Church faces a defining question: can it bless love without betraying doctrine? What began as pastoral care now challenges the very grammar of Catholic worship.
flashesinsight.com/2025/10/28/b...
“Last Supper”— great art or fake news?
Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper” is one of the most recognised works in the world, but its beauty may disguise a deeper problem. However, great art—like social media—can sometimes distort truth. flashesinsight.com/2025/11/04/l...
Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper” is one of the most recognised works in the world, but its beauty may disguise a deeper problem. However, great art—like social media—can sometimes distort truth. flashesinsight.com/2025/11/04/l...
November 15, 2025 at 11:02 AM
“Last Supper”— great art or fake news?
Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper” is one of the most recognised works in the world, but its beauty may disguise a deeper problem. However, great art—like social media—can sometimes distort truth. flashesinsight.com/2025/11/04/l...
Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper” is one of the most recognised works in the world, but its beauty may disguise a deeper problem. However, great art—like social media—can sometimes distort truth. flashesinsight.com/2025/11/04/l...
Catholic educators sacred calling
Catholic educators carry the profound task of shaping hearts that encounter the living God through prayer and liturgy. Beyond curriculum, this mission calls teachers to nurture faith through lived, transformative experiences. flashesinsight.com/2025/11/04/c...
Catholic educators carry the profound task of shaping hearts that encounter the living God through prayer and liturgy. Beyond curriculum, this mission calls teachers to nurture faith through lived, transformative experiences. flashesinsight.com/2025/11/04/c...
November 15, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Catholic educators sacred calling
Catholic educators carry the profound task of shaping hearts that encounter the living God through prayer and liturgy. Beyond curriculum, this mission calls teachers to nurture faith through lived, transformative experiences. flashesinsight.com/2025/11/04/c...
Catholic educators carry the profound task of shaping hearts that encounter the living God through prayer and liturgy. Beyond curriculum, this mission calls teachers to nurture faith through lived, transformative experiences. flashesinsight.com/2025/11/04/c...