There’s a new way to give charitable donations to churches, and it’s already raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in the Catholic Diocese of Arundel and Brighton in the UK. Called contactless card donations, provided by Dona Donations, the system allows parishioners to make digital donations from terminals within their parish church or online.  According Read More…

Those who visit St. Peter’s Basilica are in for a treat, as a new sound system is promising an acoustical experience to rival that of a rock concert. The new system was first used in late July, for the Mass celebrating the World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly, and it’s said to provide a Read More…

“Where’s my charger?” This is a common phrase these days, but it’s not so long ago that it wasn’t even in our lexicon.  Currently we do just about everything remotely, and a vast majority of our activities are centered around our cell phones or our iPads. In order for these devices to function correctly and Read More…

Pornography addiction is rampant, and sadly, many people were first exposed by accident and don’t want to be addicted.  The majority of kids are exposed to porn by age 13, usually accidentally. Young people find themselves addicted before they even realize the harm. Many religious people struggle with this addiction, but churches are often poorly Read More…

When we refer to “phubbing” (a combination of the words phone and snubbing) we’re talking about when people neglect or ignore others in favor of using their smartphone (or tablets or other digital devices). Typically it happens when we’re texting, browsing social media, or playing games.  Phubbing doesn’t only occur with casual acquaintances or friends. Read More…

America owes much of its expansion during the late 19th century to the invention and development of the railroad network. Cities started to sprout in previously sparsely inhabited locations as each block of the great American railway was built. This new means of transportation not only revolutionized America’s landscape, it also changed the way people Read More…

A new study indicates Americans are pleased with virtual religious services, but more prefer to attend in person now that the COVID-19 health emergency has officially ended. About a quarter of U.S. adults regularly watch religious services online, with 21% using apps or websites to aid Scripture reading, according to a report released June 2 Read More…

This article is provided by the Magis Center In the vast expanse of cosmic history, we observe a remarkable evolutionary progression — from the inanimate laws of physics, the ordered structures of chemistry, and the dynamic complexity of biology to the profound intricacies of conscious thought. Each phase has given rise to the next, marking Read More…

The term “artificial,” at least in the context of artificial intelligence (AI), is used to distinguish it from “natural” intelligence. Natural intelligence (again, within this context) refers instead to the cognitive capabilities of living beings – humans and animals, but especially humans. The word “artificial” means that AI does not occur naturally: AI systems are Read More…

A German Protestant community has tested the breadth of the abilities of artificial intelligence, going so far as to hold a Lutheran service that was almost completely “written” by AI. The service, which gathered some 300 people to St. Paul’s church in the Bavarian town of Fuerth, reportedly lasted for 40 minutes, and engaged the Read More…

The Spei Satelles mission has successfully launched from the U.S. base in Vandenberg, California. About the size of an American football, the Spei Satelles (Latin for “Guardian of Hope”) carries a recording of Pope Francis’ Statio Orbis from March 27, 2020, the extraordinary “urbi et orbi” blessing he gave before an empty St. Peter’s Square at the height of the Read More…

Artificial intelligence (AI) used to be nothing more than the stuff of wildly creative science fiction.  If we did imagine such a thing, we pictured benign and helpful AI like sweet R2-D2 from Star Wars. But as time went on and AI began to be a real possibility, there were darker forebodings. For example, the Read More…