Bishop Tobin on the Proper Use of Adjectives

"Sometime ago, in an address to Church employees involved in communications, Pope Francis made some intriguing comments about the use of adjectives in public discourse. The Holy Father said that he is 'allergic' to the misuse of adjectives. He explained, 'We have fallen into the culture of adjectives and adverbs, and we have forgotten the strength of nouns. The culture of the adjective has entered the Church and we forget that we are brothers, by saying that this one is "this type of" brother. Beauty manifests itself from the noun itself.'

"Interesting comments. Now, I take the Pope's words to mean that we shouldn't get in the habit of calling people names to defend our own positions or make theological or political points, and that's truly a useful reminder for all of us."

In a recent commentary, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, of the Diocese of Providence (RI), reflected on the proper use of adjectives, including not using them as "arrows to wound other people, to marginalize or dismiss them."

To access Bishop Tobin's complete essay, please visit: 

The Imitation of Christ: The Proper Use of Adjectives (11 MAR 21)