New Zealand

High profile Catholic principal resigns

principal

The principal of St Peter’s College in Gore, Tara Quinney, has resigned. In April last year, the school was placed in limited statutory management after Quinney called on the board of trustees chairperson to resign. Although board chair Ruth Mitchell did not resign she was replaced in April this year. The new chair is the Read more

Karakia no more acceptable than Catholic ritual says Seymour

karakia

Having a karakia at work is no more acceptable than starting the work day with a Catholic ritual or observing Japanese customs says Act leader David Seymour. Staff at Te Whatu Ora incorporating karakia into their daily routine should stop he says. Seymour is reported as saying that Te Whatu Ora must concentrate on people’s Read more

Analysis and Comment

Eucharistic conference more about Benediction

synodality

When Pope Francis called for a worldwide consultation of lay Catholics about their concerns as part of the Synod on Synodality, U.S. bishops responded less than enthusiastically. Instead, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops put its time, effort and money into a national programme called the Eucharistic Revival. It was not impossible to do both Read more

Liturgy is based on baptismal fidelity, and it is more than aesthetics

Synodal church

Recently, United States cultural celebrities addressed an open letter to Pope Francis, opposing further restrictions on the pre-conciliar liturgy. The letter, written by poet Dana Gioia, emphasised the aesthetic value and cultural significance of the liturgy according to the 1962 rite: “It would be short-sighted to deprive the next generation of artists of this source Read more

Five faith facts about Kamala Harris

Harris

Kamala Harris made history in 2020 as the first Black woman elected as vice president of the United States, shattering barriers that have kept men—almost all of them white—entrenched at the highest levels of American politics for more than two centuries. Making history Today, she is one step closer to making history again. On Sunday, Read more

J.D. Vance’s Catholicism. Theological profile of Trump’s heir apparent

Vance

On July 15, less than a week before Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race, Donald Trump chose J.D. Vance, the 39-year-old senator from Ohio (elected in November 2022) as his running mate. If elected with Trump on November 5, Vance would be the second Catholic vice president in U.S. history after Biden. However, Read more

Bishops and Catholic leaders welcome Royal Commission report

bishops

The New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference and the Catholic Congregational Leaders Conference of Aotearoa NZ have welcomed the final report of the Royal Commission on Abuse in Care. The “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light” report was made public on Wednesday afternoon after being tabled in Parliament. The bishops and congregational Read more

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  • Nigerian Catholics aim to re-evangelise the West

    Catholic Church in Nigeria

    The Catholic Church in Nigeria is experiencing remarkable growth, positioning itself as a potential source of revitalisation for Catholicism in the West. Nigeria’s Catholic population is estimated to be 25 million, making up 10-15% of the country’s 220 million people. The country’s population is expected to soar to 350-400 million in the next 20 years. Read more

  • Munich archdiocese faces revenue drop – forcing cuts

    Munich

    The German Archdiocese of Munich and Freising has reported a significant 6.2% drop in church tax revenue for 2023, due primarily to many parishioners leaving the church. Finance Director Markus Reif announced at the Federal Budget Press Conference in Munich that the archdiocese’s income fell by €41 million to €617 million. The German church tax Read more

  • Rising costs cause sharp decline in Australian birth rates

    Australian Birth Rates

    According to a KPMG analysis, birth rates in Australia are dropping significantly due to high living costs and unaffordable housing. The national birthrate has sharply declined since a post-lockdown baby boom in 2021 when there were 315,200 births. In 2023 the figure was just 289,100, marking the lowest annual number since 2006. Urban economist Terry Read more

  • Young Catholics in Canada defy secularism trend

    young Catholics

    Young Catholics are not copying the Canadian secularism trend which older Catholics are modelling. A recent Cardus Institute study says young Canadian Catholics are twice as likely as their elders to attend religious services at least once a month. Faith’s shifting landscape Cardus’ 2022 report “The Shifting Landscape of Faith in Canada” says religious indicators Read more

  • Pastor who researches decline in religion sees his own church close

    Pastor

    In an ironic twist, a US Baptist pastor internationally known for scholarly articles on the decline of religion has just had to close his own church for lack of parishioners. Pastor Ryan Burge (pictured) knows closing churches is common these days. Many US churches close each year. But, given that he has been documenting the Read more