New Zealand

Focus on what is necessary rather than pious denials Comments 0

Social Development Goals

A New Zealand religious leader is calling on members of his congregation to focus on what is necessary for life rather than being caught up with pious denials; particularly during Lent. He says he was cheered by a recent reading at Mass where a group is bewailing the fact that their “good deeds” go unnoticed Read more

Ashes on Second Sunday of Lent! Comments 0

Large congregations of Auckland Catholics are likely to finally receive their Ash Wednesday ashes on the second Sunday of Lent! Auckland diocese spokeswoman Dame Lyndsay Freer said many of Auckland’s 189,000 Catholics had not received the ashes as they usually would on Ash Wednesday. This was because of the Covid alert level 3 then alert Read more

Analysis and Comment

Church is running out of reasons not to ordain women Comments 0

ordaining women

Pope Francis recently announced that he would remove the phrase “lay men” from Canon 230 and replace it with “lay persons”. This change to the church’s legal code means that women can now be permanently installed as lectors or acolytes – essentially, readers, distributors of Communion and assistants at Mass and the sacraments. Although not Read more

Should the Catholic Church have an African-American rite? Comments 0

African-American rite

After growing up Baptist, Nate Tinner-Williams became a Roman Catholic in December 2019. Now, after a move to New Orleans, he is planning to enter the seminary of the Josephites, an order of brothers and priests who have ministered specifically to the African-American community since 1893. In the meantime, he has devoted himself to developing Read more

New child poverty stats not reflective of current situation on the ground Comments 0

child poverty stats

New child poverty statistics from Stats NZ paint an optimistic picture for the period before the 2020 Covid lockdowns, Monte Cecilia Housing Trust CEO Bernie Smith says, but the months since then have been brutal for low-income earners and government support is desperately needed. “We’re always happy to see those arrows going in the right Read more

Faith in numbers: Behind the gender difference of nonreligious Comments 0

One of the most consequential stories in American religion in recent years is the rapid and seemingly unceasing rise of “nones” – those who respond to questions about their religious affiliation by indicating that they are atheists, agnostics or “nothing in particular.” According to some recent estimates, around 4 in 10 millennials and members of Read more

Church stands up for youth; opposes proposed Police powers Comments 0

Oranga Tamariki’s new youth justice bill is getting some hefty opposition from the Archdiocese of Wellington EJP Commission, Challenge 2000 and the Attorney General’s Office. Their submissions challenge the Oranga Tamariki (Youth Justice Demerit Points) Amendment Bill’s proposal that a system of demerit points be assigned by police to young offenders. This system would enable Read more

  • Oddly

    • Sign bans Pope from Napier quay

      No Popes beyond If the head of the Catholic Church ever tries to dock a boat in Napier, he’s in for a bit of a surprise. Signage on the cycleway through West Quay, Ahuriri, near where the waka is berthed, early this week Read more

  • World

  • Cardinal Gregory prays on TV for 500,000 Americans killed by Covid-19 Comments 0

    Cardinal Gregory on CNN

    Washington Cardinal Wilton Gregory appeared on CNN offering a prayer for the 500,000 Americans who have died from Covid-19. In the prayer, Gregory asked God to “grant eternal peace to all our sisters and brothers lost to this disease.” “Let us now open our hearts to recall those who have died from the coronavirus,” Cardinal Read more

  • Twitter deletes Irish bishop’s tweet Comments 0

    An Irish Catholic bishop’s tweet about assisted suicide has been restored after Twitter deleted it. Twitter said  the tweet was removed for “violating our rules against promoting or encouraging suicide or self-harm.” In his 31 January 2021 tweet, Bishop Kevin Doran expressed opposition to efforts to legalize assisted suicide in Ireland. “There is dignity in Read more

  • White House won’t rule out using Pope in Iran negotiations Comments 0

    The White House is not ruling out using Pope Francis as a means of making contact and negotiating with Iran’s government. The question of using Francis arose when a media outlet noted he has extensive contacts with the Iranian government in Tehran and that President Joe Biden has an excellent relationship with the pontiff. On Read more

  • Prince William’s ancestor on path to Catholic sainthood Comments 0

    Prince William ancestor

    A 19th century English Catholic priest who was an ancestor of Britain’s Prince William, and Prince Harry is on the path to sainthood. On Saturday, the Vatican said Pope Francis had approved a decree recognising the “heroic virtues” of George Spencer. Fr. Spencer was a priest of the Passionist religious order who lived from 1799 Read more

  • Former Archbishop of Canterbury acknowledges debt to Catholics Comments 0

    Archbishop of Canterbury acknowledges Catholics

    Former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has acknowledged a debt to Catholics in a statement published in the Catholic Herald on Feb. 22. Dr. Williams grew up in Wales during the 1950s where “you still couldn’t quite avoid the sense that Catholics were exotic and a bit frightening.” He attended an Anglican parish church in Read more