New Zealand

NZ ethnic leaders repeat calls for greater input in policy

Ethnic leaders

Ethnic leaders in New Zealand are repeating their calls for greater participation in shaping government policy. They have already met with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and on 10 October met with Opposition leader Chris Hipkins and several senior members of the Labour Party. Specific concerns The ethnic leaders told Hipkins and his cohorts they are Read more

Aid to the Church in Need working 24/7 for Lebanese christians

Aid to the Church in Need

Aid to the Church in Need says christians in Lebanon need help. They are being caught in the crossfire as Israel expands its targets in its war with Hezbollah militants. The attacks aim to eliminate the threat of Hezbollah strikes on northern Israel. Bernard Toutounji, National Director of Aid for the Church in Need (ACN) Read more

Analysis and Comment

Management, not Ministry: The Future of Women in the Catholic Church?

Transcript from Rita Cassella Jones Lecture at Fordham of September 17, 2024. As you know, I belonged to the initial Pontifical Commission for the Study of the Diaconate of Women. We were named in August 2016 and first met in November of that year. I traveled to Rome several days in advance of the scheduled Read more

The bishop selection process is still a concern among synod delegates

bishops

Although Pope Francis took it off the agenda, the appointment of bishops is still being discussed privately by members of the synod. The Pope took this and a number of issues off the agenda because he wanted the synod to focus on synodality and not be distracted by controversial and complicated issues. Discussions about bishops Read more

We must evangelise Africa by and for Africans

Mission Sunday

More than a century and a half ago, Christian missionaries from the West brought the Gospel message of Jesus Christ to the peoples of Africa. One of the inherent weaknesses of this evangelisation process was the imposition of Western ways of believing and thinking on the African people of God. However, since every church is Read more

Is the Church in decline?

Church

Is the Church in decline? Some might draw that conclusion looking at data from the 2023 census. Reporting the results, one media headline said, “More than half the population has no religion”. It went on saying that the proportion of people with ‘no religion’ has increased from 48.2 per cent in 2018 to 51.6 per Read more

Brian McGuinness and Erskine Chapel upgrade honoured

Success in Wellington was celebrated on Friday at the 2024 Wellington Address at Pipitea Marae. Brian McGuinness, the Wellington Company, Erskine Chapel Restoration, Doug Hauraki and Adrian Orr were acknowledged. The event acknowledged the exceptional contributions of four of the city’s most influential business leaders who have helped Wellington’s business community prosper. Lifelong dedication to Read more

  • Oddly

    • Obituary: He’s God’s problem now

      Robert Adolph Boehm, in accordance with his lifelong dedication to his own personal brand of decorum, muttered his last unintelligible and likely unnecessary curse on October 6, 2024, shortly before tripping backward and hitting his head on the floor. Robert Read more

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  • Global Catholic population rises despite decline in Europe

    World Catholic population

    According to recent Vatican data released by Agenzia Fides, the global Catholic population grew by more than 13.7 million in 2022, reaching nearly 1.39 billion. This growth highlights the continued expansion of the Church in most parts of the world despite a notable decline in Europe. Africa led the global increase, with its Catholic population Read more

  • US cardinal urges Catholics to avoid single-issue voting

    As the US presidential election approaches, Cardinal Wilton Gregory, Archbishop of Washington DC, has warned Catholics against single-issue voting, urging them to take a broader approach that considers a wide range of issues. Speaking to Crux during the Synod of Bishops on Synodality in Rome, Cardinal Gregory stressed the need for Catholics to have a Read more

  • UK Bishop vows action as abuse impacts Mass attendance

    Mass attendance

    A third of Catholics in England and Wales have reduced their Mass attendance due to concerns over the child sexual abuse crisis within the Church, according to a new report. In response, Bishop Paul Mason, lead bishop for safeguarding in the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, has vowed to ensure the Church is Read more

  • Catholic principal’s firing sparks state and church tension

    State and church tension has been reignited in France over the dismissal of a high-profile principal. This has aggravated the debate over religious expression in French schools. Following weeks of protests, Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris has spoken out in defence of this freedom of expression. Principal dismissal sparks tensions The dismissal of Christian Espeso, Read more

  • Synod setback – Cardinal Fernandez skips women’s role meeting

    Cardinal Victor Fernandez, head of the Vatican’s doctrinal office, issued an apology on Friday after missing a critical meeting of a synod group focused on women’s roles in the Church. The absence, confirmed to the National Catholic Reporter by multiple sources, triggered frustration among some delegates. Fernandez absence sparks discontent Fernandez was notably absent on Read more