The New Evangelization was the focus of Pope Benedict XVI’s remarks to the bishops of New Zealand and the Pacific on Saturday, as he received them at the end of their ad limina visits. In his address to the Bishops of New Zealand and the Pacific Pope Benedict spoke of the contribution of priests and Read more
The Apostolic Administrator of an Australian diocese is appalled at the decision by a Catholic primary school in the Wilcannia-Forbes diocese to exclude a girl because of her parents’ sexuality. Bishop Kevin Manning said, “To penalise a five year old child because her parents are living in a homosexual relationship is just quite wrong.” Manning Read more
The Catholic and the Anglican Churches are facing some tough decisions about the future of their Christchurch Cathedrals – restore the old ones or build new ones. The Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament leaders are considering whether to restore the building for more than $100m or build a new cathedral for about $40m. “I am still 50-50. Read more
The Catholic Church should encourage nuns to use the contraceptive pill as a way to reduce the high death rates from breast, ovarian and uterine cancer, say two Australian scientists. They also argue, that according to the Church’s moral guidelines, religious women are free to take the pill for this purpose. As reported by the Guardian, Read more
A major reorganisation is ahead for the New Zealand diocese of Christchurch with the planned formation of 18 new parishes. “New and wider parish boundaries will now include previously separate parish communities, making possible a sharing of resources, both human and material. These changes will cause some sorrow and sadness, but also present new opportunities. For many Read more
Senior theology lecturer Dr Anne Tuohy has been appointed Director of The Catholic Institute of Aotearoa New Zealand. Currently a Senior Lecturer at the Australian Catholic University’s School of Theology in Strathfield, Dr Tuohy will take up her role as the inaugural director of The Catholic Institute in March 2012. Dr Tuohy is originally from Read more
As the English-speaking world began using the new translation of the Mass, there is still no sign of when New Zealand will have its re-printed Roman Missals. As reported in CathNews on November 11, a technical flaw in the printing process means the missal’s introduction to New Zealand is delayed. The Bishops’ November 9 letter Read more
Following on from a new translation of the Mass in English, Vatican Insider reports the Congregation for Divine Worship will establish a new team to regulate church architecture and promote singing in the liturgy. The team will be tasked to put a stop to garage-style churches and boldly shaped structures and, it is reported, will have Read more
Africa’s future focused Pope Benedict’s attention on his second trip to the continent. In his final homily the Pope told some 50,000 packed into a stadium at Contonou and another 30,000 watching on giant screens from outside that corruption is not acceptable, AIDS is mainly an ethical problem and to seek reconciliation in the face of Read more
An advertising campaign using a fake image of Pope Benedict kissing a top Egyptian imam on the lips has been pulled after protests from the Vatican. The “Unhate” campaign, sponsored by the Benetton clothing company, was aimed at fostering tolerance and ‘global love.’ Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi denounced the ad as ‘false’, and an Read more