Recent allegations that a biased synod agenda working document favours a liberal plan are baseless and lack substance, says Massimo Faggioli. The working document (Instrumentum Laboris) for the Synod of Bishops, a result of a comprehensive process involving the participation of the entire church, is a testament to the church’s commitment to inclusivity and dialogue, Read more
In a pioneering move, the Diocese of Osnabrück in Germany has become the first Catholic diocese to release official guidelines on the concept of Eucharistic hospitality. The diocese recently published a comprehensive booklet outlining the conditions under which all Christians within the diocese can participate in a Catholic Eucharist or Protestant communion celebration during ecumenically Read more
Priests are part of the church community; they ‘give savour’ to the community and are not the ‘main course’. The captivating comment that shed light on the role of priests within the Church was made on Saturday, by Monsignor Gerard Burns, the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Wellington, during the installation ceremony of Catholic Read more
Newly installed Archbishop of Wellington, Paul Martin, issued a call to action to the Archdiocese of Wellington. “If the Church is going to do anything, it has to be us who do it,” he said, emphasising the importance of individual and collective responsibility in the Church’s mission. “The church doesn’t exist in some ethereal domain Read more
Archbishop Paul Martin is keen on a spiritual revival within the Archdiocese. In his first newsletter as Archbishop of Wellington, Martin highlighted the significance of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This is the driving force behind building a strong Christian community and spreading the Good News, he said. “If I am not in love Read more
A married Balclutha man has been ordained the first permanent deacon in the Catholic Church in Dunedin. “I went to Fiji to complete my studies to become a priest in 2017, but I got married to Fania. “The following year we began the journey towards me becoming a permanent deacon.” Deacon Iosefa and Mrs Fania Read more
Holy See representative Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle had planned to visit New Zealand this October. However, as can happen, plans change and he won’t be coming after all. Considered by some to be Papabile, Tagle is the Pro-Prefect for the Section of Evangelisation of the Dicastery for Evangelisation and is responsible for appointing New Zealand’s Read more
Looking after your mental health is important. Kiwis “can’t afford” to lose sight of how Covid-19 impacted on this, Sir Ashley Bloomfield says. Known for his leadership during the Covid-19 crisis, Bloomfield has recently become an ambassador for a mindfulness programme for school-aged children. The Southern Cross-funded Pause Breathe Smile (PBS) programme is free and Read more
Russia has reacted positively to the Pope’s Ukraine peace initiative. There are no immediate plans for a Vatican mission to Moscow, however. The Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement about the peace initiative was Moscow’s first public acknowledgement of the pope’s overtures. It followed the Vatican’s weekend announcement that Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi (pictured), has been suggested Read more
A lifetime’s service to healing the land has seen Waikato University honour Tauranga Catholic, Rob McGowan with a prestigious award. Known to many as ‘Pa Ropata’, McGowan is this year’s University of Waikato Medal recipient. The award recognises community service at a local or regional level. “Rob has made a significant and sustained contribution to Read more