Pope Francis has convened an extraordinary Synod meeting in Rome next year, on marriage and the family and has asked Bishops Conferences worldwide to undertake wide consultation with their people, in order to provide input to the discussion. The New Zealand Catholic Bishops have put the questions from the Extraordinary Synod document in an online Read more
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand has launched an Appeal and will contribute at least NZ$100,000 to relief efforts in the Philippines following the deadly impact of super-Typhoon Haiyan on 8 November. Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is working through NASSA (Caritas Philippines) along with other Caritas member agencies. Teams are assessing immediate needs for food, water, clothing Read more
On Wednesday afternoon, 8 Marist Challenge 2000 Gap year students who have recently returned from their month-long pastoral placements, reported back to their friend and colleagues gathered at Pa Maria in Wellington. This year the ‘Gappies’ went to a variety of placements around New Zealand and overseas. They were sent to the far north of Aotearoa New Read more
The Archbishop Wellington, New Zealand, John Dew has announced a major organisation of the parishes in the Archdiocese. Some parishes will merge to create a new parish. All parish churches will be retained. The parish mergers will be implemented over a period of two years and will be completed no later that 1 February 2016. Read more
A university professor, who was once priest, has been awarded more than $760,000 of public money to study Kiwis’ spirituality and religion. Professor Joseph Bulbulia of Victoria University in Wellington New Zealand, say religion was “intensely important” to him, but “as for an afterlife, or God, I have no idea”. He migrated to Wellington from the Read more
Auckland University law professor Bill Hodge wonders why the Crown is pursuing the civil action against the three peace protestors who damaged the Waihopai spy base in Marlborough, New Zealand. “There really isn’t much a creditor can do with respect to a debtor who truly is out of funds. You can’t get blood from a Read more
The fate of the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch’s Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament is becoming clearer, as new information is released on the state of the current building and land. Board chairman Lance Ryan said there were many complex issues affecting the decision making, but they had discovered new information on the state of the Read more
Female altar servers are becoming an issue in some parishes that have high numbers of migrants attending Mass, Auckland diocese’s liturgy centre says. Many migrant populations have not been used to women and girls serving in this way, a statement from the liturgy centre to NZ Catholic noted. “This matter has to be handled with Read more
Administrative director of the Archdiocese of Wellington, Dave Mullin, says “We are not here to have big flash buildings and pay insurance premiums … we are here to help those in need.” Mullin said earthquake premiums had more than doubled since the Canterbury quakes, despite insurers offering less cover. Faced with rocketing insurance premiums, the Read more
The New Zealand bishops were grateful to have discussions with Cardinal Oscar Rodrigues over the weekend in Wellington soon after the inaugural meeting of the Commission of Cardinals and the Pope’s visit to Assisi. “Speaking with Cardinal Oscar gave us real insight into Pope Francis and what he is doing,” said Archbishop John Dew, President Read more