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
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? 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
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
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
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
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
Can humanity survive the digital age? The answer — according to an Institute for Human Ecology panel convened Sept. 17 at The Catholic University of America in Washington — is basically this: It depends. There are “two big questions that hang over human life in digital reality right now,” announced Ross Douthat, a media fellow Read more
The Archdiocese of New York has filed a lawsuit against its long-time insurer, Chubb, accusing the company of evading its responsibility to cover settlements related to clerical sexual abuse claims. Cardinal Timothy Dolan alleges that Chubb is neglecting its contractual obligations despite receiving billions in premiums from the archdiocese over the years. In a letter Read more
Something had to change when most parents in a Spanish town were not married but wanted their children baptised or requested the children receive their first holy communion. Change happened, and Catholic couples in Sebastián de los Reyes are now lining up for a “macro wedding”. It is a new option for the parish, and Read more