Great reads

Escalating violence in Australian schools, action urged

Monday, March 25th, 2024
escalating violence

A recent survey conducted by the Australian Catholic University (ACU) has revealed escalating violence levels against school principals across Australia. The escalation has prompted urgent calls for action. The study encompassing 2,300 respondents unveiled distressing statistics, with nearly half having reported experiencing or witnessing physical violence. Approximately 54% were subjected to threats. According to the Read more

Endless Calvary for Gaza’s Christian community

Monday, March 25th, 2024
Gaza's Christian community

The situation for Gaza’s Christian community is “worsening hour by hour”. It’s extremely serious says the Palestinian city’s only Catholic priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli (pictured). Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) reports agree. “Our people are constantly suffering. Every time both sides talk about a truce, the intensity of military operations increases” reports an Read more

Catholic women want equality and visibility

Monday, March 11th, 2024
Catholic women

Catholic women are demanding equality and visibility while urging the Church institution to set aside its fears about change. Leadership positions within the Church are important, a pre-International Women’s Day gathering near the Vatican said. “It’s so important that the Catholic Church be engaged in this issue, not just internally but also externally given the Read more

Irish voters reject “durable relationship” as family definition

Monday, March 11th, 2024
Family and Care

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar acknowledged defeat as two proposed constitutional amendments on the family and care agenda were on course for rejection. Voters rejected the amendments which aimed to redefine family structures and address outdated language regarding women’s roles in the home. Despite Varadkar’s advocacy for updating the constitution to reflect modern societal norms Read more

Polish Greek Catholic Church bans priests’ phone use during Mass

Thursday, March 7th, 2024
Greek-Catholic Church

The bishops of three Polish dioceses of the Greek Catholic Church have issued decrees forbidding priests and deacons from using digital devices during Eucharist and Reconciliation. The move comes in response to a growing trend of clergy incorporating technology into Masses and confessions, prompting concerns about distractions and the sanctity of these rituals. Bishop Arkadiusz Read more

Pope tells grieving parents: It’s OK to ask ‘Why?’

Thursday, March 7th, 2024
grieving parents

Grieving parents are perfectly entitled to ask God why their child had to die, Pope Francis says. Demanding answers when one’s child dies is anything but a sign of a lack of faith. “There is nothing worse than silencing pain, putting a silencer on suffering, removing traumas without facing them as our world often encourages Read more

Smaller gender pay gap for women with Catholic employers

Thursday, March 7th, 2024
gender pay gap

Women with Catholic employers are well-supported financially, with a smaller gender pay gap than their peers. Released on 27 February, the first national Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) report also notes some say their employers could do more to uphold all their employees’ dignity. The WGEA investigated about 5,000 companies, each employing more than 100 Read more

Drunk racist ranter spits and curses in NZ Catholic church

Thursday, March 7th, 2024
racist ranter

A drunk man who vented vile racist comments at three people in an unnamed Hamilton Catholic church has appeared in the Hamilton District Court. Claiming to be a Catholic, the man even spat at the people. Craig George Murray’s behaviour made very unpleasant reading, said Judge Arthur Tompkins as he sentenced Murray for the incident. Read more

NZ Police say Cardinal Dew has no case to answer in sex abuse allegation

Thursday, March 7th, 2024
Cardinal John Dew

New Zealand Police have found emeritus Cardinal Archbishop of Wellington, New Zealand, John Dew has no case to answer regarding a historical sexual abuse allegation. Dew was accused of serious criminal sexual misconduct during his time as an assistant priest in Upper Hutt. The announcement comes after a 10-month Police probe into the allegation dating Read more

The pope’s problem – today’s seminarians and young priests

Thursday, February 22nd, 2024
priests

He’s warned Catholic seminaries against the tendency to turn future priests into “little monsters”. He’s scolded the Church’s presbyters for wearing ornate liturgical vestments that stem from a bygone era, telling them to stop dressing up in “granny’s lace”. And he’s called it a “scandal” to see young priests and seminarians going into the ecclesiastical Read more