A new miracle at Lourdes was confirmed on Sunday by a French bishop. Bishop Jacques Benoit-Gonin declared the cure of a Catholic nun who was an invalid for nearly four decades and recovered after making a pilgrimage to Lourdes a miracle. It was the 70th miraculous recovery attributed to divine intervention in Lourdes. Benoit-Gonin of Read more
Ireland’s Catholics are being asked to dig into their pockets to help pay for this year’s papal visit. The Church is trying to persuade wealthy followers to donate millions of euro to cover the costs of the visit. The World Meeting of Families, which will take place from August 21 to 26, is estimated to Read more
Isabella McCafferty of Wellington will represent New Zealand at the Vatican in March for an international youth gathering. Ms McCafferty works with the Church’s Catholic Youth and Young Adult Ministry in the Wellington Archdiocese. She is in the pastoral ministry and her work supports families and young people across 22 parishes. Ms McCafferty meanwhile also Read more
A Vatican court found two former top managers of the Vatican bank liable for mismanagement and ordered an injunction for them to pay damages. Read more
Benedict, pope emeritus, has sent a short letter to the editor of the Italian news daily Il Corriere della Sera. The Pope emeritus was responding to the many inquiries from readers as to how he is spending “this last period of his life.” He says he is on a pilgrimage towards Home. Read more
Pope Francis has appealed for concerted action against human trafficking as we prepare to mark the Day of Prayer and Awareness against this terrible scourge. Read more
For four days over the last weekend, I travelled with friends down from Auckland through the Waikato and King Country to Taranaki, seeking insights from history and hope for the future. Our journey was an early celebration of Waitangi Day, anguish, reconciliation and all. Our first stop was St John’s church in Te Awamutu, Waikato’s Read more
The head of an Irish support group for the children of Catholic priests says there are several in New Zealand – and the church has acknowledged it. Continue reading
Maori songs and chants and the sound of a traditional church choir greeted Dr Helen-Ann Hartley as she was installed as Bishop of Ripon in a packed cathedral on Sunday. Priests from the Anglican Church in New Zealand who had made the 11,000-mile journey to be at her side, led her through the west door Read more
Happy birthday wishes greeted Pope Francis as he celebrated his 81st birthday on Sunday. Children were among his party guests in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall. The celebrations included an extra-long pizza, a cake, and a message urging the world — and children in particular — to join in the holiday mood and be joyful. Read more