When I was 16 years old, a member of my family made a serious attempt at suicide; so serious no-one could work out how they’d survived. I remember sitting on the floor in the lounge, going through the motions of doing my homework, wondering how anyone could do that. Being a self-absorbed teenager, I also wondered Read more
Both Labour and National are now politically committed to major reductions in child poverty rates. Moreover, their ambitions are bold and explicit. National is promising to reduce child poverty by two-thirds – at least on one specific income-based measure – by the end of the next parliament. Labour has committed to ending child poverty and Read more
When reading church teaching on sin, I tend to walk a parallel path, acknowledging the principles but interpreting them a different way. Many women do this, because feminine spirituality tends to be different and complementary to the masculine model. Our gender differences are shaped by our biological roles. For a man, sin usually affects personal Read more
Being British, it’s hard to avoid the topic of the Royal Family when abroad. Foreigners often don’t let you. I’ve learned to spot the disappointment in people’s faces when I don’t have an opinion on Harry’s latest girlfriend, or Kate’s dresses. As my wife will tell you with some regret, I’m a bit of a Read more
News from Chief Coroner Deborah Marshall that a record 606 people took their own lives in 2016/17, up from 579 the previous year and 564 the year before that, shows that how this country is tackling suicide is not working. This month Health Minister Jonathan Coleman announced a $100 million allocation to fund 17 initiatives Read more
It is not news that the liturgy has been a contested field in Catholic life over the past few decades. Opposition to liturgical reform began even before the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council, and increased from 1964 onward, when reforms like the use of English and the practice of the priest facing the people Read more
Every once in a while, it’s good to step back and scan the horizon of contemporary culture. It’s beneficial on many levels to recognize what’s popular, and to honestly discern: How is a particular cultural phenomenon affecting the life of Christian believers? How can this phenomenon be “baptized” and used to help people of faith? Read more
I was visiting friends when I got the call to go to the hospital. I’d been expecting it for the last few years. I ran to find the ward on which my brother was lying in a bed on a ventilator. “Am I too late?” I asked. “No, Steve’s still with us,” somebody told me. Read more
Throughout this term of Parliament it has been my privilege to serve as chair of the health committee. Over the last two years, it has been my responsibility to lead the inquiry into assisted suicide and euthanasia as requested by a petition to Parliament. I led a group of dedicated MPs from a cross-section of Read more
I am not a moral theologian or a canon lawyer, so I do not feel qualified to comment on the content of Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis’s controversial document on the family that includes a cautious opening to Communion for the divorced and civilly remarried. Being caught up in busy parish life, I also don’t have the time Read more