"When we see 'wheat' and 'weeds' living side by side in the world, what should we do? How should we react?" the pope said this past Sunday during a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica to mark the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.

He said the coexistence of good and evil is found on many levels, as we are faced with wars, corruption in the world, scandals in the Church and the miseries of everyday life.

He then used the Gospel passage to carve out ways of confronting the evil that is present even in the midst of the good in this world and in ourselves.

"Christians are realists, they know there are wheat and weeds in the world," Francis said.

"In human history, as in each of our lives, there is a mixture of light and shadows, love and selfishness. Good and evil are even intertwined to the point of seeming inseparable," the pope pointed out.

Beware of the naïve who "live in a fairy tale, pretending not to see evil"

But to achieve this, he said, Christians must guard against two dangers.

The first is a "poisonous pessimism" that is contrary to Christian hope.

The second is a "sterile optimism" or form of naiveté in which people "live in a fairy tale, pretending not to see evil and saying that 'all is well'," he said.

How can we arrive at this clear-sightedness?

Francis said it's not just a question of being aware that both wheat and weeds exist in the world.

It also means we must "recognise that evil does not only come from 'outside', that it is not always the fault of others, that there is no need to 'invent' enemies to fight against in order to avoid looking within" ourselves.

Cultivating "serenity and patience" in dealing with evil

The question remains: "When we see 'wheat' and 'weeds' living side by side in the world..., How should we react?"

Francis said we must first overcome "temptation to divide the wheat from the weeds", in the name of a "pure society", a "pure Church", because "to reach this purity, we risk being impatient, intransigent, even violent toward those who have fallen into error".

The consequences of acting this way, he said, are often worse. "With the weeds we pull up the good wheat and block people from moving forward, from growing and changing," he said.

Instead, the pope said the Gospel parable invites us to cultivate "serenity and patience" in caring for others, "and - in our families, in the Church and in society - to welcome weakness, delay and limitations, not in order to let ourselves grow accustomed to them or excuse them, but to learn to act with respect".

Francis said "the purification of the heart and the definitive victory over evil are essentially God's work".

"In the end, the good will be stronger than the evil"

On this Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, Francis - who will be 87 in December - dwelt particularly on the example of seniors because looking back, "they see so many beautiful things they have succeeded in doing.

Yet they also see defeats, mistakes, things that - as they say - 'if I went back I would not do again'"; and because old age is par excellence, "the season to be reconciled, a time for looking tenderly at the light that has shone despite the shadows".

"Today the Lord offers us a gentle word that invites us to accept the mystery of life with serenity and patience, to leave judgment to him, and not to live regretful and remorseful lives," the pope said.

"It is as if Jesus wanted to say to us: 'Look at the good wheat that has sprouted along the path of your life and let it keep growing, entrusting everything to me, for I always forgive: in the end, the good will be stronger than the evil'," he added.

In his homily, Francis stressed two further points.

First, he said we need to forge an alliance between the young and the old, "so that the sap of those who have a long experience of life behind them will nourish the shoots of hope of those who are growing", and that from this fruitful exchange a fraternal society may be born.

And second, he said we must be careful not to marginalize the elderly and relegate them to the rank of "unprofitable waste", a point he has made many times before.

"May we not chase after the utopias of efficiency and performance at full-speed, lest we become incapable of slowing down to accompany those who struggle to keep up," he said.

• Céline Hoyeau is the deputy head of Religion at La Croix International.
• First published in La Croix International. Republished with permission.

With approximately 3,000 or more young Australians set to make the pilgrimage, this delegation will be one of the largest representing the country at WYD. Joining them will be 19 Australian bishops, nearly half of the total bishops in the country.

This event is seen as a critical moment in the life of the Church in Australia, especially in a society that is becoming increasingly secular and disconnected from matters of faith.

Malcolm Hart, Director of the National Centre for Evangelisation at the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, believes that WYD is an exciting journey of faith and pilgrimage for young people.

"The commitment they have shown is really exciting" Hart affirmed. "It's also a great opportunity. There is a lot of learning that happens between young people and the bishops.

"The opportunity to go to World Youth Day and meet millions of other young Catholics is a really critical moment in the life of the Church in Australia and particularly for young people" Hart said.

Strong online presence

While most of the participants will be physically present in Lisbon, the event will also have a strong online presence.

Almost every group has set up social media pages to share their experiences, allowing families and friends back home to follow their journey. The time zone issues will be overcome with live broadcasts from Portugal being replayed the following day.

For young Australians, the experiences at WYD represent a moment of faith exploration and growth in their lives. The chance to meet millions of other young Catholics from around the world creates a sense of community and strengthens their connection to their faith.

World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly

Notably, before the main WYD event, there was a special World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly celebrated by Pope Francis at St Peter's Basilica in Rome.

The theme of this day emphasised the relationship between the elderly and young people, underscoring the importance of the bond in shaping the faith experiences of the youth.

In a heartwarming story, Koe Evangelista, a 22-year-old Australian pilgrim representing young Catholics from Oceania, had the extraordinary opportunity to meet Pope Francis during the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.

Evangelista felt honoured to be chosen to represent young people and saw it as a chance to bring the prayers and support of his community with him.

"I was bringing all those who I am tied to as well, and I wanted to bring them to Pope Francis and more than that, I wanted to bring all of them to God with me," he said.

Sources

Vatican News

Catholic Weekly

CathNews New Zealand

He clarified that sprinkling Holy Water around a child does not constitute an exorcism.

The controversy surrounding the 'Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer', also known as the Transalpine Redemptorists, emerged after TV3's programme 'Paddy Gower Has Issues' aired a segment Wednesday night.

The programme claimed that the group had performed exorcisms on children, and one child was allegedly told the Devil possessed them.

It was also reported that the group conducted exorcisms on seven individuals, with one person undergoing multiple lengthy sessions, some lasting for several hours, and one exorcism purportedly spanning three consecutive days.

There were also claims that individuals were restrained during these rituals.

Bishop Steve Lowe, President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, acknowledges that exorcisms occasionally occur in New Zealand but said it is very unusual for people to be restrained.

Lowe describes the act of binding people during an exorcism as 'cinematic.'

Drawing from Church data, Gower stated that the official Catholic Church sanctioned 12 exorcisms over the past five years. Six of these were authorised for Auckland and Hamilton dioceses, though not all occurred.

An equal number were sanctioned in the Christchurch diocese.

In a YouTube video, Michael Mary stated that then Bishop Paul Martin of Christchurch permitted two exorcisms; both occurred, and he denies any illicit use of the permission.

Catholic community reaction

CathNews received feedback from a number of concerned Catholics regarding the 'Paddy Gower Has Issues' segments.

One correspondent accuses Gower and investigative journalist Michael Morah of trivialising a very serious matter and accusing the reporting as lacking maturity.

"A really nuanced topic is treated interspersed with getting fried chips!

"The juxtaposition shows the true level of New Zealand journalism,' said one.

"The country needs an injection of journalistic maturity,' another wrote.

The Church's perceived silence also drew attention.

"I think we can reasonably expect some response or even engagement from an official church spokesperson,' said another.

"The rather bizarre nature of these reported events, surely the Church must have something to say.

"It certainly needs to be more transparent and engage more fully.

"It's not the 1950s,' yet another said.

"It's not apt for the Church to remain silent. We, the regular Catholics, bear the brunt of public scrutiny."

A person said over the phone that concerns arose on Thursday while chatting after Mass about the medical and psychological evidence the bishop considered before granting permission for these practices.

"Tying up people, stabbing them with a crucifix is extreme.

"People have their dignity.

"With the Church so much in the spotlight, you'd think it would have something to say," they said.

A communications specialist expressed astonishment at the Church's seeming detachment and weak recent communication strategies.

"It feels like the Catholic Church leans heavily on Peter Lineham for its representation," he said.

Professor Peter Lineham has for many years written and lectured extensively on the religious history of New Zealand. Now retired, he is a member of the Anglican and Baptist Church.

"It would be better if there were a Catholic someone attached to the community.

"These days, the perception of the Church is that the church leadership seems more interested in being spiritual and holy. They're good ideals but are not sufficient. The Church also needs to engage in the here and now.

"The bishop at least needs to explain what training and expertise these priests have to perform exorcisms.

"The Church lacks engagement at critical times" said the communications specialist.

The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer

The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer entered the Christchurch diocese in 2009.

Upon their arrival, Bishop Barry Jones cautioned Catholics that the group's services lacked authorisation and weren't in communion with the Pope.

In 2012, Pope Benedict granted his approval and the group continues to be responsible in the diocese for the Latin Mass chaplaincy.

However, in an expression of lex orandi, lex credendi - how we pray reflects what we believe - Pope Francis is not disposed to the belief behind the old Latin Rite.

In February 2023, Francis admonished bishops who permitted the Latin Mass in their dioceses without Vatican consent, urging them to obtain retrospective authorisation.

Following up on correspondence from a reader, CathNews sought clarification from the Catholic Bishops Conference on the practice of the traditional Latin Rite Mass and whether the required authorisations had been applied for.

Sources

• Paddy Gower has Issues (TV3)
• CathNews NZ
• Stuff
• Transalpine Redemptorists
• Earlier this article said that Peter Lineham is involved with the Charismatic Movement and the Pentecostal Church. In making this statement, CathNews used a reference from the National Library. (Reference dated 27 July, 2023).

  Peter Lineham has been in touch, objecting to our initial reference. He accused CathNews of making a false statement about him and told us to do some research.

  By referencing the National Library, we thought we were using an authoritative source; however, in light of his correspondence, we wish to apologise to Peter for what was a genuine mistake and thank him for pointing out the error.

Recent reports from the U.S. State Department, anti-human trafficking groups, and other global leaders focus on the serious problems of trafficking, forced labour, and modern-day slavery.

The breakdown

In 2021, 27.6 million people worldwide were subjected to forced labour.

That figure comes from a September 2022 report, "Forced Labor and Forced Marriage," authored by the International Labor Organization, the U.N. International Organization for Migration, and the Australia-based human rights advocacy group the Walk Free Foundation.

According to the joint report, 17.3 million people were victims of forced labour exploitation, 6.3 million were victims of forced commercial sexual exploitation, and 3.9 million people were victims of state-imposed forced labour on any given day in the year 2021.

These figures include about 3.3 million children subject to forced labour. Half of these children are sexually exploited for commercial gain.

The Walk Free Foundation on June 16 published its separate analysis, including rankings of individual countries, in the latest edition of its Global Slavery Index.

It estimates that 28 million people were subject to forced labour last year, while another 22 million were found to be in forced marriages.

Forced marriages are particularly prevalent in Arab states and are generally imposed by family members. Women, migrants, refugees, and other people in crisis are disproportionately affected.

The Global Slavery Index estimates that 50 million people — one in 150 — were living in modern slavery at some point in 2021, an increase from 40 million people in 2016.

Notably, there is debate about how to define victims of trafficking and slavery: The U.S. State Department webpage about human trafficking notes that "modern slavery" is not defined in international or U.S. law.

Some instances of forced marriage may meet U.S. or international definitions of human trafficking, but not all cases do. It recommends using only the figures for forced labour.

Despite different views, Grace Forrest, the founding director of Walk Free, emphasised the need to combat trafficking and slavery.

"Modern slavery permeates every aspect of our society," Forrest said in a June 16 statement on the release of the Global Slavery Index.

"It is woven through our clothes, lights up our electronics, and seasons our food.

"At its core, modern slavery is a manifestation of extreme inequality. It is a mirror held to power, reflecting who in any given society has it and who does not. Nowhere is this paradox more present than in our global economy through transnational supply chains."

The Global Slavery Index bases its estimates on thousands of interviews with survivors collected in representative household surveys across 75 countries.

In its reckoning, "modern slavery" refers to exploitative situations in which a person cannot refuse or leave due to threats, violence, coercion, or deception.

It includes forced labour, prison labour, debt bondage, forced marriage, forced commercial sexual exploitation, and the sale and exploitation of children.

People who flee conflict, natural disasters, political repression, or migrate to seek work are particularly vulnerable.

Human trafficking and exploitation: how countries rank

The Global Slavery Index, which includes forced marriage, ranks North Korea the worst: More than one in 10 people are estimated to be in conditions of modern slavery. In Eritrea, about nine in 100 people are estimated to be modern slaves.

About three in 100 people in Mauritania are slaves, with fewer proportionally in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Tajikistan, and the United Arab Emirates. About one in 100 people in Russia, Afghanistan and Kuwait are in modern slavery.

Over half of all people living in modern slavery are in G20 countries and these countries help fuel enslavement by importing products and supplies reliant on forced labour.

Among G20 countries, India has 11 million people in modern slavery, China has 5.8 million people, Russia has 1.9 million people, Indonesia has 1.8 million, Turkey has 1.3 million and the U.S. has 1.1 million people, according to the report.

Human trafficking and forced labour are closer to home than many Americans think.

The Global Slavery Index warns that migrant workers in the agricultural sector in the U.S. and Canada are vulnerable to forced labour.

The index cites the use of forced prison labour in American public and private prisons. Supply chains to the U.S. market are also at risk of using forced labour, the report says.

Some U.S. visitors to the Caribbean help fuel "sex tourism" reliant upon the sexual exploitation and trafficking of minors.

More in US

The Global Slavery Index ranked countries' governments on various factors related to modern slavery:

• how countries identify and support survivors;
• how criminal justice systems work to prevent modern slavery;
• governments' anti-slavery coordination and accountability at the national and regional level;
• how countries address risk factors, social attitudes, and other institutions that enable modern slavery;
• the extent to which government and business eliminate forced labour from the production of goods and services.

According to the index, the U.K., Australia, and the Netherlands have the strongest government responses to modern slavery, followed by Portugal and the United States. Continue reading

• Kevin J. Jones is a senior staff writer with Catholic News Agency.
• This article first appeared on CathNews in July 2023. On July 27 2024 Julie Clarke from Women on Guard has contacted us advising the latest data they have is 27.6 million people are trapped in forced labour. CathNews is grateful to Julie and Women on Guard for their attention to this detail, their concern for the people behind the statistic and the injustices that are occurring.

The archbishop, an Argentine, had been since 2018 the Archbishop of La Plata, and was before that the rector of Argentina's Catholic University — a role to which he was appointed by then-Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio.

Widely regarded as the author of the 2016 apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia, Fernandez has long been a close collaborator of the pope.

Since his July 1 appointment, Fernandez has made waves — because of comments on the possibility of same-sex liturgical blessings, his handling of abuse allegations, and because of "Heal me with your mouth," a 1995 book the archbishop wrote on the subject of kissing.

Amid those waves, Pope Francis named Fernandez a cardinal July 9 — he will officially join the College of Cardinals in late September.

In an interview by email July 17, Fernandez offered his assessment of the moral landscape, and discussed his mandate in the Church, and his sense of the place and moment of Catholic theology.

Pillar: What, in your opinion, are the three or four central moral questions facing the Church at this moment in history? What is the role of the DDF in addressing them? What is the pope's approach to these issues?

Fernandez :If we talk only about morality, I would say these four:

• The absolute primacy of grace and charity in Catholic moral theology.
• The inalienable dignity of each human person, and the consequences of that.
• The preferential option for the poor, the last, and those abandoned by society.
• The individualistic, hedonistic and egocentric approaches to life that make the option for marriage, family and the common good difficult.

But we would be off to a bad start if we separated morality from theology.

We should remember that for Francis, moral issues must be approached with the great announcement of the kerygma: a Father who loves us and who seeks our human fulfillment, reflected in a Christ who saved us, who saves us today, and now lives to communicate his new life to us.

Pillar: In his letter to you on your appointment, Pope Francis said that previously, the [DDF], "rather than promoting theological knowledge, possible doctrinal errors were pursued. What I expect from you is certainly something very different," something you have since called a "turning point.

However, Praedicate evangelium, also written by Pope Francis says that the DDF "works to ensure that errors and dangerous teachings circulating among the Christian people do not go without suitable rebuttal."

These two documents seem to present different views of the role of the DDF in the safeguarding of doctrine. How do you think they can be reconciled? What is your approach to your appointment at the DDF?

Fernandez: Look, if you read the pope's letter carefully, it is clear that at no time does he say that the function of refuting errors should disappear.

Obviously, if someone says that Jesus is not a real man or that all immigrants should be killed, that will require strong intervention.

But at the same time, that [intervention] can be an opportunity to grow, to enrich our understanding.

For example, in those cases, it would be necessary to accompany that person in their legitimate intention to better show the divinity of Jesus Christ, or it will be necessary to talk about some imperfect, incomplete or problematic immigration legislation.

In the letter, the pope says very explicitly that the dicastery has to "guard" the teaching of the Church. Only that at the same time - and this is his right - he asks me for a greater commitment to help the development of thought, such as when difficult questions arise, because growth is more effective than control.

Heresies were eradicated better and faster when there was adequate theological development, and they spread and perpetuated when there were only condemnations.

But Francis also asks me to help collect the recent magisterium, and this evidently includes his own. It is part of what must be "guarded." Read more

• Edgar Beltrán is a philosopher and political scientist from Maracaibo, Venezuela. He is doing a Master's in Philosophy of Religion at Radboud University in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

Law enforcement agencies are gravely concerned about the emergence of hyper-realistic AI-generated content, fearing that it could blur the lines between real and computer-generated victims, creating complex challenges in identifying children in danger.

The NCA's director-general, Graeme Biggar, emphasises that the proliferation of such material might normalise abuse and escalate the risk of offenders transitioning to harm real children.

In response to these alarming developments, discussions are underway with AI software companies to implement safety measures, including digital tags to identify AI-generated images.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been urged to tackle a surge in child abuse images created by artificial intelligence when he gathers world leaders to discuss the technology later this year.

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), which monitors and blocks such material online, said the Prime Minister must specifically outlaw AI-generated abuse images and pressure other countries to do the same.

Susie Hargreaves, chief executive of the IWF, said: "AI is getting more sophisticated all the time. We are sounding the alarm and saying the Prime Minister needs to treat the serious threat it poses as the top priority when he hosts the first global AI summit later this year."

Not a victimless crime

Hargreaves' comments came as the IWF confirmed for the first time that it was removing cases of AI-generated child abuse images, including the most severe "category A" illegal material.

Despite the absence of real victims in these disturbing images, the IWF firmly asserts that creating and distributing AI-generated child abuse content is far from a victimless crime. Instead, it poses a serious risk of normalising abuse, hampering the identification of real instances of child endangerment and desensitising offenders to the gravity of their actions.

Adding to the alarm, the IWF has stumbled upon a chilling "manual" authored by offenders, instructing others on how to leverage AI to create even more lifelike abusive imagery.

The NCA said that an explosion in fake child abuse images could make saving real children suffering from abuse more difficult.

Chris Farrimond of the NCA said: "There is a very real possibility that, if the volume of AI-generated material increases, this could greatly impact on law enforcement resources, increasing the time it takes for us to identify real children in need of protection."

Sources

Cryptopolitan

The Telegraph

350 Aotearoa is the New Zealand arm of the international climate movement 350.org, which aims to unite the world around climate change solutions.

"Regrettably, the response to the call for action has been strikingly low, leading to the lack of media coverage on the matter," Yurjevich says.

"The inadequate number of responses received indicates insufficient credible support for climate action among New Zealand's clergy."

350 Aotearoa contacted clergy from the main denomination parishes in New Zealand in February.

The group asked for clergy support regarding a proposed letter to Members of Parliament about climate change. 350 Aotearoa also hoped to publish the letter in New Zealand's major newspapers.

"At about the same time, extreme weather events struck northern parts of New Zealand. These events served as a glimpse into the potential future effects of climate change," Yurjevich says.

Starting with environmentally destructive practices that have been increasingly detrimental to the planet since the industrial revolution, deforestation, mineral extraction, biodiversity loss and pollution of air, land and water have been accelerating since the 1980s.

"These injustices... are now inflicting severe harm on human well-being and the overall balance of life forms globally."

Yurjevich says she's noticed through personal observation that many clergy members don't feel compelled to speak out on environmental matters or climate change, despite recognising the responsibility to care for God's creation.

"Alternatively, they seem unaware of the severity of the planet's current dire state—a condition unparalleled since long before humans inhabited Earth and carbon was buried, shaping an environment suitable for human habitation," she says.

Yurjevich says in light of the clergy's disappointing engagement, she's working without them.

A list of actionable steps for individuals, institutions and businesses has been created.

"These will help them contribute positively to the climate crisis.

"The list aims to address the lack of awareness and knowledge regarding personal involvement in mitigating climate change. Sharing these actions widely can help empower and inspire those who may be unaware of the difference they can make."

Yurjevich says as the threat of climate change intensifies, it becomes increasingly critical for all sectors of society to recognise and act upon the urgency of the issue.

"Failure to take swift action poses the risk of irreparable damage to our planet and its inhabitants," she says.

CathNews highlighted recently that Kiwis are not joining the Climate Change fight.

Source

• Supplied: Marilyn Yurjevich 350.org.nz

The role is newly created, and the successful person will work closely with the bishop, general manager and senior leadership team to provide revenue growth, supporting the diocese's mission.

In the position's Candidate Brief, the diocese states that it is in the midst of an exciting chapter in its history with many upcoming fundraising opportunities.

However, the single fundraising opportunity identified in the Candidate Brief is the Cathedral Precinct development.

"Currently in the planning stages, the Cathedral Precinct development in the central city will strengthen the future of the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch."

The Candidate Brief refers to this opportunity as a "once-in-a-lifetime project" that includes "a cathedral, diocesan offices, parish offices and other associated buildings."

Earlier in the year, following the Christchurch City Council's revised CBD roading plans, the future of the Cathedral precinct was put in doubt.

Michael Gielen, Bishop of Christchurch, expressed concerns about the project's viability.

He stated, "I am committed to creating thriving parishes and building a worthy cathedral within the Diocese of Christchurch.

"However, I am aware that the cathedral represents a significant financial commitment for the diocese.

"It will be a legacy of my tenure as bishop, and I want to ensure that any decision regarding the development project is made with utmost care and comfort, as anyone in my position would."

The project was then further set back when Christchurch's "The Gathering Group", mounted a Canonical legal challenge to the Vatican

The Gathering Group sought to halt the sale of land and the construction of the new cathedral.

Gielen responded by way of a letter read out at all Sunday Masses.

In the letter, he informed Catholic congregations that the further sale of land, parish mergers and the construction of the new Christchurch Catholic Cathedral have been suspended until the diocese receives a response from Rome.

In April, it was reported that new City Council recommendations might allow the Christchurch Catholic Cathedral precinct and a 600-space parking building to proceed after all.

Bishop Gielen has assured the diocese that he will collaborate synodally on future plans.

Sources

• Catholic Diocese of Christchurch (Last accessed 14 July, 2023. Job applications closed 16 July, 2023.)
• CathNews
• CathNews
• Stuff

Archbishop Fernández (pictured) has been accused by critics of attempting to protect the priest.

Fernández has vehemently denied the allegations.

However, in an interview after conducting Mass in La Plata, Argentina, Fernández admitted that he would approach the situation differently if given the chance.

"Today, I would certainly act very differently and certainly my performance was insufficient," he told The Associated Press.

Francis appointed Fernández the archbishop of La Plata in 2018 and recently named him as head of the Holy See's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.

This role involves guaranteeing doctrinal orthodoxy and addressing sexual abuse allegations against clergy.

Additionally, Fernández was bestowed with the title of cardinal along with several other religious figures on Sunday.

BishopAccountability.org, a US-based organisation dedicated to documenting abuse in the Catholic Church, has raised concerns about Fernández's appointment as the head of the dicastery.

The organisation alleges that Fernández dismissed the allegations made by minors against Eduardo Lorenzo, a priest in the Archdiocese of La Plata, who was accused of abusing them.

Could have been more attentive to victims

In response to the criticism, Fernández issued a statement to the AP on Monday, refuting the claim that he had expressed disbelief in the allegations.

He asserted that he took steps to distance the priest from the alleged victims.

However, during the interview, Fernández expressed self-criticism and attributed his actions to his lack of experience in a different diocese, having assumed the position of archbishop of La Plata in 2018.

He acknowledged that the church's procedures for handling abuse allegations by clerics were less clear at the time.

Fernández admitted that he could have been more attentive to the victims and should have acted earlier in removing Lorenzo from his priestly duties while the investigation was ongoing.

"I cannot say that I have committed a crime or something against what was established at that time, but that I could have been a much better father, much better pastor and much more efficient. That, of course, I recognise," he told AP.

Demonstrated support for the accused priest

Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of BishopAccountability.org, expressed scepticism regarding Fernández's statements, asserting that claims of ignorance were not credible.

Doyle pointed out that Fernández had demonstrated support for the accused priest on multiple occasions and questioned why he had never reached out to Lorenzo's victims if he truly regretted his handling of the case.

Known as the "pope's theologian" due to his close advisory role to Pope Francis, Fernández is believed to have contributed to the drafting of several important documents issued by the pontiff.

Fernández revealed that he had discussed the criticism surrounding Lorenzo's case with the pope, and Francis had advised him to present an accurate account of what had transpired.

Sources

Religion News Service

Queen City News

CathNews New Zealand

"Student success is vital. It opens doors to life's best opportunities and allows school graduates to contribute positively to society," Shore told CathNews.

Acknowledging that the factors impacting state schools also affect Catholic schools, he remains optimistic that attendance numbers will improve. Shore's comments follow an earlier statement by the head of New South Wales Catholic schools, Dallas McInerney, who warned of the potential for school attendance not to return to its pre-pandemic norm.

"Government regulations meant our students were physically isolated from their peers and teachers.

"Too many were exposed to heightened levels of health and economic unease, through the media and in their homes," McInerney commented last week.

"There is a lasting effect on school attendance.

"We know that the workforce has not, and perhaps will not, return to pre-COVID levels of at-work attendance, and the same is true of students in NSW."

Shore acknowledges that areas worst hit by poverty and deprivation also suffer the most from truancy, and low attendance rates could result in several adverse outcomes such as a low-skilled workforce, poor social and relationship skills, and a perpetuating cycle of poverty and deprivation.

However, he added that an advantage of being a state-integrated school is that all support provided to state schools is available for Catholic schools as well.

Shore observed that historically, pre-pandemic data showed the attendance rate in Catholic schools was about 5-6% higher.

He attributes the difference to the community-shared values and beliefs that encourage strong relationships between home and school.

Catholic schools have generally been successful in creating powerful bonds with parents.

Citing a case in Northland where community support has boosted attendance rates, he said "Successful partnerships between schools, local iwi and the use of truancy officers is a recipe that works."

Minister of Education, Jan Tinetti, acknowledges the negative effect that Covid-19 has had on school attendance.

Facing criticism for a $1m advertising campaign that did not increase school attendance, Tinetti told the NZ Herald on Wednesday that improving school attendance is multi-faceted.

She said that the Ministry of Education is using a range of initiatives to encourage children back to school, and engaging with the broader community, such as parents and employers, is a necessary part of the solution.

Reinforcing the multi-faceted approach, Tinetti told NewstalkZB's Mike Hosking, "Every single initiative and effort they've made (the Ministry of Education) is making a difference."

Independently, Shore echoed Tinetti's Covid comments to CathNews, saying the pandemic has introduced many 'downstream' complications, such as students working to support families during tough times, disruptions causing students to disengage from education and fall behind in their studies, and poverty affecting access to schooling.

Shore is encouraged by Catholic schools and their pastoral support processes that focus on human dignity and which help create respectful and inclusive environments, fostering a sense of belonging.

Sources

• CathNews
• NZ Herald
• NewstalkZB
• Supplied

A recent Ipsos poll reveals a significant disconnect between New Zealanders' perceptions and the actual impact of individual actions on greenhouse gas emissions.

As reported by Newsroom, the survey was conducted among 1002 participants in New Zealand, compared with responses from 21,231 individuals across 29 other countries, highlighting a global trend of scepticism towards government climate plans.

Only 31 percent of New Zealanders believe the government has a clear strategy to tackle climate change, down from 46 percent last year.

Similarly, just 30 percent consider New Zealand a global leader in the fight against climate change.

While two-thirds of Kiwis acknowledge the urgency to combat the climate crisis, this figure has dropped by 6 percentage points since 2022.

Carin Hercock, Managing Director of Ipsos New Zealand, is concerned about the lack of increased awareness among New Zealanders despite experiencing severe weather events.

This also aligns with a global reduction in climate change urgency observed in other countries monitored by Ipsos.

In addition, the survey examined the reasons behind the lack of concern about climate change.

Economic conditions were cited as a factor, with 31 percent of respondents believing they were unfavourable for investing in climate measures.

In terms of motivating factors for action, half the respondents identified visible impacts of climate-driven extreme weather, financial incentives and improved access to information.

A higher proportion of Kiwis prioritised these factors compared to respondents from other countries.

However, the survey exposed a limited understanding among New Zealanders of effective individual actions and the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions.

• Recycling, for example, was incorrectly perceived as the most impactful action despite its negligible climate impact
• Switching to renewable energy ranked second but was fourth in terms of effectiveness. Choices such as growing one's own food, reducing packaging and consuming less ranked lower
• Living car-free, the top choice, was selected by only 12 percent of New Zealanders compared to 18 percent globally

"New Zealanders are still overestimating the impact actions like recycling, growing your own food, using less packaging and buying fewer items will have in contributing to the reduction in greenhouse emissions and underestimating the actions that might be harder to do, but will have a far greater impact such as living car-free, using public transport or improving housing for energy efficiency," Ipsos New Zealand's research director for public affairs Amanda Dudding said.

"Our understanding of many of these high-impact actions are much lower than the global average, so clearly more education is required," she said.

In 2021 Swedish Environmental activist Greta Thunberg singled out New Zealand for its lack of action on climate change, accusing the leadership of being all talk.

Source

• Newsroom

The move aims to preserve the potential for these churches to reopen in the future rather than be sold off after merging with larger parishes.

This proposal is set for discussion by the General Synod, the Church's legislative body.

The Telegraph reports that the plan suggests renting the underutilised buildings to local authorities, other Christian denominations, or different institutions through shared ownership agreements.

The Church Commissioners for England, the group in charge of managing the Church's $13 billion endowment fund and investment portfolio, proposed this plan.

The Archbishop of Canterbury leads this group.

Proponents of the plan will present it for debate at the Synod this week.

They believe in allowing these churches to hibernate rather than abandon them, providing an opportunity for the Church and community to stay open to new possibilities for service and witness as circumstances evolve.

Critic of the archbishops for overseeing the rapid decline of parishes, campaigners view this proposal as a significant victory.

The Rev. Marcus Walker, the chairman of the Save the Parish campaign group, applauded the plan as a win for local parishioners.

However, this proposal requires parishioners from churches that go into hibernation to seek alternative worship locations.

Drop in attendance a personal failure

Despite this positive reception, the plan faces the backdrop of a steep decline in church attendance over the past decade.

In June, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby acknowledged the drop in attendance during his tenure as a personal "failure."

The report on the rental plan includes a "theological introduction" by the Bishop of Ramsbury, Andrew Rumsey.

The bishop emphasises the significant burden of governance on small communities and the challenges local volunteers face to keep their churches open.

Rumsey highlights the premature closure of architectural legacies due to stress and lack of resources.

He proposes a fallow or "jubilee" period for church buildings, allowing them to rest and recover, mirroring the natural cycles of growth and abundance.

This approach aims to preserve the common ground between the church and the neighbourhood while waiting for future growth.

The statistics paint a stark picture of the decline in church attendance and closures.

Between 2010 and 2019, 423 churches closed and, from 1987 to 2019, nearly 1,000 churches shut down, according to CofE data analysed by The Telegraph.

The number of operational churches now stands at about 15,496. Furthermore, according to the Office for National Statistics, the share of Christians in England and Wales has also decreased, dropping from 59.3% in 2011 to 46.2% in 2021.

Sources

Christian Post

The Telegraph

This marks a departure from the tradition of archbishops travelling to Rome to receive the pallium directly from the Pope. Instead, Martin will receive it by mail.

The pallium is a distinctive garment consisting of white woollen bands, approximately two inches wide, adorned with 12-inch pendants. It is worn over the chasuble.

The Pope confers the pallium upon archbishops and bishops with metropolitan jurisdiction. While it does not elevate the archbishop's status, it serves as a tangible representation of the unity between Rome and the local church.

According to reports from America Magazine, Pope Francis believes that this modified ceremony encourages the active participation of the local Church in a significant moment of its life and history.

Additionally, Francis sees this new custom as a way to advance the synodal journey further.

Traditionally, palliums are blessed annually on June 29, during the Feast of Sts Peter and Paul. Before the blessing, the palliums are placed on St Peter's tomb beneath the basilica's high altar.

During a homily at the ceremony of blessing, Pope Francis urged the archbishops to be like Peter and Paul.

He highlighted Peter's unwavering response of "follow" to Jesus' call, while noting that Paul's mission was to "proclaim and preach" the Gospel.

While several of the 32 new archbishops joined Francis for the occasion, they will still receive their pallium from their nuncio in their home archdiocese.

Archbishop Martin's pallium is yet to arrive.

He will receive it in a special pallium ceremony that will take place at the metropolitan pro-cathedral of St Teresa in Karori, Wellington.

Source

• Supplied
• America Magazine

An unlikely invitation had landed in my Whatsapp messages, and yet again, my plans to spend a few months writing a new book were interrupted. This time the invitation was to help with the work toward the Synod on Synodality.

It is difficult to think of an ecclesial process more important to me, so I gladly set aside the pile of books.

I have since learned more about the church than I could ever have imagined, and the synod process has come to seem even more urgent and fruitful. Much of what I have learned has been surprising.

In the early months of my involvement, several journalists said that the synod process would inevitably reveal a church divided culturally between Europe and Africa, divided between clergy and laity, and at war with itself over moral issues.

I was told that participation was so low as to make the process meaningless, that the reports had probably all been pre-written, and that the process would be either a sell-out or a stitch-up.

These were fairly dispiriting statements to take into the process I was preparing for: reading the episcopal conference reports as well as the reflections produced by religious congregations, lay movements and associations, plus the many individual submissions made to the synod.

If I were to talk to the same journalists now, I would tell them that their preconceptions were wrong.

I came away from the process with a deeper sense of the profound and vulnerable questions raised by synod participants.

For some people, this was the first time they had spoken publicly about their hopes and fears for the church. They felt a profound sense of dignity in contributing but worried about whether they would really make any difference.

In a culture that prizes certainty and opposition in political discourse, many people gave voice to their uncertainty and their desire for guidance and accompaniment, and for the communal spaces that would make reflecting together possible.

One bishop compared the synod's method of spiritual conversation to a disarmament process, and another told me his diocese would never be the same again (a good thing!).

Many who participated in the synod spoke honestly about the difficulty of genuinely listening to someone you disagree with, or with whom you feel you have little in common beyond a baptismal identity.

But it also became evident to me that the church is not divided in a culture war between continents.

Many of the most significant tensions and cleavages lie between neighbors, whose histories shape much of their ecclesial experience.

The innovation of meeting at the level of the continent (something with which Latin America now has long experience) is one of the least mentioned but one of the most important aspects of the synod.

Another discovery: The questions of the status and participation of women, increased transparency in the church, and how to hold together love, mercy and truth in extending a welcome were not solely the concerns of the global North. These echoed from every corner of the Catholic world.

It is true that some individuals and groups remain skeptical and even hostile toward the process; others now wish they had had more chances to become involved. Continue reading

The guide seeks to present Holy Scripture in an engaging manner to younger individuals who may not typically engage with the Bible.

The guide, a brainchild of the Bible Society of New Zealand, is a unique response to the Synod on Youth that was held in 2018.

The Bible Society describes Identity:Identified as "unique" and a practical tool to help everyone, especially young people, follow Jesus as they navigate life's challenges and trust him as a true friend and companion.

Beyond featuring hundreds of inspiring and uplifting Biblical passages, Identity:Identified offers 96 pages of curated content across 24 inserts, each addressing key challenges facing today's youth.

Among the topics included are

• navigating loneliness
• peer pressure
• living in a highly sexualised society
• coping with online bullying, and
• understanding life's deeper meaning

Adding a modern touch, the guide features 32 QR codes linking to video testimonials on the transformative power of Scripture in life. An accompanying app enhances the utility of the guide by offering access to insert materials, videos and daily readings.

The New Zealand Bishops have expressed their unequivocal support for Identity:Identified.

They believe the guide will be a powerful reminder to young people of God's enduring love and unfailing support, especially during their most challenging times.

They are optimistic that this innovative approach to spiritual guidance will resonate with young individuals navigating the modern world.

Among the contributors of the Catholic teaching materials are Bishop Steve Lowe, Emeritus Cardinal John Dew, Bishop Michael Dooley and Australia's Archbishop Mark Coleridge, alongside other prominent Catholic figures from Asia-Pacific such as the late Cardinal Sim from Borneo, Archbishop Simon Poh from Malaysia and Bishop Broderick Pabillo from the Philippines.

Source

• Supplied - Bible Society

The probe is in connection with media coverage of sexual abuse scandals within the Catholic Church.

The Cologne prosecutors confirmed that around 30 police officers searched six locations, including Woelki's residence and an IT centre responsible for handling Church emails.

In a statement, the prosecutors clarified that the searches proceeded smoothly and encountered significant cooperation from the sites involved.

The prosecutors also emphasised that the accusations against Woelki do not suggest any active or passive involvement in covering up or participating in acts of abuse.

"In terms of content, the main issue in each case is whether Cardinal Woelki had any knowledge at all and, if so, at what specific point in time, of allegations of abuse levelled against two clerics," Cologne Prosecutor Ulf Willuhn told reporters.

Cardinal Woelki, aged 66, has faced intense criticism for his handling of widespread child molestation cases involving clergy members, including allegations that he assisted in concealing abuse committed by two priests in Duesseldorf, one of whom has since passed away.

The Cologne prosecutor's office initiated the investigation into Woelki following a criminal complaint filed by a layperson last month.

The suspicion of perjury stems from Woelki's testimony during a media rights hearing against Bild newspaper in late March. In his testimony, Woelki claimed never to have read two documents about a priest accused of abuse and denied being aware of their contents.

However, it is alleged that he referenced the information contained in those documents, which included details of sexual misconduct by the priest against young individuals, in a letter sent to the Vatican in 2018.

Vatican visitation ordered by Pope

Under German law, perjury carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years, with a minimum penalty of one year behind bars.

The German criminal justice system has recently taken a proactive stance in prosecuting offences related to sexual abuse scandals that have plagued the Roman Catholic Church over the past few decades.

In a potentially groundbreaking case, a German court earlier this month ordered the Cologne archdiocese to pay €300,000 ($328,000) in damages to a victim of repeated sexual abuse by a priest.

Previously, the Church in Germany had made "voluntary" payments totalling approximately €40 million to victims.

A study commissioned by the German Bishops' Conference in 2018 revealed that between 1946 and 2014, 1,670 clergymen had committed some form of sexual assault against 3,677 minors.

Authorities believe that the actual number of victims may be significantly higher.

In response to a damning report on child sex abuse, including an examination of potential mistakes made by Woelki, Pope Francis ordered an apostolic visitation of the Cologne archdiocese in 2021.

The visitation aims to investigate the handling of abuse cases within the diocese.

Following the raids, Thomas Schueller, an expert in canon law at the University of Muenster, told the newspaper Rheinische Post that "it is now up to Woelki to decide for himself whether to pull the ripcord.

"However, his behaviour so far shows that he is clinging to his bishop's chair and puts his personal well-being above that of the Archdiocese of Cologne," Schueller said.

Sources

UCA News

National Catholic Reporter

CathNews New Zealand

Aimed at creating updated diocesan guidelines, the move opens up the consultation process, historically limited to bishops and church leaders, to a broader base of stakeholders.

To collect the feedback, the commission has established an online survey.

According to CNA, anyone can participate in the survey, which is available in English, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese.

New Zealanders' feedback will be combined with feedback from around the world and be instrumental in developing an updated Universal Guidelines Framework (UGF), as announced by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors last week.

Globally effective and meaningful safeguarding principles

According to its website, the commission wants to ensure the guidelines are globally effective and meaningful.

While acknowledging that "each country and context have their own cultural, linguistic and other individual characteristics," the commission would like these guidelines to be applied everywhere.

Commission member Teresa Devlin told Vatican News that the Global South, particularly Asia, is part of the world most behind in developing its own guidelines and abuse reporting and response structures.

But, she added, "It is up and down across the world."

"Some places are very well developed. Some places have not yet started to address the whole idea of abuse within the Church."

Moving forward

The current draft guidelines have been circulated to bishops' conferences for feedback as part of the review.

The New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference spokesperson, Mr David McLoughlin, confirmed the Conference received the document on Wednesday.

McLoughlin told CathNews that the relevant people are studying it, and the "document will help positively to strengthen further our comprehensive local safeguarding policies and practices."

The commission plans for the new UGF to be finalised by the end of 2023 and distributed globally.

After finalisation, Catholic dioceses will be asked to revise their safeguarding guidelines in line with local cultural norms.

In 2024, the commission plans to release its first report on the implementation progress of the safeguarding guidelines in various countries and, over time, information regarding the guideline's implementation will be added to when bishops' conferences visit Rome during their five-yearly obligatory visit.

By extending the consultation process to all, the commission wants to underline its commitment to an inclusive approach to child protection, reflecting the need for local context understanding and global collaboration.

Sources

• CNA
• Vatican News
• Crux

Some bishops are using social media to inflame "a uniquely toxic situation", author and theologian Dr Dawn Eden Goldstein (pictured) says.

Speaking to the Tablet about "The Church and polarisation: where does this leave Catholics in the United States?" Goldstein had this to say:

"Polarisation in the United States is seen largely where people try to make the Church coterminous with a particular political party - ‘if you are a real Catholic, you are going to be a member of a specific party'. That is especially bad where you have got a two-party system."

Of those Catholics "biding time until the next pope", Goldstein said "We have to call out schism wherever it comes from."

Divisive bishops

"When a bishop is using social media to be divisive, then we really have a problem," Goldstein said.

"Rome is still not really aware of the toxic effects that a bishop can have rallying people on social media and doing the same sort of things that Donald Trump tried to do to polarise people."

Catholics involved in conservative think tanks can be locked into "a persistent hermeneutic of suspicion" against Pope Francis, she said.

They think he is a liberal Pope, she claims. This means they think they are free to disregard anything he says which is not infallible.

"It is not Catholic to simply assume that as long as the Pope is not speaking infallibly, I can ignore it. That's the schism that we are all dealing with right now and we need to pray for unity."

Asked if she thinks the synodal journey can heal this polarisation, she said she has noted "a significant amount of apathy" among the US bishops towards the Synod on Synodality.

"I think the Synod can help by making bishops aware of the extent to which the faithful are affected by polarisation," she said.

"Maybe if bishops get a better understanding of these problems that are harming the faithful, particularly in the social media ecosphere, they could be more sensitive about things that inflame divisions."

Media role

Author and commentator Gloria Purvis said Catholic media is obliged to communicate the truth and point people towards Catholic values.

She spoke about her role as a presenter of an EWTN radio show which is now closed down.

She believes her efforts to raise the issue of racism as a life issue was unpopular with "self-described devout Catholics who are typical of EWTN's audience".

These people have "an anaemic view of human dignity" and the Church's teaching on racial justice.

"I did get a lot of racist hate mail when I was at EWTN on Morning Glory when I tried to bring up the issue of racism," she said.

"I was really well known for talking about defence of life in the womb and authentic women's rights from a Catholic perspective.

"For some reason people assumed that meant only a particular thing ... when I stepped outside of their preconceived notions and was just as vigorous a defender of a person's human dignity in the area of race, I think it was seen as a betrayal by some people."

Purvis said the EWTN affiliate Guadalupe Radio claimed her show was contentious and dropped it. At the end of the year the show was not renewed.

• The Tablet

Rising inequality and related disparities and anxieties have been stoking social discontent and are a major driver of the increased political polarisation and populist nationalism that are so evident today.

An increasingly unequal society can weaken trust in public institutions and undermine democratic governance.

Mounting global disparities can imperil geopolitical stability.

Rising inequality has emerged as an important topic of political debate and a major public policy concern.

High and rising inequality

Current inequality levels are high.

Contemporary global inequalities are close to the peak levels observed in the early 20th century, at the end of the prewar era (variously described as the Belle Époque or the Gilded Age) that saw sharp increases in global inequality.

Over the past four decades, there has been a broad trend of rising income inequality across countries.

Income inequality has risen in most advanced economies and major emerging economies, which together account for about two-thirds of the world's population and 85 percent of global GDP (Figure 1).

The increase has been particularly large in the United States, among advanced economies, and in China, India, and Russia, among major emerging economies.

Beyond these groups of countries, the trend in the developing world at large has been more mixed, but many countries have seen increases in inequality.

In regions such as Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa, income inequality levels on average have been relatively more stable, but inequality was already at high levels in these regions—the highest in the world.

Wealth inequality within countries is typically much higher than income inequality.

It has followed a rising trend across countries since around 1980, similar to income inequality.

Higher wealth inequality feeds higher future income inequality through capital income and inheritance.

Figure 1. Inequality has risen in most advanced and major emerging economies
Richest 10% income share, 1980-2020

Source: Author, using data from World Inequality Database.
Note: Pre-tax national income. Some data points are extrapolated.

The increase in inequality has been especially marked at the top end of the income distribution, with the income share of the top 10 percent (and even more so that of the top 1 percent) rising sharply in many countries.

This was so particularly up to the global financial crisis of 2008-09.

Those in low- and middle-income groups have suffered a loss of income share, with those in the bottom 50 percent typically experiencing larger losses of income share.

These trends in inequality have been associated with an erosion of the middle class and a decline in intergenerational mobility, especially in advanced economies experiencing larger increases in inequality and a greater polarization in income distribution.

While within-country inequality has been rising, inequality between countries (reflecting per capita income differences) has been falling in recent decades.

Faster-growing emerging economies, especially the large ones such as China and India, have been narrowing the income gap with advanced economies.

Global inequality—the sum of within-country and between-country inequality—has declined somewhat since around 2000, with the fall in between-country inequality more than offsetting the rise in within-country inequality.

As within-country inequality has been rising, it now accounts for a much larger part of global inequality (about two-thirds in 2020, up from less than half in 1980).

Looking ahead, how within-country inequality evolves will matter even more for global inequality.

The interplay between the evolution of within-country inequality and between-country inequality, coupled with the differential growth performance of emerging and advanced economies, in recent decades presents an interesting picture of middle-class dynamics at the global level (as depicted by the well-known "elephant curve" of the incidence of global economic growth). It shows, for the period since 1980, a rising middle class in the emerging world and a squeezed middle class in rich countries.

It also shows an increasing concentration of income at the very top of the income distribution globally.

Drivers of rising inequality

Shifting economic paradigms are altering distributional dynamics. Transformative technological change, led by digital technologies, has been reshaping markets, business models, and the nature of work in ways that can increase inequality within economies.

While the specifics differ across countries, this has been happening broadly through three channels. Continue reading

Remarkably, these embryos have reportedly been created from embryonic stem cells, meaning they do not require sperm and ova.

This development, widely described as a breakthrough that could help scientists learn more about human development and genetic disorders, was revealed this week in Boston at the annual meeting of the International Society for Stem Cell Research.

The research, announced by Professor Magdalena Żernicka-Goetz of the University of Cambridge and the California Institute of Technology, has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

But Żernicka-Goetz told the meeting these human-like embryos had been made by reprogramming human embryonic stem cells.

So what does all this mean for science, and what ethical issues does it present?

What did the researchers do?

Each of these synthetic human embryos is created from a single stem cell. Żernicka-Goetz described how her team grew the synthetic embryos to a stage of development called "gastriculation", which is a stage just beyond the 14-day developmental mark for a human embryo.

The current legal limit to how long a human embryo can be permitted to develop in a lab is 14 days.

This is approximately the length of time from fertilisation of the egg to implantation in the uterine wall, if conception has taken place within a human womb.

So, synthetic embryos have - for the first time - been allowed to develop past this point.

Initially, the 14-day rule was both a moral and a practical limit; scientists didn't have the technology to keep embryos alive longer than this.

But the International Society for Stem Cell Research's 2016 guidelines also suggested the 14-day limit was morally appropriate, as past this point the cells within the embryo begin to differentiate to form important body systems like the gut, brain and lungs.

The International Society for Stem Cell Research's updated 2021 guidelines now say we should reconsider the 14-day rule, via public debate, to perhaps allow research on embryos later into development in some cases.

From what has been reported about Żernicka-Goetz and her team's research, the creation of synthetic human-like embryos is a significant advance.

It's further remarkable they seem to behave, in terms of development, like a human embryo would in some ways.

Żernicka-Goetz reported the human-like embryos began to develop placenta and yolk sacs, but not a beating heart or the beginning of a brain.

Despite the role of the placenta in pregnancy, and its importance to the health of mother and fetus, we know surprisingly little about this vital but temporary organ.

If it was possible to observe placenta in a lab via these synthetic embryos, this could yield valuable knowledge.

Moral quandaries

However, just as there are real possibilities for gaining knowledge from synthetic human-like embryos, there are also real moral quandaries.

One of these quandaries arises around whether their creation really gets us away from the use of human embryos.

Robin Lovell-Badge, the head of stem cell biology and developmental genetics at the Francis Crick Institute in London UK, reportedly said that if these human-like embryos can really model human development in the early stages of pregnancy, then we will not have to use human embryos for research.

At the moment, it is unclear if this is the case for two reasons.

First, the embryos were created from human embryonic stem cells, so it seems they do still need human embryos for their creation. Perhaps more light will be shed on this when Żernicka-Goetz's research is published.

Second, there are questions about the extent to which these human-like embryos really can model human development.

At the moment, animal models of similar synthetic embryos suggest they are not capable of developing into a full living being. Studies in mice and monkeys have so far shown that the synthetic embryos die a short while after being implanted into a female's womb, which means they are not viable.

There could be significant limits to the usefulness of these synthetic embryos for learning about human developmental issues, if human-like synthetic embryos aren't capable of developing into full human babies and do not form important body structures like a beating heart and a brain.

One of the reasons researchers want to use these embryos is for research into miscarriage and developmental anomalies. This is very important, but will these synthetic embryos be "close enough" to real human embryos to reveal useful answers?

Scientists may still rely on the use of human embryos if we do need human embryos for the creation of these models, or there are research questions that these synthetic embryos can't address.

Is it morally permissible?

This leaves us with the important moral question about whether it is permissible to use human embryos for research.

Further, if the human-like synthetic embryos are capable of developing into full living beings, then we must consider whether it is morally permissible to create them just for research.

It could be that they are not currently capable of developing much further than the 14-day mark.

Scientists might decide that this is a problem that needs to be fixed, partly for practical reasons about the limits to their usefulness. Scientists might then fix these synthetic embryos so that they could continue to develop. However, this would create a huge moral quandary.

We should think carefully about whether it is ethical to create living human-like beings only to conduct research on them.

• Kathryn MacKay is a Senior Lecturer in Bioethics, University of Sydney.
• First published in The Conversation. Republished with permission.