The Government’s proposed speech-banning legislation was highly problematic, so it is welcome news that it has been dropped. But the Government has not had the good sense to dump it completely. There are worrying signs that the muddle might yet be disinterred and a resurrection attempt made. The Greens have expressed disappointment, and the matter Read more
A Dutch cardinal has said that he is pressing ahead with a plan to phase out Sunday Word and Communion services in the absence of a priest within his territory. Cardinal Willem Eijk, the Archbishop of Utrecht, said in a Feb 14 letter that he was committed to eliminating the priestless Sunday celebrations over the Read more
Religious leaders, including Christians, have applauded the recent move by police in the north-eastern state of Assam, India, to curb child marriages. More than 3,000 people, including Hindu and Muslim priests who officiated the child marriages in the state, were rounded up as part of the crackdown, which began on 3 February. The initiative was Read more
Rumours swirling about the Anglican Communion in England’s recent ‘yes’ vote for same-sex blessings have been cleared up by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Decisions made by the Anglican Communion in England apply only to England. They don’t have an international reach, Justin Welby says. He reminded people of the autonomy of Anglican Provinces, as rumours Read more
Despite some international media saying the Oceania Continent Synod response was released recently, CathNews has confirmed it has not been. Recently released was the report of the Federation of Catholic Bishops’ of Oceania Conference (FCBOC). In January, a church group of about twenty representatives from across the Pacific gathered in Melbourne to synthesise the responses Read more
Auckland Catholic diocese has written to the Government’s Finance and Expenditure Select Committee about the 2023 Budget Policy Statement (BPS). The diocese’s Justice and Peace Commission’s submission particularly focuses on housing and child poverty, Māori children and the youth justice system. Housing affordability Acknowledging the ‘10,688 homes added to the public housing stock since 2017″, Read more
Pope Francis has again expressed his stance against the criminalisation of homosexuality and confirmed his support for LGBTQ rights. During his flight from South Sudan to Rome, he stated, “God loves people with homosexual tendencies. To condemn them is a sin. Criminalising them is an injustice.” Pope Francis’ comments came in response to laws criminalising Read more
Dozens of Oceania’s Catholic bishops, including four from New Zealand, are in Fiji on a shared mission. The Federation of Catholic Bishops Conferences of Oceania gather together every four years to reflect on and pray about their shared mission in the region. Among those present are representatives from bishops conferences in Australia, Papua New Guinea/Solomon Read more
Who was Benedict XVI? The question sounds odd because the answer must be so obvious. For nearly eight years, until his stunning decision to resign on the last day of February 2013, Joseph Ratzinger was pope, the most visible exponent of Catholicism in the world—a universal pastor and renowned theologian, who presented his ideas and Read more
Today Australia is awash with politicians who identify or are identified as Catholic. Anthony Albanese is a Catholic. Down the Eastern seaboard, the three state premiers, Dominic Perrottet (NSW), Daniel Andrews (Victoria) and Peter Malinauskas (SA) are Catholics. There are many other high-profile Catholics at ministerial level and as opposition leaders. Others, like Queensland Premier, Read more