New Zealand

Heritage protection expected for former seminary

heritage protection

Heritage protection likely to be granted next week will be able to save the vacant Holy Cross Catholic seminary from demolition. The Church had planned to demolish much of the Mosgiel building – unaware that Heritage Protection would save it. No to demo Former leaseholder – Taste Nature owner Clinton Chambers – deserves thanks for Read more

Gulls create mayhem at Christchurch diocese’s demolished building

Catholic

Nesting in the flooded foundations of a demolished office building owned by the Christchurch Diocese and Carter Group, rare New Zealand gulls are creating mayhem in central Christchurch. The problem with nesting began in the foundations of the Armagh Street building in 2019. Today, the area is overrun by red-billed and black-billed gulls which have Read more

Analysis and Comment

Archbishop of Canterbury: who next?

Canterbury

When former Archbishop Rowan Williams announced in March 2012 that he was standing down as Archbishop of Canterbury, bookmakers started taking bets on his successor. Bishop John Sentamu, then Archbishop of York, was the clear favourite with the Bishops of London, Liverpool and Bradford among others in the running. One of the front-runners said to Read more

Religion in the workplace is tricky, but everyone loses when it becomes a taboo

religion

Since we spend so much of our lives at our jobs, it’s only natural that conversations with colleagues go beyond the work in front of us. People share interests and hobbies, family struggles, health concerns, and hopes or goals, from the silly to the serious. The topic of religion, however, can provoke anxiety. Many people Read more

Bernie Sanders says the left has lost the working class. Has it forgotten how to speak to them?

working class

Donald Trump was elected US president this week. Despite vastly outspending her opponent and drafting a galaxy of celebrities to her cause – Jennifer Lopez, Oprah Winfrey, Ricky Martin, Taylor Swift – Democratic candidate Kamala Harris lost the Electoral College, the popular vote and all the swing states. This has bewildered and dismayed liberals – Read more

Young men who see women as objects are more likely to be violent towards their partners: new research

partner violence

Intimate partner violence is a global scourge. One in four Australian women have experienced physical or sexual violence at the hands of an intimate partner. The perpetrators are overwhelmingly heterosexual men. Many factors contribute to this form of violence. Persistent gender inequality is a fundamental systemic cause, but researchers have identified additional risk factors. These Read more

New confession guidelines adopted by French Catholic bishops

confession guidelines

To combat abuse and protect vulnerable people, France’s Catholic bishops adopted new guidelines last week for priests hearing confessions and giving spiritual counselling. The new measures follow recommendations from the Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church (CIASE) which three years ago urged the Church to implement strict directives for confessors. The guidelines specify Read more

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  • Calls for senior clergy to follow Welby and resign

    Welby resigns

    Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has resigned following mounting criticism of his handling of the John Smyth abuse scandal, with calls for other senior clergy implicated in the case to follow suit. An independent review, led by safeguarding expert Keith Makin, condemned the Church of England for its failure to report the “abhorrent abuse” Smyth Read more

  • Vatican and Microsoft use AI to bring St Peter’s to the world

    Microsoft

    In a groundbreaking collaboration, the Vatican and Microsoft have partnered to create a digital replica of St Peter’s Basilica, offering an immersive online and in-person experience. Using advanced AI and photogrammetry, this project will provide millions of people throughout the world a virtual gateway to one of Catholicism’s holiest sites. The launch coincides with preparations Read more

  • High Court limits Catholic Church’s liability in abuse cases

    Church liability

    In a landmark decision, Australia’s High Court has ruled that the Catholic Church is not vicariously liable for child abuse committed by priests not directly employed by the institution. This ruling overturns a 2023 Victorian court decision that held the church responsible for the abuse of a five-year-old by assistant priest Father Bryan Coffey. The Read more

  • Italy feels Catholic but Church needs to modernise

    A recent study by research company Censis for the Italian Bishops’ Conference reveals that, while 71% of Italians identify as Catholic, fewer than half attend church regularly and individualistic approaches to faith are on the rise. The report, released just before Italy’s first Synodal Assembly, highlights a shifting landscape in Italy’s religious practices and challenges Read more

  • US bishops to defend immigrants in Trump’s second term

    immigrants

    One week after former President Donald Trump’s re-election, US Catholic bishops gathered in Baltimore, committing to defend immigrants and the poor despite anticipated challenges. Leaders of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) emphasised that they would champion vulnerable communities and work towards immigration reform. “As the successors of the Apostles and vicars of Christ Read more