New Zealand

$100 million Christchurch Catholic Cathedral complex

christchurch catholic cathedral

The new Christchurch Catholic Cathedral complex is estimated to cost $100 million. – Originally reported 3 May 2021. The announcement was made Monday by the Coadjutor Archbishop of Wellington and Apostolic Administrator of the Christchurch diocese, Paul Martin. The diocese hopes the whole complex will be completed within five years. To fund the project Martin Read more

Church care for people includes the temporal and spiritual

The Auckland Catholic diocese responded to a small number of calls concerned about St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Grey Lynn, allowing a Catholic funeral to a gang member and alleged criminal. – Originally reported 21 June 2021. Family and friends were joined at the Church last Friday by hundreds of other mourners from patched gangs including Read more

I am not a religious person but thank God for the Pope – Helen Clark

Clark

A former New Zealand Prime Minister who was until recently administrator of the United Nations Development Programme believes the role of religion and faith organisations in developing and securing peace is “absolutely critical”. – Originally published 7 August 2017. The Rt Hon Helen Clark ONZ PC said this in response to a question put to Read more

Acting Dame Whina led Rena Owen back to Mass

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/CraH2y0V9Us/maxresdefault.jpg

Dame Whina Cooper (1895-1994) may no longer be with us but her spirit is still strong, as actress Rena Owen can attest. – Originally reported 13 June 2022. Owen, who is portraying Te Whaea o Te Motu (mother of the Nation) in a new movie called simply Whina, says the role is her most challenging Read more

Perhaps it’s time for “Little Churches”

little churches

A Wellington parish priest is calling into question the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s decision to limit the number of people in churches to ten people. – Originally reported 11 May, 2020. “It is strange that bars and restaurants can open but churches are limited to just ten people”, said Fr Pete Roe the Parish Administrator Read more

Archbishop Dew describes battles at synod on family

On his daily blog from the synod on the family, Archbishop John Dew has painted a picture of sharp divisions among synod members. – Originally reported 17 October 2014 On his October 15 posting from Rome, Archbishop Dew noted that there had been vigorous arguments in the small group discussions taking place this week. “The Read more

Lyndsay Freer changed Catholic communications for the better

Catholic Communications

The Catholic Church has “lost the plot” and needs to rethink its media strategy according to Emeritus Bishop of Auckland Patrick Dunn. – Originally reported 2 May, 2022. Dunn made the comment at a farewell lunch for Dame Lyndsay Freer, who for so long was the voice and face of Catholic Communications in New Zealand, Read more

Bishop Cullinane calls for an overhaul of English Missal

The Emeritus Bishop of Palmerston North, New Zealand, in a letter to The London Tablet, says that there should be an overhaul of the English missal. – Originally reported 31 March 2015 (The English-speaking Church continues to wait. Ed.) Bishop Peter J Cullinane says critics describe the present translation as clunky, awkward and a too Read more

New Zealand’s Catholic bishops should resign

Catholic bishops

All Catholic bishops in New Zealand must resign, says respected Catholic theologian Dr Christopher Longhurst. – Originally reported August 22, 2024 Longhurst’s comments, reported in the widely read publication La Croix International, are strongly critical of the very people from whom he receives his daily bread. New Zealand’s Catholic bishops employ him to teach at Read more

I need to change. Bishop Lowe responds to “Pink Shoes into Vatican”

Women who have for years trodden a path of service to the church but still feel disenfranchised, marginalised and unheard were honoured simultaneously on Sunday in Auckland and Wellington by an event “Pink Shoes into the Vatican.” – Originally reported September 19 2022 Be the Change, Catholic Church, Aotearoa New Zealand chose Sunday – the Read more

Analysis and Comment

We don’t need women deacons

Women deacons

Women deacons are in effect working well in the Church, except we do not call them deacons, and they are not ordained. This is the view of Dr Joe Grayland, theologian, author and parish priest of three parishes in Palmerston North, New Zealand. He questions whether we need another form of the clergy. – Originally Read more

Married priests, women priests and laity send Terry and me to Hell

married priests

This is not an easy article to write, but it has been with me for a long time. It comes to the surface when I’m told that priests feel threatened by the ordination of women. – Originally reported 22 May, 2013 Of course, they feel threatened. Would a starving man feel threatened working with a Read more

Love George Pell or loathe him, we should all be grateful that justice has been delivered

george pell

Some Australians, including many victims of child sexual abuse, revile George Pell. Others hold him in high esteem. Neither of these groups will have their minds changed about Cardinal Pell, ­regardless of what any court might determine. The majority of Australians fall into neither camp. Victorian Police In the midst of controversy and with allegations Read more

Editorial Comment: “See how they love one another”

The editors at CathNews New Zealand and Pacific have been saddened by some aggressive and even offensive comments that have been submitted to our website. Not all of them have been approved for publication. – Originally reported 29 May 2015. Feed-back we have received would lead us to believe we are not alone in our Read more

CathNews to be published by NZ Bishops in 2025

In 2025, CathNews will be published by the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (NZCBC). The Church Resources Ltd board, the current publisher of CathNews, recently made this decision. The move follows the closure of NZ Catholic in June and the promise of a new publication. Forward looking – a new chapter This change marks a Read more

  • Oddly

  • NZCBC CathNews

    We respect your email privacy

    Powered by AWeber Email Marketing

  • World

  • Cardinal Bergoglio: End sacramental blackmail and neo-clericalism

    Cardinal Bergoglio angered at priests refusal to baptise children born out of wedlock

    The Bishop of Buenos Aires, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, has used strong language to criticise priests who refuse to baptise children born to single mothers. – Originally reported 11 September 2012 – (We liked Pope Francis even when he was Jorge Bergoglio. This is the only story that ever brought down the whole website. People flocked Read more

  • RIP Queen Elizabeth II – woman of faith

    RIP Queen Elizabeth

    Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral during on the afternoon of 8 September in Scotland. Her death was announced on September 9, around 5:00 am. (NZ time.) – Originally reported 9 September 2022 In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain Read more

  • Priest calls for new ways of parish leadership

    A former vicar-general in Vienna says the Church is at a crossroads in terms of lay parish leadership because of the shortage of priests. – Originally reported 5 June 2015 Fr Helmut Schüller said merging independent parishes into vast, impersonal parish associations is “pretty much the most unimaginative thing one can do”. In the long Read more

  • Secret report calls for radical revamp of Catholic Church

    A secret report being considered by Australia’s bishops wants unprecedented reform in the church. The reforms aim to make the church more inclusive and break down the structures that contributed to decades of clergy abuse and cover-ups. – Originally reported 25 May 2020 The church could be “dramatically overhauled” to give lay people more power, Read more

  • ‘Walkout’ over role of women at Australia’s Catholic plenary council

    plenary Council

    The Second Assembly of Australia’s Plenary Council was disrupted on Wednesday when a vote to include women as deacons failed to attract enough support from Australian bishops. – Originally reported 7 July 2022. As a result, some delegates protested – they refused to take their seats and stood at the back of the meeting room. Read more