Radical, unrealistic and even heretical suggestions were part of the conversation background at the New Zealand Catholic Church’s national Synod synthesis group that met at St Catherine’s College, Wellington last weekend. The national Synod synthesis in New Zealand is the latest part of the local Church’s participation in the Pope’s Synodal path to the Church’s Read more
Catholic dioceses in New Zealand have completed their synodal consultation and submitted their diocesan synod synthesis to the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (NZCBC), reports Mr David McLoughlin, NZCBC Communications Adviser. An unrealistic deadline for southern hemisphere countries who were enjoying a summer holiday saw Pope Francis extend the diocesan deadline by four months. “A Read more
Synodality is not populism, it means communion, says Pope Francis. Synodality is “a path of ecclesial communion that seeks to open minds and hearts to the will of the Holy Spirit.” What synodality is not, is a reorganisation of church structures, he emphasises. In a video message to the Pontifical Commission for Latin America last Read more
A submission to the 2023 synodal process from 58 of over 100 members of Be the Change Catholic Church Aotearoa is asking for a new, inclusive model of the church. Formed by the scriptures and teachings of the Catholic Church and the circumstances of today, Be the Change Catholic Church Aotearoa (BCCCA) says their vision Read more
The preparatory documents for the 2021-23 Synod of Bishops on synodality make it clear that the excluded must be included: Bishops the world over are called to make “every effort” to consult and listen to those who feel “excluded or marginalized” from society and the church. “If we believe in the imago Dei, that the Read more
Pope Francis shared his vision for the Church in the Third Millennium with the members of the Synod of Bishops during their meeting in Rome in October 2015. The Synod has a meeting every two or three years and, up until the election of the first-ever Jesuit pope, they were choreographed events attended by selected Read more
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has released a report entitled ‘First Assembly Proposals from Small Groups and Individual Members’ described as the ‘fruits’ of the first of two Plenary Council assemblies. These published ‘proposals’ of the First Assembly of the Plenary Council of the Australian Catholic Church are neither ‘assembly proposals’ nor ‘fruits’ of the assembly. Read more
“Pope Francis wants to hear from you” – all of us. This is the message the Catholic Church in Aotearoa New Zealand is using to invite people – Catholic or not – to take part in a survey for an international synod on the future direction of the Church. The Catholic Church world-wide is conducting Read more
Dear Pope Francis, ‘The purpose of the Synod, and therefore of this consultation, is not to produce documents, but to plant dreams, draw forth prophecies and visions, allow hope to flourish, inspire trust, bind up wounds, weave together relationships, awaken a dawn of hope, learn from one another, create a bright resourcefulness that will enlightened Read more
The Vatican says the Church’s effort to listen to the 1.34 billion Catholics worldwide through a synodal process is facing challenges. The synod’s diocesan phase is expected to last until 15 August. “Many of the faithful perceive the synodal process as a crucial moment in the Church’s life, as a learning process as well as Read more