There is no other way into the future other than Synodality. The comment was made by Fr Dennis Nacorda, one of the New Zealand representatives at the Synod on Synodality held in Rome in October 2023. Unable to attend the first Zoom feedback meeting about the Synod, Nacorda last Thursday joined Mr Manuel Beazley the Read more
Giving feedback on last October’s Synod on Synodality in Rome, the Archbishop of Wellington Paul Martin is highlighting the importance of two key points he took away from the global meeting. These involve listening combined with an understanding that the Church is not some form of majority democracy. Martin offered the comments during the first Read more
In a significant about turn, Christchurch bishop Michael Gielen is proposing Barbadoes Street, the location of the original cathedral, as his preferred site for a new Christchurch Cathedral. The new thinking marks a departure from the construction plan on Armagh Street. As part of the change in thinking, Bishop Gielen has initiated consultations with professional Read more
The Vatican has responded to Bishop of Christchurch Michael Gielen’s request for help dealing with unauthorised exorcisms and related spiritual abuse in the Diocese. The retired bishop of Toowoomba, Robert McGuckin (pictured), has been tasked with conducting an Apostolic Visitation to investigate the allegations. The former professor of Canon Law at the University of Notre Read more
Archbishop Paul Martin received his Metropolitan Archbishop’s pallium during the 5pm Mass at St Mary of the Angels church in Wellington on Sunday 5 November. Martin is the Archbishop of Wellington, New Zealand. He had been expecting to receive the pallium from the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa. But Rugambwa – the Pope’s diplomatic representative Read more
Pope Francis is asking for synodality in all parishes, presenting the Catholic Church in New Zealand with a monumental task, none more so than for the Synod delegates. While Synodality will not happen overnight, indeed there is a part two of the Synod in October 2024, CathNews spoke with some ‘synod watching’ Catholics about tasking Read more
Financial compensation is just a starting point for a survivor of abuse at the Marylands School – he is calling for more. Darryl Smith suffered at the hands of the John of God Brothers in Australia and New Zealand. He has already undergone a redress settlement process in Australia and received compensation from the Queensland Read more
“Abhorrent and should never have happened” is how Archbishop Paul Martin describes the sexual abuse at Marylands School. Martin is responding in a media release to the Royal Commission’s interim report Stolen Lives, Marked Souls. The report into the St John of God brothers’ Marylands School in Christchurch was released on Wednesday. Martin suggests it Read more
Following allegations of unauthorised exorcisms, Bishop Michael Gielen has suspended all exorcisms in the Christchurch diocese and ordered a comprehensive review of the practice. Gielen is currently in Portugal at World Youth Day. The announcement arrives in the wake of a report by TV3 journalist Michael Morrah that exposed alleged unapproved exorcisms conducted by the Read more
In a historic development for New Zealand, Archbishop Paul Martin is set to receive his pallium in Wellington from Papal Nuncio Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa. 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 Read more