Antipodean New Zealand is not in the Holy See’s neighbourhood, but it is no real excuse for having two dioceses without bishops for so long, says Luke Coppen, in The Pillar. It is three years since Charles Drennan resigned as Bishop of Palmerston North. Coppen points out it appointing bishops in New Zealand has not Read more
The Holy See announced last Wednesday that Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Archbishop George Stack of Cardiff, Wales, appointing Bishop Mark O’Toole of the Diocese of Plymouth, England, to succeed him. At the same time, O’Toole has also been named the Bishop of Menevia, the neighbouring Welsh diocese, which has had no bishop Read more
The call for vocations to the priesthood on Vocations Sunday is one we have heard for many years as the worsening picture of recruitment reveals itself. The numbers show the extent of the crisis we are facing. When I entered the seminary 40 years ago, I was one of 19 aspirants. Two of us were Read more
The vicar-general of the archdiocese of Hamburg has urged the Vatican to break its five-month silence. Pope Francis granted Archbishop of Hamburg Stephan Hesse leave of absence at the end of March. The leave came after Hesse offered his resignation over the mismanagement of sexual abuse cases in his previous diocese, Cologne. Vicar-general Ansgar Thim Read more
Catholics of Palmerston North may soon celebrate the appointment of a new bishop. In a post on the Metropolitan Cathedral’s page, Cardinal John Dew says he hopes and prays there will soon be good news for the people of Palmerston North who have managed their diocese so well without a diocesan bishop. As well as Read more
Liam Greer has been appointed as the general manager of the Palmerston North diocese. Greer, whose family has a five-generation association with the diocese, grew up in Palmerston North, attending St Peter’s College. He has a degree in valuation and property management and worked as a property valuer for a few years. Read more in Read more
Peter Trung Nguyen was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal John Dew at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Palmerston North last Saturday. The event had been postponed from April because of COVID-19 restrictions. And because COVID-19 Alert level remains at 2, numbers were still restricted. Nguyen said that while he was happy to Read more
Bishop Peter Cullinane recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of his episcopal ordination. “How did I celebrate under lockdown? – Jesus and I did it quietly together; we are hoping to celebrate with others later. He is in my bubble,” he told NZ Catholic. The anniversary on April 23 occurred when New Zeland was under Level Read more
New Zealand’s Catholic Bishops have announced the suspension of all celebrations of Mass until further notice. The move come in response to the strong Government restrictions on public gatherings to counter the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. Bishop of Auckland Patrick Dunn, President of the NZ Catholic Bishops Conference, said the bishops met this morning to carefully Read more