A Jesuit commentator says that the working document for October’s synod on the family reminds him of the build up to the family synod in 1980. Fr Thomas Reese said “for anyone familiar with the 1980 synod on the family, reading the new [document] fosters a feeling of déjà vu”. The same issues are discussed, the Read more
Almost a third of all the marriages of New Zealand residents last year were remarriages. Of the 19,237 marriages 13,312 were first marriages, 5825 involved one or both parties being previously married. Last year, for every 1000 single people of a marriageable age, 22 got married. That’s less than a quarter of the 1971 peak Read more
A cardinal who will run a session of October’s synod on the family says he is shocked at responses to a Vatican questionnaire on the topic. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila told the Catholic News Service he found the responses “shocking, if I am allowed to use that word”. “Shocking because almost in all Read more
These days any single mother who decides to keep her baby is a heroine … even a saint. Ironically, for those who identify as Catholic, greater courage may be required. Catholic bioethicist Bernadette Tobin writes: “In order to understand the teachings of the Catholic Church in relation to questions about the beginning of life, we Read more
It’s what they talk about in movies and soap operas; 15-years-old, Catholic and pregnant. The daughter of a well known policeman, to the son of a well known Catholic school principal. The shame. The embarrassment. The scandal. Well, that was me, the 15-year-old girl, and from the moment I snuck to the doctors to have Read more
In Samoa, the descendants of a Catholic Catechist gathered at the end of January for a family reunion. The event was an opportunity for the children, and grandchildren of the late Reverend Mikaele Fa’ata’ape-upu-olefaleao FK and the late Etevise Mikaele Toluono [nee Asuao Tofaeono] to gather together to renew family ties. The programme contained various Read more
New Zealanders are among the highest users of cannabis in the world, and the debate over whether it should be legal continues. In 2008, about 14 per cent of New Zealanders had used cannabis, the Ministry of Health’s alcohol and drug use survey reports. According to the United Nation’s World Drug report, that puts us Read more
Pope Francis is asking the Catholic Church to re think the way it approaches a generation that does not fit the traditional family mould. Noting that the make-up of families is changing he in particular mentioned outreach to the children of gay couples, and divorced parents. “On an educational level, gay unions raise challenges for Read more
The care we provide to our most vulnerable citizens, our children, is a barometer of the wellbeing of our families and society says New Zealand Governor General Lieutenant General Sir Jerry Mateparae. Writing in the NZ Herald, Sir Jerry noted that 2014 marks the 20th anniversary of the International Year of the Family and that during Read more
“When I think of a Kiwi, I think of someone who is mixed race, whether that’s half Pakeha, half Māori, or part Tongan. That’s just the norm now. And I think that’s a good thing about New Zealand. Most people are very accepting.” Nearly one quarter of all Māori live in the Auckland region, far away Read more