The emeritus bishop Christchurch, Basil Meeking, aged 90 passed away at Christchurch Hospital on 11 June after a short period of ill-health. Meeking was the seventh bishop of Christchurch. He was ordained as a priest in 1953 and then as a bishop in 1987. He served as bishop from 1987 until 1996. Meeking served in Read more
A new Catholic bishop of Christchurch has been appointed nearly two years after the death of his predecessor bishop Barry Jones. Father Paul Martin will be 10th Catholic Bishop of Christchurch. His ordination is expected to be next year, possibly in February. One of the important issues he will need to address is the restoration of the Read more
Bishops must avoid juridical straitjackets that deaden the novelty of new movements in the Church, the Vatican’s doctrine congregation says. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith this week issued a new document, Iuvenescit Ecclesia (“The Church Rejuvenates”). This is the first document from the CDF in Pope Francis’s pontificate. The letter stated bishops and new movements should Read more
The final requiem mass for Bishop Len Boyle was celebrated in St Mary’s Basilica in Invercargill last Thursday. It was attended by A crowd of several hundred people – many of whom spilled out into the foyer. Clergy from throughout Southland, Otago, New Zealand and Australia were in attendance at the mass, as was Invercargill Read more
The Vatican’s doctrinal office is to issue a letter to bishops on the relation between hierarchical and charismatic gifts for the Church’s life and mission. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is to release Iuvenescit Ecclesia (“the Church grows young”) on June 14. It will be the CDF’s first major document issued during the Read more
“I feel like King David felt when the ark of God was being brought into Jerusalem,” said Bishop Fernand J Cher, the newly ordained auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans. So great was his joy that, like David dancing before the Ark of the Covenant, Bishop Fernand broke out into a song and dance act. The Read more
It has been estimated that more than 30,000 people came to Suva in the course of last week to pay their respects to the late Archbishop Petero Mataca. A large number of people attended the requiem mass on Friday. The Sacred Heart Cathedral in Suva was packed out and the congregation spilled out onto the Read more
You could be forgiven for not knowing where the buck stops in the Catholic Church these days. In any society, organization or Church community, it is important to know who is ultimately responsible in decision making; otherwise, chaos or worse would prevail. In an unprecedented (for a cardinal) cross examination in court last week, Cardinal Read more
As I was glancing at my Washington Post on Friday morning, I was dumbfounded by this headline: “Gay patient says Catholic chaplain refused him last rites.” The story focuses on Ronald Plishka, who was admitted to MedStar Washington Hospital Center after a heart attack and asked for a priest when — after 24 hours — Read more
A report that Pope Francis told Latin American religious about a “gay lobby” in the Vatican has overshadowed other remarks the Pope made to the group about points of tension in the Church between religious orders and the hierarchy. The report of what the Pope told leaders of the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of Read more