Cardinal Francis Arinze grew up in Nigeria, and in 1965 became the youngest bishop in the world at the age of 32. He was the first African cardinal to head a Vatican office and served as prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments from 2002 to 2008. He is the Read more
Urging the hierarchy to be more pastoral than administrative, Pope Francis has said bishops should ask whether they and their priests are serving “the People of God as a whole” rather than “the Church as an organisation”. The Pope was speaking in Rio de Janeiro to the co-ordinating committee of the Latin American Bishops’ Council Read more
Being about the only professor at a liberal, tolerant, cosmopolitan Western university who is known to be a practicing Catholic — baptized at the age of two weeks — I have been asked frequently in recent times about what I think will happen to the church in the light of Pope Benedict’s resignation. Will it Read more
The Vatican’s Pontifical Council for the Laity is positioning its website as a resource for lay men and women ahead of Pope Benedict’s Year of Faith, which will kick-off in October. “It is directed to all the lay faithful that want to know more about their vocation, about their role within the Church,” Ana Cristina Betancourt of Read more
Pope Benedict has called for lay people to be seen as truly co-responsible for “the being and acting” of the Church, not just as collaborators with the clergy. “Co-responsibility,” he said, “requires a change in mentality, particularly with regard to the role of the laity in the Church.” “It is important, therefore,” he added, “that Read more
The Launch Out lay leaders’ programme in the Wellington Archdiocese is now 10 years old and the Catholic Foundation is undertaking a major fundraising drive to support this innovative ministry which has already brought vigour, energy, new life and dynamism to many pastoral areas. Since it started from discussion at the 1988 and 1998 diocesan Read more
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II). Even with the passing of half a century, among Catholics there is still contention and ambivalence about the legacy of this momentous meeting. Many of a conservative bent see the need for reforms to be reigned in, and a Read more
The New Evangelization was the focus of Pope Benedict XVI’s remarks to the bishops of New Zealand and the Pacific on Saturday, as he received them at the end of their ad limina visits. In his address to the Bishops of New Zealand and the Pacific Pope Benedict spoke of the contribution of priests and Read more
While the following article concerns the US, much of what is reported here is reflected in Catholic parish life in Aotearoa New Zealand: A lot has changed in parish life in a quarter-century, yet American Catholics are still predominantly attached to territorial parishes headed by a priest pastor. The model is being stretched and transformed, Read more