A new Catholic support network that will extend across the Pacific aims to take care of Oceania’s migrant workers, refugees and their families. The Most Rev. Anthony Randazzo of Broken Bay, Australia (pictured left), who is President of the Federation of Catholic Bishops Conference of Oceania, (New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific Islands) says Read more
All Catholic bishops in New Zealand must resign, says respected Catholic theologian Dr Christopher Longhurst. Longhurst’s comments, reported in the widely read publication La Croix International, are strongly critical of the very people from whom he receives his daily bread. New Zealand’s Catholic bishops employ him to teach at Te Kupenga Catholic Theological College. He Read more
The New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference has selected Whanganui Parish Priest Fr Craig Butler to attend a pre-synod world meeting of parish priests at the Vatican. Butler (pictured) will represent New Zealand’s Catholic priests at the gathering from 28 April to 2 May. He and 300 confreres from across the globe will share views and Read more
Following last week’s deadly earthquakes, New Zealand’s Catholic bishops joined with all Oceania’s Catholic bishops in sending Church and civic leaders in Turkey and Syria a united message of condolence. “Our hearts break at the death and destruction we are seeing on our television screens and in our newspapers,” they wrote last week during the Read more
New Zealand now has a national shrine dedicated to Mary, Mother of God, Assumed into Heaven. A Mass of Dedication was celebrated last Sunday afternoon at St Mary of the Angel’s church in Wellington. The central Wellington church was almost at its 550-person capacity for the Mass. The Dedication Mass was the finale of a Read more
Four people nominated for their outstanding work in Catholic youth ministry have won their sections in the 2022 Delargey Awards. The awards are named in honour of Cardinal Reginald Delargey (1914-79) who was noted for his tireless work for young Catholics. The awards are presented by the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference every two years Read more
New Zealand’s Catholic bishops are delighted Covid restrictions are easing. The Government announced on Wednesday a 200-person limit for those with a vaccine pass at a religious gathering such as Mass, says a statement from the bishop’s conference. “It is really welcome that these restrictions are being eased in the middle of Lent and with Read more
Excitement followed by some questions have emerged among New Zealand Catholics following the Pope’s announcement, Tuesday, establishing a new ministry of Catechist. The big vision for the new lay ministry is that it aims to encourage greater participation of lay people in the teaching of the Catholic faith, and not just in places where priests Read more
The New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ Conference is working with the bishops’ conferences around the world including the UK, Ireland and Australia to develop a new lectionary for the Church. The Tablet reports the bishops’ conferences are considering using the Revised New Jerusalem Bible (RNJB) published last year in the new lectionary. The RNJB Foreword says: Read more
The New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (NZCBC) has appointed Wellington Cardinal John Dew as its president. Auckland Bishop Patrick Dunn stepped down from the role at the end of his three-year term and because of health reasons. Hamilton Bishop Stephen Lowe was also appointed vice-president and secretary of the conference. Auckland Auxiliary Bishop Michael Gielen Read more