“Pope Francis wants to hear from you” – all of us. This is the message the Catholic Church in Aotearoa New Zealand is using to invite people – Catholic or not – to take part in a survey for an international synod on the future direction of the Church. The Catholic Church world-wide is conducting Read more
The New Zealand Catholic bishops are prepared to tolerate the State’s sweeping public health measures, however, they want the mandates and vaccine pass requirements to be continually reviewed. Their support of the government’s Covid measures is contingent on and only justified by, “the emergency situation as it exists at this point in time.” While all Read more
New Zealand’s Catholic bishops have written a pastoral statement and a set of guidelines for those working with people choosing assisted dying. Chaplains, priests and other Catholic professionals are being given guidelines and pastoral help to work with people who decide to die under the End of Life Choice Act which takes effect on 7 Read more
The Vatican is describing Pope Francis recovery from colon surgery as “regular and satisfactory.” Spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement that the 84-year-old pope was eating regularly and that he was no longer receiving medication intravenously. The final results of a biopsy on the removed part of the colon confirmed that the pontiff had Read more
Complex messaging surrounding the renewing of the country’s dedication to Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and the creation of a National Shrine has been clarified at a special meeting of the New Zealand Bishops’ Conference. One element of the messaging surrounds the translation of the shrine’s name which was corrected then confirmed by the bishops Read more
The NZ Catholic Bishops’ Conference says the views of all New Zealand Catholics will be sought during an expanded Synod of Bishops’ process announced by the pope. “Pope Francis has frequently called for the bishops, priests and people to walk together in a common mission of the Church,” says Conference president Cardinal John Dew. “He Read more
New Zealand’s Catholic bishops have welcomed Pope Francis’ approval of changes to the Church’s Code of Canon Law which toughens and extends sanctions against sexual abuse. Bishop Stephen Lowe, secretary of the NZ Catholic Bishops Conference, says the new code makes it clear that bishops must take decisive action when abuse is reported to them. Read more
The Catholic bishops of Aotearoa New Zealand will discuss the new lay Catechist ministry at their meeting in October. Pope Francis announced the new ministry this month. NZ Catholic Bishops Conference secretary, Bishop Stephen Lowe, says the bishops have received many questions since the pope’s announcement. Many of these have been about the formation of Read more
New Zealand’s Catholic Bishops Conference is urging everyone to have a covid vaccine when it becomes available. Conference President Cardinal Dew says the bishops took their advice about vaccines from reputable doctors, scientists and the bishops’ own bioethics agency, the Nathaniel Centre. “Everyone, including Catholics, has a moral responsibility to protect themselves and others by Read more
Advocates on behalf of people abused in church institutions say the churches are complicating the process of waiving confidentiality agreements RNZ asked the president of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, Bishop Patrick Dunn, whether bishops had shown a “lack of moral authority by not publicly repudiating the clauses and whether they had stepped up Read more