The mandated Sunday litany of shame was a communications, liturgical, and theological blunder that left people re-victimised. “I stood there in the Church and didn’t know what to do. I was listening to this lament in a very public place. I wanted to leave, but then I thought I would be seen to be a Read more
Fr Joe Grayland’s disquiet over the NZ bishops’ apology (Cathnews 18/11/24) is perplexing. In a letter that needed to be short, it is hard to know what language the bishops could have used to make their apology more comprehensive than it is. Certainly, the apology needed to acknowledge, above all, Church leaders’ own failures for Read more
In a significant move, the NZ Catholic bishops are promoting open and informed life discussion through a modernised and broadened document, Te Kahu o te Ora – A Consistent Ethic of Life. The modernisation seeks to fill a twenty-six-year gap and reflect some of the modern challenges. Dr John Kleinsman, director of the NZ Catholic Read more
The New Zealand Catholic bishops are standing with those innocent people who have been injured in the terrorist attack at the LynnMall supermarket. “To those who have been injured, we hold you in our prayers and pray for your recovery. “We are deeply saddened, and our hearts go out to you, your whānau, and the Read more
In a pastoral statement, the New Zealand Catholic bishops have written to Catholics saying they are pleased that Mass can resume, but warn the experience may not be as familiar as it once was. They say the new normal is means the Church’s liturgy remains restricted to protect the vulnerable and elderly. The statement, creatively Read more
The New Zealand Catholic Bishops and the NZ Catholic Education Office have written to the families of pupils attending Catholic schools urging them to contact the education/school office at their local Diocese if they have problems paying attendance dues because of issues related to the COVID-19 Lockdown. The letter says the bishops are “mindful of Read more
Jogging our memories, I’m sure we can recall the liturgical branding for the new translation of the Mass. “New words, deeper meaning, same Mass.” Initially prepared to go with the flow, after a little while I found the cognitive dissonance became too apparent. What we got were old words with foreign meanings and a Mass Read more
NZ Catholic Bishops have issued a pastoral letter to young people on marriage. They ask young people to consider carefully the wider implications of the proposed legislation to amend the definition of marriage that would allow same sex marriage. They say that some of the consequences will be unexpected and unintended. “This is no small matter, Read more