In early September Pope Francis has scheduled two busy weeks of travel. He will visit Indonesia, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea and Singapore. No doubt some Australians will grumble that he passed so close without dropping in to visit us. For the 87 year-old Pope such travel will be arduous. His determination to continue visiting Read more
In a sharp rebuke to Pope Francis, former UK Conservative politician Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg has suggested that the Vatican should accommodate migrants if the pontiff is so concerned about their plight. Speaking on GB News on August 28, Rees-Mogg delivered what has been described as a “withering put down” of the Pope’s recent comments on Read more
Teaching Catholic missionaries at a Catholic university where they can be educated in mission theology and pastoral outreach is important, says Pope Francis. Francis says it is essential that the Pontifical Urban University keeps its centuries-old focus on preparing missionaries who come from and go out to the world and its varied cultures. The university’s Read more
At the age of 87, Pope Francis will embark on an 11-day trip to Southeast Asia that will test both his physical health and the core messages of his pontificate, focusing on the poor, the environment and a Catholic Church at the margins. The papal trip, which will take place Sept. 2-13, presents the most Read more
Pope Francis is well known for his strong views about faith and protecting God’s creation. The Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople is of the same view. Faith in God comes with two “inseparable” elements, Bartholomew said on Sunday which was the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation He said these two Read more
I was struck by the gospel reading on Sunday (Aug. 25) in which John, speaking about Jesus’ followers, wrote that “many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.” The image made me sad, because it seemed to reflect what is going on in the Catholic Church and Read more
Pope Francis has criticised Ukraine for banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) which has historically been tied to Russia. “Let those who want to pray be allowed to pray in what they consider their church” Pope Francis said. None of the warring parties have heeded the Pope’s pleas for the war to cease. Praying is Read more
Scandal-plagued former Archbishop José Antonio Eguren Anselmi met Pope Francis for a private meeting in Rome on Friday last week. The Vatican bulletin about it did not disclose the reasons for the meeting. Nor was it clear from the bulletin as to whether Anselmi had been summoned to the meeting or whether he himself had 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
Plans being made for a September papal visit to East Timor are drawing criticism from local human rights groups. The costs will be too high and people’s lives are already being disrupted they say. Extremely expensive Last Thursday human rights organisation Lao Hamutuk told Union of Catholic Asian (UCA) News that the Government’s budgeted US$12 Read more