Six ordinations in a twelve-month period signals a positive new energy and life for the Catholic community of Westland, Canterbury and the Chatham Islands says the vocations director of the Christchurch diocese. On his website Food For Faith Fr John O’Connor was commenting on a feature in the Press about the recent ordinations in Christchurch. But Read more
Alister Castillo, 27, who is thought to be the youngest priest in New Zealand says God is a “nagger”. “It’s that very annoying nagging that’s kind of like when your parents are telling you to do the dishes, ” he told Stuff.co.nz Castello, who describes himself as “a born and bred Cantabrian”, completed his secondary Read more
St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral in Christchurch was packed with around 800 people to celebrate and witness Graeme Blackburn, Alister Castillo and Huynh Tran’s ordinations on Saturday 1 July. All three were ordained as diocesan priests for the Christchurch diocese, where they have been working as deacons. Supporters witnessing their priestly promises of obedience and service of Read more
The Archbishop of Wellington, Cardinal John Dew, will ordain Cirilo Barlis priest at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Wellington at 10:30 am on Saturday. Cirilo came to Wellington from the Philippines in August 2014 and joined St Benedict’s Church community in Khandallah to prepare for seminary studies. He attended language school in Wellington Read more
Fr Marchellino Park realised his calling to priesthood after God granted him a second lease on life following a robbery and brutal beating several years ago that sent him into a coma. And a single Gospel passage about casting out nets was decisive for Fr Austin Fernandes in his vocational journey. Korean-born Fr Park and Read more
Firefighter Tom Colucci is now Father Tom Colucci and he has been settling into his new residence at St. Mary’s Mother of Church parish in Fishkill, New York. In his 20 years with the FDNY, Colucci moved up through the ranks to become a captain. It was after responding to the attacks on the World Read more
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has endorsed the mercy-filled ministry of his successor, Pope Francis. Benedict did this at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican at a ceremony held to celebrate the anniversary of his ordination as priest 65 years ago. Francis was at the event, as were some 30 cardinals and invited guests. The retired Read more
Benedict XVI’s resignation and withdrawal into a life of prayer has taught the Church a lesson of doing “theology on its knees”, Pope Francis has said. Francis wrote this in the preface of a new book by the Pope Emeritus, titled “Teaching and Learning the Love of God”. It is the first volume of several Read more
During last week’s Jubilee for Priests in Rome, Bishop Robert Barron sat down for an interview with CNA where he discussed Pope Francis’ view on the meaning of the priesthood. “In the vision of Pope Francis, (priests) are the key players in communicating the Divine Mercy to the world. He sees that as our primary Read more
Father Glen O’Connor is a real petrol head. He saw his first race at the speedway as a fan in 1969, and he started working in the pits in 1975. This year was the 100th running of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” on May 29, and it’s the 41st year that the priest has been Read more