I am not writing to tell you how to vote in the binding referendum on the End of Life Choice Act, but I hope I can be of some help so you are better informed about the Act. Firstly, though, I want to help you think about the concepts of justice, love, compassion, mercy and Read more
Pope Francis is calling for universal availability of vaccines against coronavirus. Church teaching on giving priority to the well-being of the poor and marginalized is not a political or ideological choice; it lies at the very heart of the Gospel, Pope Francis said. The preferential option for the poor, which includes feeding the hungry and Read more
We are in the midst of a global health crisis that already has inflicted a significant humanitarian and economic toll on the United States. For now, we must try to contain the spread of Covid-19 through physical distancing and face-covering. But we will reach another turning point when a vaccine to prevent the disease has Read more
A key moment in John Curnow’s interpretation of Cardinal Joseph Cardijn’s method was his organisation’s donation in 1981 of $1000 to the anti-Springbok tour movement Halt All Racist Tours (HART). The South African Springboks rugby team were set to tour the country in the second part of 1981 and the country was riven with rugby Read more
As a faith leader, I firmly believe that God sometimes allows devastating events to impact our lives to help us redefine or rediscover our priorities and core values. Though the long-term effects of the coronavirus are yet to be determined, what is clear is that the crisis has forced every one of us to change Read more
Spraying disinfectant on migrants working as laborers has caused social media commentators to erupt with anger. Among those to express their anger is the Indian Christian Women’s Movement (ICWM). “Even as the whole country is battling an intense and grueling confrontation with the Corona (COVID-19) crisis, we … want to express our deep shock and Read more
I’m often weary these days. These are dark, painful times for our church and country. The White House is occupied by a president who demeans people with rhetoric and hurts those on the peripheries with cruel policies. A former cardinal of Washington, D.C., has been defrocked for sexual abuse. As a Catholic writer and commentator Read more
Jocelyn Franklin, who died on 3 October aged 93, has been described as a legend in the Catholic Diocese of Auckland and indeed throughout the country, having worked tirelessly for the Church for nearly 70 years. She converted to Catholicism at the age of 20 and was chosen by Bishop (later Cardinal) Reginal Delargey in the Read more
With the upcoming Amazon Synod, some people are only focused on whether it will recommend that the priesthood be opened to the ordination of married men, but there is a lot more at stake. True, the synod will discuss the possibility of ordaining married men because there is a shortage of priests to serve such Read more