Sharron Cole, president of Parents Centres New Zealand, says Synod bishops lacked understanding in a host of areas affecting Catholic people’s lives. Cole was a New Zealand observer at the 2015 Synod on Families. She is calling on the church to listen “with deep empathy” to lay people and to “re-examine its teaching on marriage and Read more
Cardinal John Dew has left New Zealand for Rome to take part in the “Synod on the Family” which will take place, 4 – 25 October. Before leaving he asked Catholics to “remember all who will participate in the Synod especially our own participants from New Zealand and Oceania – Sharron Cole, Bishop Charles Drennan Read more
The New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ Conference has elected the Bishop of Palmerston North, Charles Drennan, to represent them at this year’s Synod on Family. Cardinal John Dew has been confirmed as the substitute. He will serve as the representative at the synod should Bishop Drennan be unable to attend for any reason. The Vatican has Read more
The Extraordinary Synod for the Family that will be held in Rome next month has attracted more attention than any synod since their introduction following Vatican II. The media are focused on the possibility that changes may be made in such matters as birth control and reception of the Eucharist by Catholics who have divorced Read more