More than 8000 people attended a mass at the CBS Arena in Christchurch on Sunday 24 November, the feast of Christ the King, to celebrate the conclusion of the Year of Faith. The mass was celebrated by Bishop Barry Jones, the Bishop of Christchurch, and was part of a diocesan wide celebration known as Faithfest Read more
The Vatican is planning to end the Year of Faith with an unprecedented display of St Peter’s relics. It is the first time in history, the bones, believed to be those of first Bishop of Rome’s bones will leave the Vatican Grotto and be on display for public veneration. Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president for the Pontifical Read more
The Second General Assembly of the Catholic Church in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands began in Madang on Wednesday 5 November. This is the first time Papua New Guinea and Solomon islands have held a conjunct General Assembly. The theme of the Assembly is “Give me some water that I amy never be thirsty Read more
More than 100,000 people came to St Peter’s Square at the Vatican on October 13 to see Pope Francis consecrate the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The original statue of Our Lady of Fatima, which had been brought to the square the evening before, took centre stage as the Holy Father made an Read more
Pope Francis has just released his first encyclical, Lumen Fidei, or “the light of faith.” The first encyclical of a pope is always closely watched, because it frequently signals the way in which he intends to govern the Church. This new encyclical is even more intriguing because much of it was actually written by former Read more
On Sunday June 2 at 5pm, in Rome, Pope Francis will be presiding over a holy hour in St Peter’s, and the invitation has gone out for Catholics all over the world to join him in prayer. For Kiwis, it is a big call because 5pm Sunday in Rome translates in to 3am Monday June 3 in New Zealand. Read more
Fifteen students from Divine Word University (DWU) in Madang travelling on a pilgrimage to Rome on 14-21 June for the Year of Faith have asked to pray with Pope Francis at his usual morning Mass at Casa Santa Marta while in Rome. The group of students from Arts, Health and Business faculties will visit Vatican Read more
The 25th Synod of Bishops began Sunday, this one dedicated to “The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith.” New evangelization is the apple of Pope Benedict XVI’s eye, so the synod, held every couple of years or so since 1967, is being touted by the Vatican, along with the Year of Faith Read more
A number of events are taking place in New Zealand this week to mark the beginning of the Year of Faith including special Masses which will be celebrated in each Diocese on Thursday . Last October Pope Benedict wrote Porta Fidei (The “door of faith”). In that letter he announced a Year of Faith; starting in October Read more
The 10th meeting of the representatives of Lusophone Bishops’ Conferences took place in Dili (East Timor) from 6 to September 10. The theme of the conference was “The challenge of the sects, in the horizon of the new evangelization”. It was reported that at the meeting it was agreed sects have a greater impact among Catholics whose faith Read more