Coming first in the world for his religious education examination wasn’t a result Auckland St Peter’s College student Christian Domilies expected. Domilies’s Cambridge examination results were the highest among the 1.5 million students from 150 countries and over 6000 schools. He has been given a badge and certificate to commemorate his achievement. “It feels great Read more
On 24 January we learned of six decrees presented by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints and promulgated by Pope Francis. I count three Italians, one Spaniard, one Pole and one Canadian. No doubt every single one was a person of great faith. Indeed, one was martyred “in hatred of the faith.” What strikes Read more
Scottish Catholic priest Father Matthew Despard alleges he’s been subjected to bullying by church hierarchy after publishing a book accusing the Catholic Church in Scotland of being controlled by a “powerful gay mafia”. Despite being suspended from parish duties in 2013 for his claims, Father Despard remains resolute, stating he won’t apologise for speaking the Read more
Giving feedback on last October’s Synod on Synodality in Rome, the Archbishop of Wellington Paul Martin is highlighting the importance of two key points he took away from the global meeting. These involve listening combined with an understanding that the Church is not some form of majority democracy. Martin offered the comments during the first Read more
In the midst of the country’s escalating cost-of-living crisis, the Salvation Army’s State of the Nation 2024 report spotlights the growing socio-economic challenges confronting New Zealanders. The report, Ngā Tukunga Iho – The Things We Inherit, offers an annual assessment of the country’s social progress – this year especially – children and youth housing crime Read more
The Catholic Church has a “crucial role to play” in speaking out against racism and promoting racial inclusion, a prominent British Catholic says. “Racism is a sin and has no place in our world. As followers of Christ, it is our duty to welcome all people, regardless of race or background, into our Church and Read more
The home I grew up in had an open fire, with many a chilly winter’s night gathered around its warmth. There were two rituals attached to the winter fire. One was setting the fire with crushed newspaper, strips of kindling, and pieces of larger wood. Setting the fire so it lit readily and well was Read more
One of the surprises to come out of the Synod on Synodality was a call for better liturgy. The final report of the October 2023 session of the synod referred to “the widely reported need to make liturgical language more accessible to the faithful and more embodied in the diversity of cultures.” The English-speaking church Read more
In a discreet meeting held at Prague’s Mozart Hotel, 21 Catholic bishops including nine cardinals from several continents convened to discuss “Gender ideology, science and the nature of divine revelation.” The discussion, organised by the Austin Institute for the Study of Family and Culture, delved into topics surrounding gender theory’s perceived threat to Christian values Read more
Pope Francis cautioned a gathering of priests about the scourge of clerical abuse, asserting that it stems from a sense of superiority among priests. “We can live our priestly ministry well only immersed in the priestly people from whom we come” advised the pope. “This belonging to the people — do not ever let us Read more