In an unsurprising move, Pope Francis removed Bishop Joseph Strickland from his position as the head of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas. His action on Saturday follows an Apostolic Visitation of the Diocese and Strickland’s refusal to resign when the Pope offered him the chance to do so gracefully. The Vatican initiated an Apostolic Visitation Read more
As this column is being written, the Synod of Bishops is bringing to a close the most opaque assembly ever to be held in its relatively brief, post-Vatican II history. Actually, once the members of the October 4-29 gathering have voted on a final document (Saturday evening) and then celebrated the concluding Mass in St. Read more
Predictably, the anti-Pope Francis media giant, Eternal Word Television Network, and its subsidiaries give airtime to synod critics, including some who pass along false “facts” about things discussed and proposed. One programme has an American host who smirks at the concept of spiritual conversation. On the other side of the street, more liberal Catholic media Read more
Tensions have erupted within Pope Francis’ Vatican Synod on the future of the Catholic Church with reports of disagreements and delegates storming out of the room. The roughly 450 bishops and lay delegates involved in the October 4-29 Synod of Bishops have faced a series of disagreements. Principally, the participation of the laity and questions Read more
An umbrella group of Catholic nuns says that, while men dominate the Catholic Church, it is making progress. Women are being given a stronger voice says the International Union of Superiors General (UISG). The Vatican patriarchy is giving way somewhat. Pope Francis has appointed a few women in senior Vatican managerial positions. He also gave Read more
Wellington’s historic Erskine Chapel has finally been restored. The lovely French Gothic-style beauty reopened with a special service on Thursday after being left to the vagaries of time for almost 40 years. Saving beauty Built in 1929, the chapel boasts a marble altar, stained-glass windows and a soaring ceiling. The chapel is considered one of Read more
Pope Francis is asking for synodality in all parishes, presenting the Catholic Church in New Zealand with a monumental task, none more so than for the Synod delegates. While Synodality will not happen overnight, indeed there is a part two of the Synod in October 2024, CathNews spoke with some ‘synod watching’ Catholics about tasking Read more
The much anticipated “synthesis report” from October’s synod on synodality was released after the confidential Vatican-based meetings concluded on Sunday. The synthesis report summarises synodal discussions about how a synodal Church’s ministries and structures can give a wider role for laity which is more in line with the vision of Vatican II. Big issues discussed Read more
The construction of a Catholic religious centre in Saint-Pierre-de-Colombier, Ardèche, France, has caused controversy. Earlier this week, nuns from the missionary group formed a human chain around a digger to prevent the activists from chaining themselves to it. However, the clash turned physical when an unnamed nun from the Notre Dame Missionary Family sprinted across Read more
We humans (do we even need to say it?) are passionate animals! We have our loves and our hates, our up days and down days, and the times when we just want to sit quietly and be left alone. Moreover, these emotional swings are not simply mood swings or based on how we feel when Read more