Concern is brewing among Catholics when they learnt that not a single New Zealand woman is representing the country at the upcoming Synod. New Zealand’s bishops had nominated a balanced slate of nine candidates, including five women and four men, but the final selection process has left many Kiwi men and women scratching their heads. Read more
Academic scholars, including historians and theologians, have stressed the need for more focus and efforts on studies on the richness and diversity of Catholicism in Asia, which they say remain largely underdeveloped. The remarks came during a hybrid roundtable discussion titled “Catholic Studies in Asia: Prospects and Challenges” hosted by the Asia Research Institute (ARI) Read more
Catholic clergy and laypeople will gather at the Vatican Oct. 4-29 for a synod, or summit of bishops and laypeople, to discuss synodality, with an emphasis on communion, participation and mission. While some might dismiss the highly anticipated event as a meeting on meetings, the term synodality under Pope Francis has expanded to reflect his Read more
Celibacy is not a direct cause of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. The comments come from Hans Zollner SJ, a distinguished psychologist with a doctorate in theology. He made the comments in an interview with Infovaticana. “Celibacy is not a direct cause of abuse; what can become a risk factor is a ministry poorly Read more
People from Christchurch joined with those from Palmerston North to fill the Palmerston North Holy Spirit Cathedral on Saturday for the episcopal ordination of John Adams. Adams was ordained bishop by the President of the New Zealand Bishops Conference and Bishop of Auckland, Steve Lowe and also installed as the third bishop of Palmerston North. Read more
In a display of silence, the John of God Brothers headquarters, based in Rome, did not open the door to Marylands survivor Darryl Smith. Smith, a long-time voice for sexual abuse survivors, was sexually abused as a child while at John of God Brothers residential schools in both New Zealand and Australia. Pleased that finally Read more
“Pretty stink” is how artist Aora Novak described an attack on a Dunedin Māori Jesus mural. The mural had been fully covered in white paint. The artwork veered away from traditional iconography and aimed to represent a more modern and inclusive image of Jesus Christ. Novak of Ngai Te Rangi and Ngati Kahungunu descent guided Read more
In a tale that could be straight out of a religious fable, two celestial figures have emerged from over half a century of seclusion. But there’s a heavenly hiccup with the angels: their wings are missing. These angelic figures fell from grace during the sweeping changes ushered in by Vatican II in the 1960s. Destined Read more
It has been reported that the regulations concerning media access to the discussions at the upcoming Synod assembly in Rome – first of two sessions that will be held over the next twelve months – have not yet been approved. Journalists can only hope that the hypothesis of imposing the pontifical secret (the highest kind Read more
As we prepare for the next phase of the Synod on Synodality, we have heard much talk from the information-gathering process about greater inclusion and diversity in church governance. However, there has been little discussion about the shape of the church hierarchy, particularly with respect to accountability for performance. We often think of the accountability Read more