Benedict called the conservative Catholics "fanatics".

Some hardline conservatives Catholics are unhappy with Pope Francis and have often voiced doubts about whether Benedict stepped down willingly.

"Some of my more fanatical friends are still upset, they have not accepted my choice," he told Italian daily Corriere della Sera in an interview, at the Vatican's Mater Ecclesiae.

"There aren't two popes, the pope is the only one," Benedict emphasised.

The spectacle of having two living popes, one "emeritus" has led to constant rumors about Benedict's relationship with his successor.

Chiding the fanatical supporters Benedict said those who believe there are two popes are opposed to Church teaching.

Benedict said those nursing conspiracy theories are failing to respect his conscience.

"It was a difficult decision. (To resign.) But it was a fully conscious choice and I think I did well."

"They don't want to believe that it was a conscious choice."

"My conscience is clear," he said.

Benedict also took the opportunity to address the election of US President, Joe Biden.

Biden "is an observing Catholic and he is personally against abortion," Benedict said, referring to a point of contention that has arisen among the American bishops since Biden's election.

"But as president, he tends to present himself in continuity with the line of the Democratic Party....and on gender policy, we still don't really understand what his position is," said Benedict.

The presence in the Vatican of both a pope and a former pontiff - with the title "pope emeritus", both wearing white - has irritated some Catholics.

Leading church figures, including papal loyalist, Cardinal George Pell have called for new rules stipulating the status and dress of retired popes.

In 2013 Benedict for the first time in about 600 years, Benedict became the first pope to resign instead of dying in office.

The interview was published on March 1 to coincide with his resignation.

Sources

• The Guardian
• RNS

He was one of 12 students from the Asia-Pacific region who shared young people's concerns with the Pope during the online "Building Bridges" forum.

Organised by Loyola University Chicago, the forum was designed to enable Pope Francis and young people to meet and discuss their concerns.

New Zealand's youth

Lohrey represents a group he has been meeting with in New Zealand as part of the Building Bridges initiative.

He told Francis his student group is concerned with the Church's failure "in fully respecting and acting in accord with human dignity".

Because humans are created in God's image and likeness, we should be treated as full and valued members of society, he said.

The Church is inconsistent regarding human dignity, he said.

Abortion example

Lohrey told Francis his student group sees the Church offering insufficient dignity to the most vulnerable in our societies.

"We expect people to meet our rules, which turns people away from a relationship with Christ and makes the Church unattractive," he said.

"For example those who procure abortion are some of the most spiritually, emotionally and physically vulnerable people in our societies, yet the Church responds with an automatic excommunication.

"These people, desperately in need of unconditional love, must meet our requirements before we fully minister to them. This is a contradiction of the word unconditional.

"So how can young people be the change we need?" he asked.

Parishes also an issue

Lohery also expressed concern about the number of people who call themselves Christian but do not go to Church.

For instance he said that although 33 per cent of New Zealanders are Christian, only nine per cent go to Mass.

He suggested that the people not attending church were not necessarily at fault.

"Other organisations would believe a drop in attendance like this to be a result of their own doing.

"But in my experience, the attitude of clergymen and parish administration is that these people who do not attend Mass are simply not disciplined in practising their faith," he told the Pope.

A call to Pope Francis

At the end of his address to Pope Francis, Lohery asked for guidance.

"Pope Francis, you have been a revolutionary leader in making the church bring Christ's love to where people are.

"However, how can you ensure that the rest of our Church will follow your lead?

"What can be invested in ensuring there's education in recognising the dignity of all people, not just regular Mass attendees?"

Francis responds

Lohrey was one of three students in the video segment speaking with Pope Francis.

Chieh Hsuan Huang from Taiwan and Helen Vyanessa Ribca Oroh from Indonesia also joined the conversation raising concerns their own groups had discussed.

Francis thanked all three participants.

He did not address Lohrey's concerns directly but, speaking in a more general context, he focused on the importance of bearing witness.

In a time of automation, it is people and their witness that are most attractive, he said.

Belonging to groups, families, cultures and societies with good and strong values is helpful, as is witness.

The Pope encouraged the young people to develop and have their own identities.

"You must always bear witness, bear testimony for life and carry on.

"And I would insist on this very aspect.

"Focus on this ability of having your own identity.

"To move on, forward, working with others, helping one another, always. "

Abortion, reconciliation, absolution

Although Francis did not comment about abortion during the meeting, the Church's view on absolution for abortion is different from Lohrey's understanding.

During the Holy Year of Mercy in 2015 - 2016, Pope Francis extended the authority to absolve the sin of abortion to all priests.

He later indefinitely extended this faculty, which continues to this day.

Sources

• Building bridges across Asia Pacific: A synodal encounter between Pope Francis and university students (YouTube)
• CathNews NZ

St Bernadette's Catholic Church in Mount Hawthorn, Perth had to stop the Mass after a police officer walked in to ensure every parishioner was masked.

The Perth and Peel regions of Australia imposed a mask mandate on January 16 in response to a surge in Covid-19 cases.

One parishioner said it was "troubling" to see a policeman interrupt the service.

He said the police officer stormed into the mass and demanded the pews' attention. There had been reports of people not wearing masks in the church.

"[They - the police] proceeded to check three or four parishioners' exemptions and then left, everything being in order."

An exemption is required from a doctor for somebody to skip the mask requirement.

"Everyone was sort of pretty stunned, I suppose. Then as soon as it started it was sort of over as he left."

People were left shaken by the incident, the parishioner said.

"It's just pretty confronting seeing police vests and stuff in church.

"He didn't remove his hat, which is pretty disrespectful in that environment."

Police have confirmed officers had attended the church and undertaken a mask check.

"Police responded to a report from a member of the public of people not wearing masks inside a church," they said is a statement.

"Upon attendance, five people were spoken to by police and complied in wearing a mask.

"One person provided proof of an exemption."

Since the pandemic erupted, Australia has been vigilant with a strict Covid-19 mitigation regime.

A priest from the church wrote a social media post after the incident reminding the congregation to comply with the Covid-19 order to prevent the church being penalised.

"Heavy fines on the parish priest, our parish and individuals will be incurred if you are caught not wearing your mask. Please co-operate with this request so as to avoid any complications," he said.

While supporting the need to be vigilant in complying with Covid rules, Catholic Archbishop of Perth Timothy Costelloe is concerned that future checks will be handled without interrupting worship.

"It is highly regrettable that the police felt themselves obliged to intervene during a religious service in one of Perth's Catholic parishes in order to enforce the mask-wearing mandate," Costelloe said in a statement.

"The celebration of the Eucharist is the central act of Catholic worship and is sacred to all Catholics.

"It is my hope that other ways can be found to deal with this delicate issue in future and my office stands ready to co-operate with the police in this manner.

"It is a matter of regret to me that the police were placed in a position which led them to take the action they did.

"They should not have been placed in this position".

Costelloe said his office will continue to ensure all Catholic parishes and agencies have very clear advice as to their obligations in complying with the government‘s directives.

Source

• National Review
• news.com.au
• Image: The West Australian

On 27 September, in the most detailed statement to date from any Church or the State, Catholic Church leaders expressed deep regret and committed to concrete actions to address the systemic failures that contributed to the abuse.

"We are deeply sorry to victims and survivors, as well as their whanau" stated Bishop Steve Lowe, President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, and Fr Tom Rouse, President of the Congregational Leaders Council.

"We know that words alone are not enough; we must demonstrate our apology by taking responsibility and through concrete actions."

Tight timeline

The Royal Commission's final report required responses within a tight two-month timeline.

While accepting 70 percent of the Commission's findings, the Church could not fully accept some.

Acknowledging the timeline constraints, Lowe and Rouse said that the Church would continue assessing the findings and provide a more comprehensive response in due course.

Church use of psychological assessment

One critical area highlighted in the report was the Church's reliance on psychiatric evaluations to determine whether abusers could be rehabilitated.

While the Church agreed that reliance on psychiatric advice led to some offenders being reassigned to new roles, it defended this practice as being "best practice" at the time.

The Church admitted that "with hindsight, much of the professional psychiatric advice it received was incorrect".

However, the Church notes that it continues to recognise that medical professionals' opinions remain part of the process in contemporary responses to professional misconduct or abuse.

Forgiveness over safeguarding

The report also criticised the Church's tendency to prioritise forgiveness over safeguarding and accountability.

The Church acknowledged that there was a tendency to regard abusive behaviour as a "moral failure" rather than recognising its psycho-sexual nature.

Statistics differ

In its report, the Royal Commission stated that a higher proportion of survivors were in faith settings than in State care.

The religious leaders disputed some statistical claims, particularly the 'higher proportion' claim.

"Our own research presents a different perspective" the Church stated, underlining a discrepancy in the interpretation of data.

It said further work would need to be done to make an adequate comparative analysis.

Inadequate training

The Church acknowledged its historical failures in training those responsible for the care of children and vulnerable adults.

It admitted that inadequate training and a lack of understanding contributed to the harmful environment in the past.

However, by the 1990s, the Church began actively encouraging disclosures of abuse and, more recently, mandatory police vetting and safeguarding training have been implemented for all those involved with children and vulnerable adults.

Power imbalance

In response to the Commission's finding that there is a power imbalance between religious, clergy and parishioners, the Church acknowledged this.

It noted an imbalance is inherent in the relationship between clergy and parishioners, particularly during the period examined by the Inquiry.

Slow to change

In response to the Royal Commission's criticism that the Church was slow to implement changes to prevent abuse, Lowe and Rouse pointed out that some Catholic entities were "developing responses and implementing changes on par with or even ahead of state-based institutions".

They reiterated their commitment to addressing past failures and improving current practices to ensure accountability and healing.

Lowe and Rouse echoed recent comments from Palmerston North Bishop John Adams that the Church had made changes.

They reinforced the Church's pledge to be part of a broader, community-wide effort to use the report's findings as a catalyst for change.

Source

• Supplied NZCBC

The Committee is responsible for gathering and summarising responses to questionnaires for the Irish Synodal Pathway.

The young Catholics wrote that they love the Church's teaching, but their voices have not been heard.

The process leading up to the Synod on Synodality in Rome did not pay attention to their views, they said.

They express concern that the synodal process might give a false impression. As it stands. it suggests all Catholics in Ireland would like to see changes made.

Ireland's bishops also received a copy of the letter..

Peadar Hand, one of the letter's organisers, said making changes may not be the way to go.

"Among people who are actually practising and trying their best to live their faith, there's no desire for a change in Church teaching," he said.

"The duty of the Church is not to change with the world, but to change the world."

The letter says:

"As young practising Catholics, we would like you to hear our voices regarding developments with the Synodal Synthesis" it begins.

It goes on to explain young Catholics' concerns following the presentations at the pre-Synodal National Gathering in June.

Issues of concern include "the emerging synthesis risks presenting a false conclusion".

"The Sensus Fidei is in conflict with current church teaching and practice" they say. "This relates in particular to human sexuality, marriage and ordained ministry."

The Catechism defines sensus fidei or sensus fidelium. It is "the supernatural appreciation of faith on the part of the whole people when, from the bishops to the last of the faithful, they manifest a universal consent in matters of faith and morals".

The Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference has been asked for comment.

In March 2020 Pope Francis announced a Synod on Synodality.

Its aim is "to provide an opportunity for the entire people of God to discern together how to move forward on the path towards being a more synodal Church in the long-term".

The three-part synodal process started in October 2021 with consultations at the diocesan level. A continental phase is scheduled to commence in March 2023.

The final and universal phase will begin with the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. This will be themed: "For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission."

The Assembly will take place at the Vatican in October 2023.

Source

• CNA

The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors sat for 3 years before its term expired two months ago.

In freshening the commission Pope Francis added nine new people to its ranks, and re-appointed only eight of the previous members to the commission.

Pope Francis did not reappoint 6 existing members including New Zealand Church official Bill Kilgallon.

Kilgallon recently retired as director of the New Zealand National Office of Professional Standards (NOPS) for the Catholic Church.

His retirement was signaled a year ago to the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (NZCBC).

Spokesperson for NZCBC, Amanda Gregan, had no comment on Kilgallon's non-appointment but points out that he has retired.

NOPS sets guidelines for the Catholic Church's policy for children, young people and adults at risk.

Kilgallon worked as its director for 5 years before his retirement.

Pope Francis' commission renewal comes amid criticism of his handling of accusations against a Chilean bishop.

The bishop stands accused of covering up abuse while he was a priest in the 1980s and 90s.

The Pope's revamped commission will meet with victims of sexual abuse in April.

Criticism of Commission

The abuse commission has faced increasing public scrutiny since it began in 2014.

A former commissioner complained of overwork and understaffing.

Another, Marie Collins, was an Irish abuse survivor who resigned from the commission in frustration last March.

She says some of those not reappointed were among the group's most active members.

Collins says she resigned in frustration at Vatican officials' refusal to cooperate with the commission's work.

She cited one Vatican office's refusal to send a response to all abuse victims who wrote to the office.

The Pope had approved sending the response after the commission asked him to.

Sources:

• • National Catholic Reporter
  • Washington Post
  • Image: Reuters

Francis is now making an urgent appeal to all Lebanese politicians "so that a president of the republic is elected without delay and the institutions return to their normal function in order to carry out the necessary reforms and guarantee the country's role as an example of peaceful coexistence between the different religions".

In this context, Francis expressed his hope that this "glimmer of peace" could lead to a ceasefire on all other fronts. The release of the Israeli hostages and access to humanitarian aid for the Palestinian population are particularly close to his heart.

Read More

In a new report provided to the Herald by the New Zealand Jewish Council, figures showed in the 12 months from October 7, 2023, there were 227 recorded anti-Semitic incidents - a jump from 166 incidents in the eight-and-a-half years prior.

"Since the start of 2024, the number and severity of antisemitic incidents has decreased, however, there are still approximately 3.6 times more reported incidents than prior to 7 October 2023," the report said. Read more

The Pope recalled that the year 2025 is a jubilee year dedicated to hope, as well as the 1700th anniversary of the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (now Iznik, Turkey, which he said is considering visiting).

A document by the Commission "intended to shed light on the timeliness of the faith professed at Nicaea" could "prove invaluable, in the course of the Jubilee Year, to nourish and deepen the faith of believers and, based on the figure of Jesus, to offer insights and reflections useful for a new cultural and social paradigm inspired by the humanity of Christ," the Pope said.

Read More

Visitors will be greeted by a 10m steel City Mission Christmas tree which has been placed inside the cathedral for the 'Twelve Days of Christmas' event.

Bookings will be taken from December 3 to 18 for groups of up to 50 visitors at a time on weekdays. Each person will need to give a $25 koha donation which will go to the Christchurch City Mission. Read more

The United Nations and rights groups say capital punishment has no proven deterrent effect and have called for it to be abolished. Still, Singaporean officials insist it has helped make the country one of Asia's safest.

Masoud Rahimi Mehrzad, a Singaporean citizen born in the city-state to a Singaporean mother and an Iranian father, was convicted in 2013 for drug trafficking.

Appeals against his conviction and sentence, as well as petitions for clemency from the president, had been dismissed. After he was informed of his impending hanging, Masoud filed an 11th-hour appeal to stay his execution, which was dismissed by the Court of Appeal on Nov 28.

Read More

Alongside his wife, Brigitte, and the archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich, the French president was shown around the rebuilt medieval cathedral on Friday morning by Philippe Villeneuve, the chief architect of France's national monuments.

Inside the light-filled halls, Macron took in the Clôture Nord du Chœur, a sculpted wall depicting scenes from the life of Jesus Christ, and marvelled at the famous rose windows, now cleansed of the crud that had amassed in its corners over generations.

Read More

Cardinal Vincent Nichols said he regrets Mr Welby's absence from the conversation after the Church of England leader announced he was quitting over failures in handling an abuse scandal.

Mr Welby had warned last month, as the assisted dying Bill was being officially introduced in Parliament, of a "slippery slope" in terms of who would be eligible for such a service if it was legalised.

On November 12, Mr Welby announced he would be standing down after an independent review concluded serial abuser John Smyth might have been brought to justice had the church leader formally reported him to police more than a decade ago.

Read More

Data from the Electoral Commission up to 25 November showed 2262 people changed from the general roll to the Maori roll - up from 59 in October. Just 28 people changed from Maori roll to general roll.

There were also 862 new enrolments on the Maori roll - up from 29 the previous month. All up, there were 3096 more people on the Maori roll than at the start of the month. Read more

"With church communities required to re-register, all are vulnerable to new restrictions," explained Natallia Vasilevich, coordinator of the ecumenical Christian Vision organisation, referencing a recent law that requires all parishes to reapply for legal status and restricts educational and missionary activity by churches.

"Priests can be arrested and see their parishes deprived of legal status if they post or share anything deemed extremist. This is why they've been asked by their bishops to cease social media activity," the lay theologian said.

Read More

Hosea Courage spoke to 1News as the Employment Court made a new ruling that could pave the way to compensation for former residents.

He joined Daniel Pilgrim and Levi Courage in taking legal action to create change where he grew up. Read more

Soft candlelight flickered, creating shadows on the stone walls. The scent of incense filled the air, contributing to the reverent atmosphere. On Saturday, Nov. 23, Tongxin Lucy Lu became the first Chinese-born member of the Crusaders of Mary to take her temporary vows, marking a significant milestone for the secular institute.

About 130 family members, friends, and supporters of the Crusaders of Mary from all walks of life gathered for a poignant moment of dedication, creating a vibrant tapestry of humanity.

Read More

Among 1,987 attempted suicides recorded between December 2022 and December 2023, women in their 20s stood at 28 percent (570 people), followed by people in their 30s at 334 (around 17 percent).

The Japanese Society for Emergency Medicine (JSEM) released the report after compiling data gathered from a tracking system for people admitted to hospital after suicide attempts, the Asahi Shimbun reported on Nov. 26.

The system tracks cases of patients who were taken by ambulance to hospitals or emergency centres following an attempted suicide or self-harm.

Read More

"Christian hope, fulfilled in Jesus and realised in his kingdom, needs us and our commitment, needs our faith expressed in works of charity, needs Christians who do not look the other way," the pope said on Nov 17, celebrating Mass for the World Day of the Poor in St Peter's Basilica.

"We are the ones that must make his grace shine forth through lives steeped in compassion and charity that become signs of the Lord's presence, always close to the suffering of the poor in order to heal their wounds and transform their fate," he said.

Read More

Metlink estimated 84,000 people took the train and 80,000 took the bus, making Tuesday the busiest day on record.

Thomas Nash, the Greater Wellington Regional Council's transport committee chairperson, was not surprised. Read more