In part II, Bishop Peter Cullinane clarifies some of the areas in Pope Francis’ Decree Traditionis Custodes, where there is potential for misunderstandings and superficiality. Liturgical misunderstandings and superficiality develops Part I: Like charity, Christian unity begins at home. Wasn’t the Traditional Latin Mass the “Mass of the ages”? Yes, which is why it adapts Read more
Synodality in Germany, The Synodal Way,” is an oft-mentioned topic that for some is concerning, others confusing and then for another group is considered the “great future”. “Synodality is a moment of crisis,” Professor Margit Echolt from the University of Osnabrück, told Flashes of Insight. “The issues centre around the democratisation of the Church, equality, Read more
The latest Omicron variant BA.5 is fast becoming dominant worldwide, including in New Zealand and Australia. As it continues to surge, reinfection will become increasingly common and this in turn means more people will develop long COVID. The two most concerning aspects of long COVID are its high prevalence (up to 30% of those infected) Read more
The civil proceedings against Cardinal George Pell are for the same allegations of which he was acquitted by the High Court; “They’re going to hunt him down until he dies.” That was the response of someone close to me upon reading the news that Cardinal George Pell is now the subject of civil proceedings in Read more
When Jesus’ first disciples were signing on, “Philip found Nathaniel and said ‘we have found the one Moses wrote about… Jesus from Nazareth’. Faced with Nathaniel’s scepticism, Philip simply said ‘come and see” (John 1:43-46). And that did it. If this same Jesus is now “Christ among you, …” (Col.1:27), then people’s experience of Christian Read more
The Australian Catholic Church’s vote last week on the role of women in the church felt personal. From when I was seven years old, I longed to commit my life in ordained ministry, and expressed this to my Archbishop at age 11. He responded, “There are many other things that women can do in the Read more
Pope Francis is scheduled to fly to Canada on Sunday for a weeklong visit to meet the country’s Aboriginal peoples who were victims of colonization and various types of abuse at Catholic-run residential schools. He has described the trip to North America as a “penitential pilgrimage”. But who exactly are these Indigenous people of Canada Read more
The Plenary Council (PC) is over and the time has come for assessments. What did it achieve? In positive terms it brought together an enormously generous group of people whose dedication to Catholicism is extraordinary. It also demonstrated the diverse complexity of the community. As PC member John Warhurst commented: ‘In political terms we [Catholics] Read more
The meaning of spirituality has developed over time as our understanding of culture, religion, and personal development has changed. Traditionally, spirituality was part of religious practice and the attempt to inhabit the original shape of things or live in the image of God. In early Christianity, spirituality is related to living a life orientated by Read more
It’s always been a challenge to read the Vatican tea leaves in the idiosyncratic pontificate of Francis, the first Jesuit pope in the history of the Catholic Church and the first Roman Pontiff in more than a century who had never before worked or lived in Rome. But in the last several months it’s basically Read more