There came a time for Jesus the Christ to conclude his earthly ministry and return to his place with his Abba/Father. I would invite you to reflect on two paintings of this moment of Ascension. In these paintings, rather than focusing on the departure of Jesus, focus on the remaining community. The first is titled, Read more
New Zealand canon lawyer Msgr Brendan Daly (pictured) says the Church needs more lay people in governance roles. Its episcopal appointment process could also be altered so it is more open – it could save a lot of unnecessary distress, he says. The clerical sexual abuse scandal shows the necessity for these changes, he wrote Read more
A new St Vincent de Paul Centre opened in Levin on Sunday 15 May and immediately received civic approval. Speaking at the opening Levin, Mayor Mr Bernie Wanden, (pictured) described the Centre as “a wonderful venture for our community.” Wanden observed that Levin probably has the lowest rating for household income in New Zealand. He Read more
The decision by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to close down Catholic News Service was terrible in terms of lowering the standards of Catholic journalism. It was terrible, also, because of its ecclesial significance, which is a related but different concern, one that strikes at a deeper issue for the nation’s bishops. The Read more
One of the most dis-spiriting things in life is when we have no sense of ‘agency.’ The notion of ‘Agency’ is one that originated in sociology but it refers to something that most adults have felt at one time or another. Agency is the sense that I can do something about a problem, that I Read more
Holiness is open to everyone and does not consist of a few heroic gestures but of many small acts of daily love, Pope Francis told 45,000 people gathered at the Vatican last week. The reason for the massive outdoor gathering was the pope’s official proclamation of 10 new saints. It was the Catholic Church’s first Read more
The Gospels contain quotes attributed to Jesus that do not always agree with each other. Sometimes the differences are insignificant, a matter of wording. In other cases, the versions radically differ from one another. In yet other cases, the evidence is strong that a saying is not what scholars call ipsissima verba, the very words Read more
The denunciation of clericalism can no longer wait. And led by Pope Francis, the Catholic Church is reacting strongly. There are two faces of clericalism. One is the authoritarian priest who decides and does everything on his own. The other is the clericalised laity. These two major errors prevent the laity from developing the charisms Read more
Whenever there is a matter of dispute in the modern-day Church, there is a tendency to ask what would be the opinion of those members of the Early Church? Those of you already familiar with the writing and teaching of Tom O’Loughlin, Professor Emeritus of Historical Theology at the University of Nottingham, will welcome his Read more
The cost of living is forcing people in debt into increased loneliness and isolation, Christians Against Poverty (CAP) says. For them, it’s at least as bad as the isolation during the pandemic lockdowns. The charity surveyed 750 of its clients for its latest study. Published on Monday to coincide with the start of Mental Health Read more