Parish priests throughout New Zealand are working overtime in preparation to serve Sunday’s first congregations under the Government’s Traffic Light system. Those CathNews has spoken to in “Orange”, are looking forward to the extra level of safety and greater congregational capacities they can offer their vaccinated congregations. All, however, are treading a fine line establishing Read more
There’s the Covid pandemic – we all know about that; and then there’s the hidden pandemic. That’s the one where New Zealanders bash each other up. Preferably their nearest and dearest. The hidden pandemic’s the one Matt and Sarah Brown, founders of global anti-violence movement She Is Not Your Rehab, have spent years working to Read more
Recently some readers of my blog “Another Voice” told me they fear I am becoming “negatively critical and pessimistic”. Their remarks surprised me. I am critical but I think it is healthy and responsible to be constructively critical. Being critical, however, is not the same thing as being negative. And I am really not pessimistic. Read more
The Austrian Catholic bishops’ conference are discouraging Catholics from celebrating the sacraments of Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage during the national lockdown. Bishop Anton Leichtfried, the conference’s liturgy chair, said: “These celebrations are now to be postponed as much as possible in the interest of fellow celebrants.” The bishops also clarified rules for attending Read more
Church leaders are confused about how to implement the My Vaccine Pass – one sums it up saying “We are greeters – not bouncers”. From December 3, people wanting to attend church services, gatherings, hospitality events, gyms and those wanting to avail themselves of close contact businesses will need the My Vaccine Pass to prove Read more
The New Zealand Catholic bishops are prepared to tolerate the State’s sweeping public health measures, however, they want the mandates and vaccine pass requirements to be continually reviewed. Their support of the government’s Covid measures is contingent on and only justified by, “the emergency situation as it exists at this point in time.” While all Read more
Nine out of ten Catholics in France firmly believe the Church needs to change its attitude towards sexual morality, according to the findings of poll last month that was co-sponsored by La Croix. Many moral theologians in the country agree with that assessment. One of them said that re-formulating Church teaching on human sexuality is Read more
Pope Francis has announced two Irish dioceses will be combined in a union under one bishop, a move aimed at streamlining the church’s hierarchy without depriving any town of its cathedral. One bishop will be appointed by Pope Francis to the Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora and the Diocese of Clonfert. The change was Read more
One of the casualties of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was the confidentiality of the Catholic Sacrament of Penance — commonly called ‘the Seal of Confession’. The Catholic bishops who responded to the Commission were unable to convince the commissioners that the seal of confession should continue to be respected, Read more
A photograph of former St Patrick’s College Silverstream rector, the late Father Patrick Minto remains on display at St Patrick’s College Silverstream, despite a survivors’ support group’s wish for it to be removed. “Unless someone comes to us or police with a credible accusation … Fr Minto is entitled to his good name,” Fr Tim Read more