The two men are Bishop Charles Drennan, who resigned as Bishop of Palmerston North in 2019 but remains a priest and still holds the title of bishop, and Fr Larry Rustia who, after a period of suspension, returned to 'supervised' ministry.

The woman is Annie Benefield (taking the photo). The photo is on the occasion of her graduation from Good Shepherd College in Auckland where candidates train mainly for the priesthood.

NZ bishops want Drennan laicised - Vatican does not

In a statement, Stephen Lowe, president of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, said New Zealand officials believe "Drennan's actions, reported by a number of complainants, were wholly unacceptable" and "rise to the level of seriousness that warrants his removal from the priesthood".

The Vatican appears to disagree.

Lowe said multiple bishops have repeatedly and unsuccessfully asked the Vatican to laicise Drennan.

However, Lowe did not address why the Vatican did not act.

"We will continue to make the case at every opportunity" he said.

The Vatican required Drennan's resignation in August 2019. It was accepted at the end of September and announced in early October 2019.

As part of Drennan's resignation, the Vatican required him not to present himself as a bishop using episcopal regalia and dress and also not to engage in any public ministry.

The new Bishop of Palmerston North, John Adams, is also aware of Drennan's case.

"Several women have reported that Bishop Charles has had a sexual relationship with them. Although he has not been in public ministry in our country for some years now, we are still waiting for a final determination from Rome about his future as a cleric" Adams wrote to parishioners throughout the Palmerston North diocese.

Archbishop Gábor Pintér, the Vatican's representative in New Zealand, said the Vatican has a policy of not commenting on open cases. He declined to answer questions.

Two men, two affairs

Benefield, the Whanganui woman at the centre of the story was engaged to be married during part of the 10 years she was in a relationship with one or other either of the clerics.

She confesses she had sexual relations with Drennan (who admits some of her claims) and subsequently with Filipino priest Larry Rustia (who admits her claims are mainly true).

Eventually her affair with Drennan ended and her relationship with Rustia began and petered out; Benefield was left with a shaky faith, a post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosis and a keen desire to see both men released from their priestly state.

Eventually, after seeking advice, Benefield went to the National Office for Professional Standards (Nops) - the complaints authority of the Church in New Zealand.

Nops commissioned an investigator, who trawled through messages Benefield provided, interviewed Benefield, Drennan and Rustia, and spoke to several of Benefield's family and friends.

In 2019, the investigator reported that her complaints were supported.

Larry Rustia and Annie Benefield

Rustia

While investigating Drennan, Nops also checked out Rustia.

After admitting to the affair, Rustia was suspended from the ministry in 2019 and sent to Australia for psychological therapy.

However according to Lowe, multiple psychologists reviewed his case and recommended that he return to ministry under supervision.

Around 2020, Rustia was assigned as a parish priest in Kaitaia.

"But I love my vocation and I wished to continue it. I was permitted to do so, but with a safety plan. That includes regular engagement with a psychologist, a psychiatrist, a spiritual director, an external supervisor and senior clergy. I have followed that plan for five years."

Rustia says he deeply regrets his mistake with Benefield.

Lowe said the church has not received any further complaints concerning him.

Benefield today

As part of two financial settlements from the Catholic Church, Benefield initially did not want the matters to become public.

She says however that her loyalty to the Church motivated her to share her story publicly for the first time.

She is adamant that Rustia and Drennan should no longer be priests.

"They have such power and such a gift in what they can do.

"Speaking as a Catholic, it's so special and so holy.

"The Church did the wrong thing for a long time, but it seems like they're trying to do the right thing now" she said.

Despite the pain, delays and secrecy, she said progress would prove "it wasn't the church who had done this. It was those men".

Source

• NZ Listener
• Supplied.

Pope Francis granted Archbishop of Hamburg Stephan Hesse leave of absence at the end of March.

The leave came after Hesse offered his resignation over the mismanagement of sexual abuse cases in his previous diocese, Cologne.

Vicar-general Ansgar Thim has been handling the archdiocesan administration in Hamburg.

On 12 August, he stated the situation in the archdiocese has become untenable and demanded speedy clarification from the Vatican.

The Hamburg archdiocese had earlier declared that it sincerely hoped that "the Vatican will not delay in reaching a decision."

The archdiocese expected that the Pope would accept Archbishop Hesse's resignation, the declaration said.

"I am not shirking responsibility. But, I would like to send out a clear signal to all those at home and abroad that things cannot go on like this," Thim wrote in a letter to the members of all the Hamburg archdiocesan councils.

There had been no further reaction from the Vatican as to how things should continue in the archdiocese since Pope Francis granted Hesse leave of absence, Thim explained.

Hesse, therefore, remained as archbishop and the see was not vacant.

Meanwhile, in New Zealand, the diocese of Palmerston North is still waiting for a bishop to replace Charles Drennan, nearly 2 years after his resignation.

A spokesman for the Catholic Church said Pope Francis appointed all bishops, and there was no timeframe for the appointment.

Sources

The Tablet

Stuff

Catholic News Agency

CathNews NZ

Dew made the comment, Friday, in answer to questions from counsel Sally McKechnie, at the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care.

"The Pope is the only one that can remove a bishop from office.

"They have all the information from the investigation. I really don't know why he is still a bishop," said Dew.

Drennan tendered his resignation as the Bishop of Palmerston North following an investigation into a complaint by a young woman, of unacceptable behaviour of a sexual nature. The behaviour was not with a minor, nor criminal.

Pope Francis, October 4, announced he had accepted Drennan's resignation as Bishop of Palmerston North, however for now he still keeps the title of bishop, and remains a cleric.

Dew told the Royal Commission that Drennan must however follow strict conditions imposed on him.

Drennan is required to

• move out of the diocese of Palmerston North
• find accommodation outside the diocese
• not participate in any public ministry whatsoever
• not wear any episcopal attire e.g. a bishop's ring
• not to participate in any celebration or function as a bishop.
• ordinarily remain in New Zealand, but if he wants to leave the country he has to tell the Apostolic Nuncio, the Vatican's diplomatic representative in New Zealand.

Asked if Drennan could not be a bishop but be ‘demoted' to being a priest, Dew said there were cases overseas where this had happened, but he doubts it could be done in such a small country.

"If (Drennan) was (demoted to being a priest), I think they would have to be very careful where they put him and have clear safeguarding procedures put in place."

Dew said no-one asked for Drennan's laicisation and it was a grey area.

"I sent in my votum​ about the complaint and it was up to Rome to decide what his future might be."

Sources

• Stuff

Cardinal John Dew, Archbishop of Wellington, is still the apostolic administrator of Palmerston North pending the appointment of a new bishop by Pope Francis. Read more

They are grieving the loss of their leader and wondering what will happen to him.

Drennan resigned after an investigation into a complaint made by a young woman about behaviour of a sexual nature.

Monsignor Brian Walsh, the vicar general of the diocese, lead the prayers.

Diocese general manager Tony Murphy said the complaint a young woman made a complaint "some months ago",

As a result, Drennan stepped aside from his duties while an investigation took place.

The complaint did not warrant police attention, Murphy said.

Walsh said a close friend was supporting Drennan, who remained a member of the clergy until further notice.

That meant the church had an obligation to support him, as it would any other bishop or priest.

Dion Martin said the news of Drennan's resignation was like "a great huge sadness on our hearts."

"My heart goes out to him because it's obviously a difficult time he is going through."

The situation showed the pledge of celibacy priests take was ridiculous, Martin said.

"I find it very cruel."

Many others who spoke share the same sentiment.

However, a spontaneous show of hands by people in the room had less than half of the congregation agreeing priests should be able to marry.

Teresa Edwards, who manages the Catholic schools in the diocese, said teachers and principals were being prepared on how to deal with the issue if students brought it up once school returned after the holidays.

A counsellor was involved in the process, she said.

Although most who asked questions on Monday evening went to microphone and spoke in a measured way, a man in the crowd shouted out, asking why Drennan was not present to answer to the congregation.

Source

Manatawu Standard

We know that a hungry man cannot be judged for stealing a loaf of bread.

But for some reason, many lay people believe that the tradition of celibacy for priests, goes back to the apostles.

That is not so.

Paul tells us that he apostles, including Peter, had wives who helped them in their ministry. (Cn 9:4)

Until the 11th century, the church had married priests, bishops and popes.

But humanity being what it is, church property was being handed down to families.

Mandatory celibacy solved that problem.

The solution was more about finance than holiness.

Mandatory celibacy is not pro-life, and it has never worked.

For centuries its failure has been hidden. Now it is very public.

I agree with Daniel O'Leary SJ. Mandatory celibacy is a sin.

Perhaps we should look at other Orthodox traditions we regard as extended family.

Celibacy is for religious/monastic orders. A diocesan priest must be a married before he goes out to a parish. Mistakes happen. A priest may be divorced once. But not twice.

This system seems to work without too much failure, for the Orthodox churches.

Our system has failed, and we won't admit it.

Instead we play the "blame game" with the help of media that feeds on sensational negative news.

An American friend has a term for this kind of media. He calls them "shit-house flies."

There has been a lot of prayer this week. The past few days have been tinged with sadness.

• I am sorry that a reputable magazine connected with the church, should send emails to subscribers giving details of Bishop Charles Drennan's resignation.
• I am sorry that Pope Francis didn't offer his famous response: "Who am I to judge?"
• I am sorry that the church will lose a very fine bishop.
• I am also sorry for the women concerned. But I have seen how young women flirt with priests. Do they think that a vow of celibacy guarantees immunity?
• Most of all, I am sorry that the church maintains a suicidal resistance to married priests.

Over the past few years, when I've read about a priest charged with sexual abuse, I've known that both abuser and abused are victims.

The Greek playwright Aeschylus put it another way:

"Who is the slayer and who the victim? Speak!"

• Joy Cowley is a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and retreat facilitator.
• The views and opinions expressed in CathNews' opinion pieces belong to the author.

"My reaction is one of great disappointment that this happened at this time in the Church when we are really striving to do all we can to make sure people are safe, that we have safe-guarding policies, and yet this has still happened.

"It's a time of anger and deep disappointment for me and many other people," he told RNZ, Saturday from St Peter's Square, Rome.

Dew says the behaviour was not sexual assault but involvement of a sexual nature and that "Any sexual behaviour in a pastoral situation is totally inappropriate", he said.

RNZ reports the police are not investigating as the behaviour was inappropriate but not illegal.

Community reaction

People's responses to Drennan's resignation are wide-ranging.

Academic, retired professor Peter Lineham, described the handling of Drennan's resignation as "precedent-setting" by the Catholic Church.

"This (transparency) is the very issue which has been at the heart of concerns that the Church has often not addressed things cleary or explicitly," he told RNZ.

He said it suggested that the church had realised it had to change.

"I think Cardinal Dew has been absolutely on the mark in the way he has very firmly ensured that the girl's privacy is protected, but she's offered support."

Lineham's comments are echoed by several Sunday mass-goers.

"I'm pleased they have said something. It's difficult to know how much they can say", said Annie.

"Just when things seemed to be settling", commented Graeme.

Sara said she felt very sad for all involved. "It just goes to show, priests are humans, and we all have feet of clay," she said.

"Who are we to judge...We're all human, with human failings" said an anonymous parishioner of the Palmerston North Cathedral parish.

However, not all agree.

"Who are we to judge? Well, who else will judge? The tooth fairy?" responded Murray Heasley on Facebook.

Heasley is the spokesman for the Network of Survivors of Abuse in Faith-based Institutions.

Another, Steve Goodlass, who co-founded a survivors support group on Facebook, says the Church needs to be more transparent.

He told RNZ the statement "raises more questions than it answers".

"The statement from the Church is very, very sparse on detail, and it would be good to find some clarification on what has actually happened."

However during Sunday Mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Palmerston North, Vicar General of the diocese, Fr Brian Walsh asked the congregation to respect the young woman's privacy and not share any additional information they may know.

"This a difficult time for the young woman and her family and for those that worked with and knew the parties concerned.

"I implore you to respect her wishes and to pray for all involved."

The future

Commenting to OneNews, in a statement, Drennan described the situation as not one of sides, or opposing voices.

He told OneNews that now that the Vatican has accepted his resignation, he has nothing further to add.

Clarifying Drennan's status, Dew said that Drennan is no longer the bishop of the Palmerston North diocese, and it is completely over to Pope Francis to decide what his future will be.

Dew has been appointed Administrator of the Palmerston North diocese until a replacement is found. He will also replace Drennan on Te Ropu Tautoko, the Catholic support group for the Royal Commission into the Abuse in Care.

Sources

• RNZ (Various audio news bulletins)
• Manawatu Standard
• OneNews
• Vos estis lux mundi
• Image: One News

Note to commenters

In relation to this story CathNews has received several comments about sexual abuse.

One thing we do know is the story is not about sexual abuse but sexually inappropriate behaviour.

Other commenters write assuming they know details.

Our publication of wide-ranging potentially inaccurate comments is unjust and no doubt illegal.

Comments are closed.

Hailing from Christchurch, and an old boy of Christ's College, Drennan has a first-class honours degree from the University of Canterbury.

He studied for the priesthood at Holy Cross Seminary, Mosgiel and at Propaganda Fide College, Rome.

Ordained priest in 1996, Drennan served in several Christchurch parishes, was the administrator of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament and Chancellor of the Diocese of Christchurch. For a time, as a priest, he worked at the Vatican in the Secretariat of State.

Ordained bishop in June 2011 at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Palmerston North, Drennan was installed as bishop of Palmerston North in March 2012.

A member of the Executive Committee of the Federation of Catholic Bishops' Conferences of Oceania and Board of the New Zealand Catholic Education Office Ltd; Bishop member of The Catholic Institute (TCI) Council; member of the NZCBC Commission for the Church, member of the Mixed Commission of bishops and religious priests, sisters and brothers, in 2016 he was elected secretary of the NZ Catholic Bishop's Conference.

More recently he was appointed as the bishops' representative on the support group known as Te Ropu Tautoko. "Tautoko" was set up to manage co-operation between the Catholic Church and the Abuse in Care Royal Commission.

Cardinal Dew's statement

A statement from the Cardinal Metropolitan Archbishop of New Zealand was distributed late at 11:17pm. It reads:

"Cardinal John Dew, the Metropolitan Archbishop of New Zealand, today announced that Bishop Charles Drennan has resigned as the Bishop of Palmerston North. Bishop Drennan tendered his resignation to Pope Francis following an investigation into a complaint of unacceptable behaviour of a sexual nature. The complaint was made by a young woman. Pope Francis has accepted the resignation.

"Upon receiving the complaint, the New Zealand Church's independent investigation body, the National Office of Professional Standards (NOPS), contracted an independent, licenced investigator to undertake an investigation under the oversight of Cardinal Dew. Bishop Drennan stood aside from his duties. Both Bishop Drennan and the young woman participated in the independent investigation.

"The young woman has been informed of his resignation and the Church is in ongoing contact with her. The Church is committed to giving continuing support to the young woman, her family and those around her.

"'The young woman has requested that details of the complaint remain private,' said Cardinal Dew. 'It can be confirmed that Pope Francis has accepted the resignation. In the eyes of the Catholic Church, Bishop Drennan's behaviour was completely unacceptable, and it fully supports the young woman for coming forward to NOPS,' said Cardinal Dew.

"The clergy, staff and church leadership of the Diocese of Palmerston North have been told of the acceptance of Bishop Drennan's resignation and provided with guidance and resources to help them to support parishioners and other members of the Catholic community. The wider Church of New Zealand will also be advised and supported."

"'The Catholic Church has no tolerance for any inappropriate behaviour by any of its members. I encourage anyone who experiences such behaviour to bring it to the attention of the Church, police or any organisation with which they feel comfortable,' said Cardinal Dew."

Sources

• Palmerston North Diocese
• Supplied
• Image: TVOne News

Additional statements

• Cardinal John Dew - Archdiocese of Wellington - General News Letter - 4 October 2020

"Even the recent final document of what was a very dynamic Synod on Young People is disappointingly dull.

"It could have been so much better if young people had been entrusted with being a part of the writing group.

"I am confident though that slowly the Synod Office in Rome will evolve its working methods and better equip itself for the renewal that Papa Francesco is calling for."

He was speaking before he left for the 2019 World Youth day in Panama.

The bishop had been invited to lead one of the three Catechesis sessions for English-speaking pilgrims.

Posting on Facebook from the World Youth Day, Drennan gave an example of what it means to listen to young people.

The Catechesis session he led was followed by a Q and A session.

The bishop said he had emphasised that any question was welcome; nothing was off the table.

The first three questions were all broadly speaking about sexuality. Transgender, and being gay - were the first two.

"To pretend that homosexuality and gender dysphoria do not exist or are somehow outside God's plan for humanity is a rejection, not defence, of truth and thus nonsensical.

"The inadequacy of the commentary on sexuality of some within the Church I believe is impacting negatively on the entire credibility of the Church.

"And in some areas, it's time theology caught up with science. Thankfully the recent Synod in Rome on young people acknowledged this."

Drennan said it was the third question, however, which left him speechless, choking.

"A girl from Jamaica stood up, looked me in the eye, and said: 'All life is a blessing, right Bishop?"'

"Sure," I responded.

"Then why does the Church define me as being the result of fornication?"

"I was reduced to silence for some time, not because I didn't have a response, but because the thought of that young woman's pain (and I assumed also her Mum's) left me only with the language of a lumpy throat: silence.

"We, the Church, will always fall short in communicating God's love.

"We are human and limited. But every privileged moment of truly sharing another's pain will be a step of purification and hope for us all and those we encounter."

After the questions were over and the crowds dispersed, Drennan found the Jamaican girl and hugged her. "And through her tears, she simply said: thank you."

Source

• Supplied Sophia Macris Catholic Diocese of Palmerston North
• Facebook
• Image: Facebook

The event in January next year will be attended by thousands from around the world.

Bishop of Palmerston North, Charles Drennan, who will be accompanying the New Zealand pilgrimage to Panama, commented "it's my first World Youth Day.

"I'm excited by the renewal Pope Francis is bringing to the Church and I'm confident this pilgrimage of faith to Central America will be full of the joy and sense of mission that radiates from so many of our young people."

The New Zealand contingent will arrive in Panama and initially be hosted by a local Panamanian parish community along with contingents from Ireland and Latvia.

In this local community, the groups will experience Panamanian culture, exchange ideas, participate in faith services and work together on service projects.

The official WYD events begin on 22 January with an Opening Mass.

Participants will hear sessions hosted by Bishops from throughout the world, there'll be WYD festival events and Pope Francis will celebrate the Closing Mass with up to one million expected to attend.

Previously, international events have been held in the US, Brazil, the Philippines and Australia.

The theme for the celebration in Panama is "I am the servant of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word."

WYD2019 is taking place a few months on from the October Synod on ‘Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment' held in Rome.

The October Synod was preceded by months of preparation, involving young people from many countries having their say on the future direction of the Church. In 2017, the VoicetoVatican survey for Young New Zealanders received almost 2000 responses.

This fed into global findings about young people and their faith. A preparatory meeting in March, led by young people, considered the findings and prepared a discussion document for the bishops at this month's Synod.

Click here for more information

Source

• Supplied Amanda Gregan
• Image: allevents.in

This time it was in Christchurch. And the experience was seismic.

No priest or Bishop could have left that week unshaken.

The two input speakers - each very different from the other - shook us to the core.

Take your pick of the Titanic sinking or the Bismarck rudder-less going round in circles, the images of the Church (the barque of Peter) presented to us were brutally raw.

A central thesis of one of the speakers was that the festering wound of sexual abuse of minors, points to a wider and deeper fault-line running through the Church (something which historically has been seen as a mighty force and now is experienced as a pathetic weakness): clericalism.

Clericalism is the appropriation by a clerical caste of what is proper to all the baptized.

More simply put, it's a club mentality which renders the baptised subservient to preening priests.

I loathe clericalism. It makes me shudder.

It's a hangover from tribal forms of priesthood - where castes were set aside for temple service - found in the Old testament, and which morphed into a culture of ‘superiority' or entitlement, or as Jesus himself put it: "Lording it over others" -see Mathew 20:25 and 1 Peter 5:3).

Clericalism isn't an isolated phenomenon; it has close cousins.

Misogyny, sexism, bullying, racism, paternalism, are also pathetic attempts to lord it over others; misogyny parading as theological orthodoxy is a particularly toxic example.

Of course this does not mean to say that organisations, including the Church, don't need strong leaders.

Indeed, in times of crisis good leadership or governance is essential.

That's where we are stuck though, going around in circles.

So much ordinary leadership as well as formal governance in the Church has been tied to ordination and thus to priests and Bishops.

So where to next?

Fresh theological study of baptism as a source of or, better put, call to leadership is already underway.

We do not need to wait for its conclusions before we bring about change.

Pope Francis's reform of the Church started with a bow; his is not primarily a theological reform. It is an attitudinal reform.

He bowed to the world from the balcony of St Peter's on the night of his election and instead of ‘telling us…' he ‘asked us…' please bless me, bless pray for me.

He spoke not ‘at' but ‘with' us, the baptised the universal Church indeed all humanity.

This is a reform of the heart.

Let us not underestimate its power for good.

After all, clericalism is not a theology. It's a pathology.

A pathology of arrogance and ignorance that has been a tumour in the Church for too long.

But back to governance or leadership.

I like to use the metaphor of the table.

Who sits at the table?

This shifts discussion from laws and protocols to people and vision, from power and authority to gifts and talents, from in-groups and sycophancy to diversity and creative thinking.

In Aotearoa we can point to some good examples within the Church.

For example, the Finance and Management Council of the Palmerston North Diocese, to which I am accountable, is chaired by a woman farmer and has diverse membership.

Diversity is of course not about simply ticking "difference boxes"; it is about taking seriously the recognition that any governance structure needs a range of insights and experiences and intuitions at the table.

What about our Bishops table?

It too needs to be broad.

Diversity at a table does not mean that any one stops being who they are.

When I sit at our Bishops' table, or any other table including kitchen tables, I sit there 100% as myself and therefore 100% as one who serves as a Bishop.

Someone else's presence doesn't undermine me, doesn't dampen my voice as a Bishop or belittle my contribution.

The presence of others in fact enhances me and saves us (Bishops) from the high risk of group monologue.

How could it be threatening or undermining if we Bishops actually had at our table prolonged korero or discussion - inching towards shared insight (Dei Verbum 8) and policy and planning - with Maori, with women, with young leaders, with representatives of the tens of thousands of Catholics who in this land and Church we love, no longer sit at the table of the Lord on a Sunday?

May I conclude by recommending to you an opinion piece written by a key worker in the Palmerston North Diocesan office, Dave Mullin.

It's entitled Six men in a leaky boat (Split Enz fans will be smiling!) and while entirely his own article is also the fruit of chats we have had.

With humility, may our conversations and listening across the Diocese grow, as we seek to include ourselves in Pope Francis' reform of the heart of the Church.

• Charles Drennan is Bishop of Palmerston North
• Image: supplied

The topic given to Bishop Charles was: "Icons of Christ: developing personally and professionally as leaders of local faith communities for the new evangelisation.

Bishop Charles noted that leadership is currently a hot topic not just in the Church but in society generally given generational sub-cultures impacting on methods of communication and engagement. Among the particular challenges facing priests and parishes is growing communities - the people of God - in a time of increasing individualism.

There is a strong cult of people ‘doing me' rather than us, yet the covenant relationship of God with the world through history has been a journey from I to We.

Among the sources of leadership that Bishop Charles explored with the Sydney clergy was the central place of the Chrism Mass in the life of a diocese and its bishop, priests and people.

Drawing on the Chrism Mass gospel reading where Jesus is chased from the synagogue out into the lanes and fields of Capernaum, Bishop Charles invited the priests to reflect on where and to whom the sacred oils lead them as evangelisers, healers, and anointers or facilitators of the divine life.

He suggested that while the oils may appear like a channel of priests' ministry - which they are - they are first and foremost instruments of the Holy Spirit who is constantly at work among in the world.

Maria Cavallaro, senior PA at the Sydney archdiocesan curia, commented that the priests' assembly was "filled with joy." In thanking Bishop Charles, she said: "I am so grateful to see happy smiling men filled with hope".

Source

Supplied: Amamanda Gregan New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Conference

Drennan left for his most recent visit at the beginning of November.

"Sometimes I'm asked why do you return to the same place in India? (The implication being, isn't that a bit boring!?)

I'm here not as a traveller but as a volunteer and friend. So it works well.

Far from boring or repetitive, I get involved with people and their trials quickly because I'm known.

Trust and friendship across cultures and social strata take time to build. But the fruits are great.

My base is a place called Raphael where I have been visiting and volunteering for 28 years.

It's a diverse community: some with leprosy, special needs children and adults, and it has a small TB hospital too," he said.

"From there I venture out and get involved with other projects too. Most people there are Hindu with a few Muslims and Christians.

"It is also the place where, during my first OE, I decided to give the seminary a try upon return to NZ."

Drennan said that even after all these years he loves now being able to arrive in a completely different world, with rhythms so different from his usual daily pattern, yet feel totally at home.

It is, he says, a privilege and a gift.

• Read more on the Palmerston North Diocese's website
• Visit Bishop Bishop Drennan's FaceBook page

Source

• Supplied: Sophia Macris, Bishop Charles' PA
• Diocese of Palmerston North
• Diocese of Palmerston North
• Image: Palmerston North Diocese

On Saturday 5, the Holy Father Francis will receive the participants in audience in the Paul VI Hall.

The attendees will include Don Luigi Ciotti, founder of the Abel group which fights against abuse by the Mafia throughout Italy; Vandana Shiva, Indian philosopher and environmentalist; and Pepe Mujica, president of Uruguay from 2010 to 2015.

Accompanying Forrest is his 14 year-old daughter, who studied Ancient Rome last year. She is excited about to being able to see it in person.

Both she and Forrest are looking forward to visiting the places that are important to their Catholic faith.

The World Meeting of Popular Movements, promoted by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and Pope Francis himself, brings together people who are involved in communitarian organisations all over the world.

Forrest's involvement with the Catholic Worker Movement led to Bishop Charles Drennan of the Diocese of Palmerston North recommending that he attend the meeting.

Drennan noted that "the Catholic Worker Movement have a long history of simple living, and practical concern for the poor and marginalised".

He said their community in Palmerston North was "a humbling place of prayer, hospitality and support of many including those with mental health challenges".

Forrest's role as a Catholic Worker Movement representative will be to look at the issues facing the poor and marginalised in our communities and ask, ‘what's wrong with the world that's causing people to suffer so much? And what can we do to change this?'

Forrest says that everyone at the meeting will be discussing these questions, both generally and more specifically to their particular countries and situations.

This year will be the third time World Meeting of Popular Movements has met.

The meeting will take place over three days, and will focus on how to bring about the necessary social changes to reduce inequality, injustice, and the degradation of the planet.

Attention will also be given to how the poor of the world can have greater access to the ‘3L's': land, lodge and labour.

150 representatives from approximately 70 countries are expected to attend.

He is interested in hearing from the other representatives at the meeting.

"New Zealand is such a wealthy country - we have poor people here, but our situation is radically different to a lot of other countries." said Chambers.

He also encourages all Catholics to read Laudato Si', which part of the meeting will be focusing on. "It's a great read," he says.

Source

• Supplied
• Image: media02.radiovaticana.va

The moral theologian is responding to an argument put forward by Cardinal Walter Kaspar proposing that it is possible for the Roman Catholic Church to adopt a pastoral principle similar to "oikonomia", as it is practised in the Eastern Church where in the "economy" of salvation the church permits spouses in consummated sacramental marriages to divorce and remarry as a way "to accompany people when they make their incremental approach to life's goal."

E Christain Brugger has the sent letter to 22 synod fathers of the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand saying that such an view "both misunderstands the Catholic doctrine of indissolubility and badly misrepresents the intentions of the Council of Trent." Full text of Brugger's letter

Brugger is professor of moral theology at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver, United States, and a specialist on the Council of Trent.

He is writing book, expected to be published next year, dedicated to the teaching of the Council of Trent on matters of marriage.

The opposing argument is put forward by Giancarlo Pani S.J., professor of the history of Christianity at the University of Rome.

The nature this discussion is of a rather technical nature.

Source

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The 26-page booklet was the brainchild of the Bishop of Palmerston North Diocese Charles Drennan, who wanted to ensure the Maori account of the injustices suffered by the people of Parihaka were acknowledged.

The resource contents were put together by Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand in collaboration with Parihaka community leader Dr Ruakere Hond, who helped with its production.

Hond said he hoped the Parihaka story would inspire people to look deeper into the history and development of their own towns or cities.

Parihaka - past or present or Parihaka o nehera, o naianei was officially launched at the Catholic Education Convention last month. Continue reading

Drennan said there was growing social tension experienced throughout the world, including in New Zealand, regarding the TPPA.

"Often we think of protests as a series of 'nos', but we can also make it a series of 'yeses'," he said.

"Yes to fairness and justice and yes to a vision of our world that upholds a united global family that also respects rather than squashes regional goals and aspirations."

Read Bishop Drennan's Blog - Its's time for me to protest again.

Protests against the Trans-Pacific Partnership took place in 22 towns and cities thought the country on the weekend.

More than 3000 people marched in Auckland with a symbolic "Trojan horse" representing the TPPA being pulled along by corporate groups and an "Uncle Sam" character representing United States interests.

Radio New Zealand reported that in Wellington hundreds of people marched from Midland Park to Parliament.

In Christchurch, almost 3000 people were reported to have gathered in Shand's Crescent in Addington before a march to Hagley Park.

In Dunedin, about 1500 people took part in the rally in the Octagon.

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• Stuff.co.nz
• Scoop
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Stamping of feet and shouting of slogans - unity - is a woefully inadequate response.

We are not Charlie

We are not Charlie, and we need to explain why.

Soon after the tragic event in Paris I was reading the coming Sunday's gospel reading and was struck with how different our Christian understanding of unity is from that of French politics.

The passage described the emergence of the first disciples.

They stood out from the crowd through their recognition of who Jesus is which they expressed with titles: Lamb of God, Rabbi, Teacher, Messiah, Christ, the anointed one, Son of God (Jn. 1:35-42).

The titles are not rewards or achievements.

In fact they point beyond Jesus to an external source of authority which lay outside Jesus himself; the Father in heaven (cf. Mt. 28: 18).

Why is this important?

It reminds us that unity is not achieved through slogans, policy statements, or decrees.

It also reminds us that unity is not primarily about uniformity or conformity let alone assimilation.

True unity in fact respects diversity and places within a dynamic of dialogue widely differing values.

How?

By recognizing that the source or principle of unity lies beyond individuals or groups or nations in God the Creator, in whose image and likeness every man and woman is created and endowed with inviolable dignity.

An authentic understanding of unity is of particular importance in an increasingly globalized society.

Most migrant communities are "welcomed" because of a perceived economic advantage to the host country.

Often the welcome is accompanied by a twist of exploitation, and exaggerated individualism and nationalism emerge as the doomed principles of unity or integration. Think of seasonal workers in NZ who are legally paid below the minimum wage and welcome only for certain months of the year.

And in Europe, Muslim migrant workers and their families are being welcomed as long as they adopt European values (whatever that means) with the implication in France being that freedom of speech is far more important than respect for a religious leader or a religious community's sensibilities.

Satire has its place; but it's not an absolute right

The right to freedom of speech is certainly a good to be cherished and protected. And, yes, satire does have a long and even noble tradition in the pursuit of democracy.

Think of the conscience and satire characters in 15 th and 16th century morality plays, or the role of the Jester in many of Shakespeare's works.

But freedom of speech is not an absolute right.

Freedom of speech sits within something beyond itself, something deeper, something truly unifying, namely, the principle of the common good, which stands at the heart of Catholic Social Teaching.

Liberte, égalité, fraternité

This it seems French President Monsieur Francois Hollande and the je suis charlie campaigners do not understand or certainly do not accept liberte, égalité, fraternité , are not in the first instance political achievements or legislators' milestones (cf. Book of Wisdom chapter 6).

Rather, liberte, égalité, fraternité , stem from the inherent God given dignity of every man and women which corresponds in every human being to a duty to respect and desire the common good of society; something which transcends individual, group and even national interests.

The principle of the common good places rights, like the freedom of speech, and goals, like unity, in correlation with duties by which every person is called to assume responsibility for his or her choices made always in relation with others in the community in which we live.

• What contribution does crass mockery (hardly satire) make to the freedom, equality, and community of everyone?
• What common good is served by arrogant provocation of the Parisian Muslim community many of whose members are already suffering from sub-standard housing and unemployment?
• What kind of leaders exploit a tragic and violent event in the community for individual political self- interest?

Among others parading on the streets of Paris were political leaders from Egypt, Turkey, Russia, and United Arab Emirates which according to the organization 'Reporters Without Borders' are ranked (out of 180) 159th, 154th, 148th, and 118th for press freedom of speech.

Tui's billboard writers might well have something satirical to say about that. And vive our National and Diocesan interreligious faith groups and commissions who drawing on the treasure of our social teaching endeavour to help build authentic unity in our multicultural land.

+ Charles Drennan
Bishop of Palmerston North
Originally appeared in Welcom and submitted to CathNews by + Charles

Cardinal John Dew has been confirmed as the substitute.

He will serve as the representative at the synod should Bishop Drennan be unable to attend for any reason.

The Vatican has confirmed the the Bishops' choice along with of 47 other delegates chosen by bishops' conferences around the world.

Not every bishops' conference was represented in Saturday's list, as some still need to hold their general assemblies where they will select their candidates and substitutes.

Delegates listed in the announcement included 7 from Africa; 3 from Asia; 3 from Oceana; 17 from Europe; and 10 from Central and South America.

The Synod will take place 4 - 25 October.

Like its 2014 precursor, the focus of the 2015 Synod of Bishops will be the family, this time with the theme: "The vocation and mission of the family in the church and the modern world". Continue reading

After almost four years of planning, construction has been completed on a revamped block of buildings at St James' School.

Bishop Charles Drennan, of the Palmerston North Diocese, blessed the refurbished rooms on Wednesday at a ceremony attended by parents, pupils, teachers, church leaders and community members.

The school embarked on a six-figure upgrade earlier this year, approved by the Catholic Schools' Board to coincide with the ministry's seismic strengthening standards.

The school had a new lease of life, changing from its 1950s appearance, principal Teresa Edwards said.

Edwards said the improvements were in a bid to prepare pupils for modern learning and living. "The world has changed," she said.

New Zealanders needed a broader repertoire of competencies and skills and that started at school.

Board of Trustees chairwoman Margaret Leamy said the new learning space would allow pupils to be self-directed learners ready to face the future when they left school and able to compete in an international environment.

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• Image: Facebook