In a joint statement, Bishops from New Zealand's two biggest Christian Churches - Catholic and Anglican - are begging the warring factions in the Holy Land to stop.

Stop the war with the accompanying acts of violence it executes, the bishops' joint statement says.

Let it go. Release hostages. Stop fighting.

Everyone's saying stop the war!

The bishops' words join the international community's pleas for peace.

It's a sentiment Pope Francis applauds.

"Brothers, stop! Stop!" he said to thousands waiting to hear his Angelus message in St Peter's square on Sunday.

"War is always a defeat. Hamas must free Israeli hostages and all sides must allow humanitarian aid to reach the people of Gaza."

Later in the day, Francis phoned US President Joe Biden to discuss various conflicts and the need to identify paths toward peace, the Holy See Press Office says.

Then during his Angelus message on Wednesday, and for the 6th time, Francis called for a stop to the Isreal-Hamas war.

Violence doesn't work

"Hospitals and civilian infrastructure are protected under International Humanitarian Law," Anglican Archbishop Phillip Richardson says in the joint statement.

"Such niceties of law did not protect the wounded in Al Ahli Anglican Hospital and the people who were seeking sanctuary and protection. There are no winners in war: so often, it is innocent people who are maimed and killed."

The conflict between Israel and Palestine is a wound that has continued to fester... diplomatic efforts ... have failed because of the unwillingness to honour international agreements.

"Violence will never be a solution."

Blessed be the peacemakers

Bishop Steve Lowe, President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Conference, spoke of peace.

"As Bishops, we endorse ... those groups and institutions in Israel and Palestine who work for peace, justice and reconciliation.

"Such work recognises our common humanity. This is the path that we advocate for peace in the Holy Land."

Government and diplomatic authorities must advocate for an immediate ceasefire and the opening and ongoing safeguarding of humanitarian corridors, the bishops' joint statement says.

"In this very emotional time, we cannot let anger lead us into antisemitism or Islamophobia.

"Let us remember that there are innocent victims on both sides of the conflict. To our fellow interfaith religious leaders, we ask: ‘Let us unite in prayer and action for a lasting peace.

"To the people of Aotearoa New Zealand, we urge you to pray for peace and to support aid appeals for those impacted by this humanitarian crisis."

The statement then quotes parts of Psalm 130 which begs: "Out of the depths I cry to you O Lord; hear my voice. O let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleading."

In conclusion the bishops say: "May we too be attentive to those who call out to us from the depths of despair and destruction.

"May we commit ourselves to being instruments of peace."

• NZ Catholic Bishops Conference
• La Croix
• Vatican News
• America Magazine

The latest comes from David Palmieri of Outreach, a US LGBTQ Catholic resource.

"Aroha and Diversity in Catholic Schools, manifests the love of Jesus Christ in its courage to seek "respect, compassion, and sensitivity" for LGBTQ children in Catholic schools and colleges" he says.

For this unique effort among Catholic leaders, "Aroha" deserves global recognition and accolades, he says.

The National Centre for Religious Studies (NCRS), a branch of the official teaching arm of the NZ Catholic bishops' Te Kupenga-Catholic Leadership Institute, talked to Palmieri about their role in helping draft the new document.

The NCRS is responsible for Religious Education curricula and resources at primary and secondary school levels, and provides an early childhood curriculum.

The NCRS "is led by Colin MacLeod, and is blessed by the wisdom and experience of full-time or part-time curriculum and resource developers: Laurel Lanner, Sam Steele, Kate McHeyzer, Stephen Woodnutt (seconded for 2022) and Lyn Smith".

"The bishops genuinely care for the young people in their schools and want to support them," the NCRS told Palmieri.

"Throughout the process, the New Zealand bishops have been compassionately aware of the need to support vulnerable young people."

In September 2020, the New Zealand Ministry of Education released new guidelines for education on relationships and sexuality.

They included gender considerations for all grade levels.

The bishops' new document acknowledges that in the culture, there are some "ideological stances which run counter to Catholic teaching on human sexuality."

As an example, the NCRS says 2018 census data shows 48.2 percent of the New Zealand population is religiously unaffiliated.

Additionally, the Catholic Church is navigating cultural divergences among its members from official doctrines. These include prostitution, same-sex marriage, abortion and euthanasia.

The NCRS says the bishops are also concerned about the over-sexualisation of society, which targets young people and influences their principles and choices.

The bishops' process for drafting the document "highlights the reality that being followers of Jesus today is just as complex as it was in Jesus' time, and the Church needs to be just as creative, compassionate and strong in its message of love and faith as modelled by Jesus."

According to the NCRS, the document's preparation was an exercise in synodality and co-responsibility.

The bishops listened to school principals, guidance counsellors, directors of religious studies and diocesan religious education advisors. Principals involved in the drafting process were very clear that this document was needed urgently in schools.

They also "spoke to some groups of high school seniors and school leavers to see what they had to say about positive and negative experiences in New Zealand Catholic schools, and what advice they had to offer."

Another positive aspect is the bishops' choice to use "LGBTQ language".

"We used LGBTQIA+ because we wanted to show inclusivity. This is also the terminology used in the Ministry of Education documentation on relationship and sexuality education, and it is the language used by young people in general," NCRS says.

"Aroha" takes a far different approach from the US with LGBTQI+ issues. It advises "each situation must be judged on its merits.

The document is unique in at least three ways, NCRS told Outreach.

As it's a pastoral guide, it shows a preferential option for the principles of Catholic social teaching.

It features a pastoral approach to catechesis on human sexuality.

The NZCBC prioritise the affirming and buffering of young people.

Source

• NCRS
• Outreach

Karatea-Goddard's appointment was made by Maori-Tumu Whakarae of the Sisters of Compassion Group, the religious order founded by Meri Hohepa Mother Suzanne Aubert.

He will join Dr Chris Gallavin, appointed in March last year, in the co-chief executive position.

Karatea-Goddard has been the Maori adviser for the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference and Vicar for Maori with the Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington.

The Conference's announcement of Karatea-Goddard's appointment was made in Te Reo and English.

Sister Margaret Anne Mills of the Sisters of Compassion says the appointment builds on Meri Hohepa Suzanne Aubert's bicultural work with Maori especially at Jerusalem on the Whanganui River in the 1880s.

"Our multicultural reality is only made real and will only be successful if we understand our bicultural foundation. We hold that the work of Meri Hohepa Suzanne Aubert is of pivotal importance in our journey toward true partnership in Aotearoa New Zealand. It is an expression of our commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi," Sister Margaret Anne says.

For Karatea-Goddard, the new appointment strikes home on a personal note.

"A number of my aunties, my children and I have been recipients of the mission of Meri Hohepa Suzanne Aubert.

"To be able to serve the Sisters of Compassion whanau is a privilege, and I am excited to join them as we explore deepening our commitment to biculturalism as we move into a new future in these uncertain times," he says.

The powhiri to welcome Karatea-Goddard into his new role will be held on Monday, May 23, in Hiruharama Jerusalem.

Source

• NZ Herald
• New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Conference

Correction

As an aggregation service, CathNews used a published media article which says a powhiri for Karatea-Goddard will be held on Monday, May 23, in Hiruharama Jerusalem.

A powhiri for Deacon Karatea-Goddard will be held at Our Lady's Home of Compassion in Island Bay on Monday 23 May 2022 at 10am, followed later by a powhiri in Hiruharama Jerusalem.

The Australian bishops are also planning to base their updated translation on the Revised New Jerusalem Bible (RNJB).

Bishop Stephen Lowe says New Zealand's bishops have been discussing the "biblical choice of version for our lectionary" for some time now. The choice was between the RNJB and the English Standard Version-Catholic Edition (ESV-CE).

They have decided on the RNJB because it "uses inclusive language, and is based on the Jerusalem Bible translation, that is the current approved lectionary for New Zealand," Lowe says. Furthermore, its language is familiar and more poetic than the ESV-CE.

UK priest and theologian Thomas O'Loughlin explains the lectionary provides a list of biblical texts arranged according to a plan.

"It is a means of bringing ancient texts that have been valued in liturgical gatherings before us in such a manner that they are an element in our liturgy."

The ordering is based on our liturgical needs today.

"This means the plan of any lectionary is built upon the structures of the liturgy - most especially the liturgical year and the other needs being celebrated (e.g. a wedding), not upon any supposed ‘plan of the bible."

One of Lowe's roles sees him represent NZ bishops on the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL). Lectionary translations were discussed at the ICEL February meeting this year.

Lowe says representatives from the Indian and the Scottish bishops' conferences reported a lack of inclusive language in the ESV-CE the Bishops Conference of England and Wales had adapted.

Australian Jesuit priest Gerald O'Collins, who is a world-leading theologian and biblical scholar is critical of the ESV-CE. He says the translations lack of inclusive language is an "egregious example of inaccuracy."

It uses masculine language, even though the text uses generic language.

"It renders into English the words of Jesus about the cost of discipleship: ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it' (Matthew 16:24-25).

"The implication is that Jesus envisages only men, and not women, as his followers. As John Barton put it: ‘The argument that ‘masculine language is meant to include women will not wash nowadays, whatever may have been the case in the not-so-distant-past'."

Source

• Catholic News
• Supplied: Thomas O'Loughlin
• Image: You Tube

Civil unions for same-sex couples have been available in Aotearoa New Zealand since 26 April 2005.

Bishop Patrick Dunn, Bishop of Auckland and President of the NZ Catholic Bishops' Conference has made a public statement in relation to Francis's stance on same-sex civil union, saying:

"I endorse the reported comments of Pope Francis. I know that he is anxious for LGBTQ people to know that they are valued members of the family of the Church as they are of their own families. We want their happiness, and for them to know that they are loved."

Francis's remarks were made in a new documentary film, Francesco, that focuses on his life and teachings.

The full quote as stated in the documentary is:

"Homosexual people have a right to be in a family. They're children of God, have the right to a family. You can't kick someone out of a family, nor make their life miserable for this. What we have to have is a civil coexistence law; they have the right to be legally covered."

Francis also made the same comments in 2019 to a Mexican journalist but they were not published at the time.

Source

• New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Conference
• NZ Catholic