WelCom February 2022 Pope Francis began his regular weekly address at the Vatican recently by talking about the role of St Joseph as an adoptive father. It was a celebration of adoption as ‘among the highest forms of love’. The general audience was part of a series of catechesis on St Joseph. And then, in […]
WelCom February 2022 Afghanistan is the most dangerous place to be a Christian after the Taliban takeover has emboldened Islamist extremists worldwide, according to a new report. Afghanistan has replaced North Korea at the top of the World Watch List. North Korea was the worst for Christian persecution on the annual list for 20 years, […]
WelCom February 2022 The BBC has named a Catholic nun from Myanmar among Nobel laureates, politicians and professors as one of the 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2021. Sr Ann Rose Nu Tawng became a symbol of Myanmar’s nationwide protests against a military takeover when, in March, she knelt in front […]
WelCom February 2022 Pope Francis conferred the ministries of catechist, lector, and acolyte upon lay men and women for the first time in St Peter’s Basilica in January. Candidates from three continents received the new ministries. Two people from the Amazonian region in Peru were formally made catechists by the Pope, along with other candidates […]
WelCom February 2022 Pope Francis has invited everyone to participate in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which this year focuses on a theme relating to the experience of the Magi, who came from the East to Bethlehem to worship the Messiah King: ‘We saw the star in the East, and we came to […]
WelCom February 2022 The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland has announced plans to issue an historic apology to the Sámi people, who are indigenous to the Finnish nation and several other Nordic countries. The Sámi, currently numbering around 100,000 members, are the only recognised indigenous people of Europe. ‘We are coming to the moment when […]
WelCom February 2022 A new report has found former Pope Benedict XVI failed to act over four child abuse cases when he was archbishop of Munich. The report was carried out by a German law firm, Westpfahl Spilker Wastl, and was commissioned by the Catholic Church. The report alleges abuse continued under his tenure and […]
WelCom February 2022 On Sunday 23 January the people of Te Whaea Tapu o Kāpiti – Our Lady of Kāpiti farewelled their much-loved and respected priest Fr Michael McCabe. After 14 years leading the parish Fr Michael has been appointed to Marlborough’s Our Lady of the Sea Parish. Fr Michael celebrated Mass assisted by Pā […]
WelCom February 2022 An online event to celebrate World Marriage Day, 13 February, will be livestreamed nationwide from 7.30pm, Sunday 13 February. Called ‘Building a Love that Lasts’ the event is sponsored by the Catholic Network of Marriage Educators, and hosted by the Hamilton diocese. Keynote speakers are Megan and Nahum Kozak of Lighthouse Relationships. […]
WelCom February 2022 Covid casualty – planned event cancelled Fr James Lyons Wellington’s ‘Little Lourdes’ provides an ideal focus for the celebration of this month’s 30th World Day of the Sick, 11 February. A pilgrimage, with prayer for the sick, was to be held at the site honouring Our Lady of Lourdes in the grounds […]