WelCom May 2022 More than 70 bishops from around the world have released a ‘fraternal open letter’ to Germany’s bishops warning that sweeping changes to Church teaching advocated by the ongoing process known as the Synodal Path may lead to schism. The letter expresses ‘our growing concern about the nature of the entire German Synodal […]
WelCom May 2022 The Russian Orthodox Church’s use of Christian teaching to justify Russia’s war on Ukraine is leading to calls for its expulsion from the World Council of Churches (WCC). Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Rowan Williams said the case for expelling is ‘a strong one’. He says he cannot accept the use of […]
WelCom May 2022 Archbishop Charles Balvo, a former Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, has arrived as Pope Francis’ ambassador to Australia. The 70-year-old has served 35 years in the Vatican’s diplomatic service. A native of Brooklyn, New York, Archbishop Balvo said the task of any Apostolic Nuncio is to be ‘the […]
WelCom April 2022 Catholics in Aotearoa New Zealand joined Pope Francis and the universal church in a day of prayer for peace in Ukraine. On 25 March, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, Pope Francis consecrated Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, during a service in St Peter’s Basilica. New […]
WelCom April 2022 Since Pope Francis was elected Pope in 2013, work has been going on to reform the bulky and inefficient Vatican bureaucracy, known as the curia. In March this year, Pope Francis issued a new, 54-page constitution called Praedicate Evangelium (Proclaiming the Gospel) which will usher in major reforms to the Vatican’s central […]
WelCom April 2022 Leadership coach Mena Antonio is the new chief executive – kaiwhakahaere mātua, of the Catholic social justice agency Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand. Mena has a deep understanding of the NGO sector including leadership in strategy, risk management, legal and financial compliance and people-management across highly regulated sectors. Caritas board chair Keith Wedlock […]
WelCom April 2022 Michael Fitzsimons Suitably qualified applicants are being sought for Catholic chaplaincy positions in Hamilton and Dunedin Catholic dioceses. The successful applicants will join an ecumenical chaplaincy team. Chaplains are pretty much all lay people these days and the positions are half-time. ‘The Catholic Church has chaplains in all New Zealand’s prisons,’ says […]
WelCom April 2022 Former Catholic Bishop of Dunedin John Kavanagh failed to act on a complaint of abuse against one priest but did take action appropriate for the time after a complaint was made against another priest, an inquiry process has found. Cardinal John Dew requested an inquiry in 2020 after a number of victims […]
WelCom April 2022 The Catholic Centre in Hill Street, Thorndon, the centre of operations for the Cardinal and a range of diocesan and national church offices, has been closed pending decisions on its future. People are working from home and from other locations around the archdiocese while alternative accommodation is being investigated. The decision to […]
WelCom April 2022 Parliament grounds were officially reopened to the public on 16 March, after being closed for two weeks while a clean-up occurred following the 23-day anti-mandate occupation. Representatives of Parliament and Te Ātiawa Taranaki Whānui with the Kiingitanga and the local Wellington community gathered at Parliament for Te Whakapiki Mōuri – a ceremony […]