WelCom May 2020: Human value is not a measure of ‘our mental or physical capacity, our societal function, our age, our health or of any other qualitative assessment,’ said the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales in a statement about accessing healthcare during the Covid-19 pandemic. As at 27 April, more than 21,000 people […]
WelCom May 2020: Cardinal George Pell has been freed from prison after Australia’s highest court quashed his convictions for child sexual abuse. Cardinal Pell was convicted by a jury of abusing two 13-year-old boys at St Patrick’s Cathedral in the late 1990s when he was archbishop of Melbourne. In March 2019, he was given a […]
WelCom May 2020: The social distancing measures imposed on most of the world’s population during the coronavirus pandemic have not only prevented Catholics from going in person to celebrate the Mass, but have also largely put a stop to the practice of confession. This new reality, especially serious for those suffering from the virus or […]
WelCom May 2020: 54th World Communications Day The Vatican and many dioceses mark World Communication Day on the Sunday before Pentecost, this year being 24 May. For his 2020 message, Pope Francis has chosen the theme, ‘So that you can tell your children and grandchildren. Life creates history.’ The passage, based on the Book of […]
WelCom May 2020: Common Action need to protect our garden home Humanity has failed to take care of the earth and its inhabitants, sinning against God and his gift of creation, Pope Francis said during his livestreamed weekly general audience, 22 April 2020. Celebrating the 50th Earth Day, the Pope called on us all to […]
WelCom April 2020: Resurrection and reconciliation – the magnificent Risen Christ and stunning blue stained-glass panels in the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Chapel in Berlin. The original Romanesque-style church was bombed in an air raid in 1943. Due to public pressure, the scorched spire of the old church has been left untouched and now sits alongside a […]
WelCom April 2020: New Zealand entered Alert Level 4 for Covid-19 on Thursday, 26 March 2020, in an effort to stop the spread of the virus. Cardinal John has been issuing regular updates to Wellington and Palmerston North dioceses about related Government instructions, church announcements, and Sacramental and pastoral restrictions. All Masses, liturgies and church gatherings […]
WelCom April 2020: Lisa Beech The Archdiocese of Wellington and Society of St Vincent de Paul are supporting parishes in continuing to ‘go forth’ safely to our communities, within the strict Alert Level 4 lockdown and distancing required by the Covid-19 response. As Cardinal John Dew said in his letter to parishes, 26 March, ‘We know […]
WelCom April 2020: Bishop Michael Gielen was ordained by Bishop Pat Dunn, Bishop of Auckland, on March 7 in a joyous, uplifting, multicultural ceremony. The Vodafone Events Centre in Wiri, Auckland, was used, rather than St Patrick’s Cathedral, because a huge congregation wanted to attend the ceremony and celebrations. ‘The joy and excitement was palpable’, […]
WelCom April 2020: New Zealand’s Parliament has passed a bill decriminalising abortion and allowing women to choose a termination up to 20 weeks into a pregnancy. The Abortion Legislation Bill has passed its third reading in Parliament, meaning the procedure will now be removed from the Crimes Act. The final bill passed on Wednesday evening, […]