Archbishop John Dew is representing New Zealand at the Synod on the Family in Rome this month. The synod is unprecedented in its wide-ranging and thorough consultation...
Blog
family beauty
Yesterday saw the beginning of the second week of the two week Synod on Family Life and evangelization. This is without doubt the most inclusive Synod of all time with...
human experience
Last night I received an email from a mutual friend of Monsignor Lorenzo Albacete: Monsignor Albacete has had a lung failure and his condition is extremely grave....
true nobility
Some months ago I was deeply moved to see an interview (below) with a young Pakistani woman who in response to being shot in the head by the Taliban at age 14, gave a...
dialogue
Most New Zealand Christians know little of the formal ecumenical dialogues that happen regularly between some of the New Zealand churches. One of these is the National...
synod blog
The Synod on the family is now underway in Rome. Archbishop John Dew represents New Zealand, and takes with him perhaps the broadest and deepest survey ever of New...
joy from prison
Most week’s my Sunday reflections and homilies are centered on the words of Jesus in the Gospel. Often the first reading of the Sunday liturgy (usually from the Old...
Millet’s 200th
On 4 October 1814 the artist Jean Francois Millet was born to a poor peasant family in the north of France. He was one of the first artists I grew to appreciate after...
less is more
I noticed a New Zealand Catholic article this morning that shows a Palmerston North parish seeking to grow in appreciation of the liturgy. The brief article begins...
Traces
This month's Traces magazine carries reflections on the 2014 Rimini meeting (with it's "Life on the Peripheries" theme) and the International gathering in La Thuile....
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how much more
I know that I, sinful and unforgiving as I can be, if given charge of the gates of heaven for an hour, would throw them wide open, even to those who hate me and create problems for me.
labyrinthine ways
I like Jonah because he’s a bit like me. I like the way that he recognises the call of God for him, then gets a bit scared and runs in the opposite direction
our
The word OUR is a powerful reminder that when I pray I am not alone. Not only am I in active relationship with God, but I am united with all who share OUR faith in Jesus Christ.
the big picture
We often focus too much on overcoming a particular sin forgetting that our focus must be on Jesus Christ who gives us both the desire and the ability to overcome sin.
our holy longing
While at times we are faced with decisions involving good and evil, most often our choices are between something good, something better, and perhaps a best option.