How much silence do you have in your life? Silence is a space of healing and peace, yet it can also be confronting. I immersed myself in prayerful contemplation during a Silent Retreat with the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites recently, and it changed my life.

Upon his arrival, Archbishop Pintér was required to present his credentials to both the Governor General of New Zealand and the Chairperson of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference as our new Apostolic Nuncio Bishop.  But what is a Nuncio Bishop anyway?

Instead of trick-or-treating or hanging plastic skeletons in the window, Catholics are busy with other things at this time of year. With the Saints in heaven, we are praising God, and asking the Saints to pray for us. We are also praying for and remembering our loved ones who have passed.

Auckland's Ethnic Community Festival was a two-day feast. It started with a feast for the stomach with many food vendors. Then, a feast for the ears and eyes with the cultural talent show, and on the Sunday, a feast for the Spirit, with a colourful and joyful Mass. Read our blog all about it, with a full gallery of pictures...

The 14th of September is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The Cross that the Romans deliberately designed for horror and subjugation has become the symbol of victory and liberation. Christ’s death is the moment of victory when all the sin of the world is conquered by the ultimate act of love.

Today marks the beginning of Social Justice Week. The theme this year is: ‘Choose forgiveness, know peace: Kōwhiria te murunga hara, kia mōhio ki te rangimārie’. Forgiveness is not easy, but it is a fundamental part of Jesus’s teaching during his ministry on earth. Holding on to the resentments of the past is like drinking poison and expecting someone else to die. To find peace within ourselves, we must forgive. Social Justice Week is a time where we focus on aspects of Catholic Social Teaching. Here, the newcomer to Catholicism may ask, what is that?

Just between you and I, I’m not really at a Prayer Conference in Christchurch to work. I need this reconnection with prayer. Perhaps we all do? It is all too easy to fall into the busyness of ‘being Christian’ and fail to find quality time for the Lord. How often, if we’re honest with ourselves, do we actually stop and pray?

On a sunny Saturday morning in Wellington, a gathering was held at the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Sacred Heart that really embodied how diverse and inclusive the Catholic Church can be.

You may have seen the news in the Catholic media that Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò has been excommunicated by Pope Francis for the canonical crime of Schism. But what does this mean?

The Relics of the Saints Tour in Auckland has been an exciting opportunity to experience the rich cultural diversity of the Catholic Church. Although I was only able to attend one event in the tour, it was the first, so there was a sense of intensity, excitement and holiness. I feel privileged to bear witness to it.

If you have ever found yourself wondering about the Church’s position on some of today’s problematic societal issues, then read on...

At its heart, Holy Week is our participation in the love Jesus Christ has for us. What He went through, in those last few days leading to His death on the Cross and the Resurrection, is an expression of this love. This reflection explores what happened during that week in Jerusalem according to Mark, and how we commemorate the week liturgically as we follow Christ’s journey and open ourselves to being loved.