A farewell
After nearly two decades of conversations, interviews, homilies, lectures, and a good deal of laughter, The 15th Station has signed off.
We launched on the Feast of the Assumption (August 15, 2007) as New Zealand's first Catholic podcast network. Back then, podcasting was nearly brand new and we had the idea of sharing a Catholic perspective from our little corner of the world.
We grew from having monthly news roundtables to offer a range of other podcasts: theological deep-dives, reflections and homilies from bishops and priests, pro-life advocacy, serialised lectures from international speakers, and political commentary from Aotearoa New Zealand. We set out to put the riches of the Catholic faith into your ears wherever you were.
To every listener who tuned in from New Zealand, Australia, the UK, the USA, Canada, Singapore and so many other places: thank you. We were honoured that you listened to us.
What we made
The 15th Station was home to several different podcasts — each one a labour of love, produced by volunteers who cared about the faith and the medium:
Our flagship monthly roundtable — a Catholic perspective on the news and current events of the month, with a panel of Kiwi voices around the table.
Weekly reflections from Bishop Patrick Dunn of Auckland — his thoughts on the liturgical seasons, feast days, and the life of the Church in New Zealand.
A monthly catechesis podcast featuring theologians from across New Zealand and the world, exploring the depths of the Catholic faith with clarity and warmth.
Produced in partnership with Family Life International, covering the Church's vision for life, love, and what it means to be human — from conception to natural death.
Serialised multi-part talks and lectures from outstanding international Catholic speakers — made for the long commute, the long walk, or the long wait.
Three New Zealanders making sense of the biggest Catholic and political stories from the United States — from a safe and healthy distance.
Weekly homilies for the liturgical seasons — the Word of God, spoken simply and faithfully, for wherever you were when you listened.
Why we were here
The traditional Stations of the Cross end at the fourteenth station — Christ laid in the tomb. But there is a fifteenth: the Resurrection. The stone rolled away. The grave clothes folded. The beginning of everything.
That is what this network was always pointing at. Not only to tell the news of the Church, or to teach the Catechism, or to argue the culture — but to point, always, toward the thing that makes it all make sense: that Christ is risen, and that changes everything.
Including the digital landscape.
We built that as best we could. We are grateful to Icon Media and NZ Catholic for their partnership over the years, to Hearts Aflame and SQPN for their fellowship in the work, and to every guest, host, editor, and contributor who gave their time and voice to this project.
Still going strong
When we started, we were the first. But we are definitely not the last!
...and there will no doubt be more to come!