The 15th Station is our monthly news podcast. We get a panel of Kiwi Catholics together to provide a Catholic perspective on the news and current events of the month.
Station XV: Episode 176 — Sacrifice, Synod, Census, Sisters
Pope Francis has urged Catholics to better understand the sacrifice of the Mass — which is something the Station 15 panel can certainly get behind. The Pope has also made headlines with the commitment to appoint women to the panel that appoints bishops (announced before we recorded, followed through after the recording). Closer to home, New Zealand dioceses have published the fruits of their local consultation for the Synod of Bishops on Synodality and, across the Tasman, new data shows the number of Catholics in Australia is falling. Maybe some ardent prayer — come rain or shine — is the way to go…
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Station XV: Episode 175 – Persecution, Pelosi, Palliation, Prayer
The episode is a real mixture of joy and sadness, as we traverse the globe for this month’s stories. Starting close to home, there’s news of the appointment of a Bishop of Christchurch, but in Africa, the news of another attack on a Catholic church and dozens of worshippers is maddening and sickening. In the US, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone’s decision to ban House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from receiving communion has created a stir, while back Down Under there are concerns people won’t get the health care they need because of fears about euthanasia. Maybe we just need to pray about it and have a stiff drink — like the Venezuelan man in our light story. Enjoy the show, and keep up with your own prayers for our world.
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Station XV: Episode 174 – Constitution, Cardinal, Children, Concern, Commandments
The Catholic world has (as always) had some big news stories over the past month, led by the leaked US Supreme Court opinion foreshadowing an overturning of Roe v Wade. Elsewhere, the arrest of a 90-year-old cardinal sent shockwaves through some parts of the Church (and the wider society), and Pope Francis has again spoken about God’s care for LGBT Catholics. In New Zealand, there are concerns about attitudes towards blasphemy, but deeper concerns about Bible editing skills. All in a (tardy) episode, due to COVID-19.
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Station XV: Episode 173 – Truce, Trinity, Transfer, Transgression
Once again, the horror and violence in the Ukraine leads this month’s episode, with Pope Francis calling for a truce over the Easter feast. In New Zealand, there’s a sense of disappointment as the Vatican rules a cure that had been considered a miracle due to the intercession of Mother Suzanne Aubert could be explained by medical intervention. There’s a different sense — one of regret and sorrow — in Dunedin, as the Church renames a college that had been named after a bishop deemed to have not acted appropriately on allegations of abuse some decades ago. We end with some good news — a new pathway for refugees and asylum-seekers — and some weird news, as someone climbs the spire of a New Zealand cathedral while under the influence. A typically mixed bag. We wish our listeners a happy and holy Easter.
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