Station XV: Episode 127 — Crosiers, Cardinal, Criticism and Climate
There’s more cause for celebration in New Zealand, with a second bishop ordained in quick succession. Bishop Michael Dooley is a local boy who has swapped his farmer’s crook for a bishop’s crosier. Across the Tasman in Australia, Cardinal George Pell has been ordered to stand trial on historical sexual offences, making him the highest-ranking cleric to be charged. The Cardinal entered his “not guilty” plea in a clear and firm voice. In the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte has chosen to unleash his power on an Australian religious sister, who has been speaking up on behalf of the poor and the marginalised. Meanwhile, the bishops of Oceania — Australia, New Zealand and many Pacific island nations — have also called for protection for those who are in danger, including from climate change. All in a month’s work for the panel of Anna, James and Gavin on The 15th Station.
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Station XV: Episode 120 — Sadness, Solidarity, Social and Celebrity
Tragedy has struck again, this time in Las Vegas, where the local Catholic bishop urged locals and tourists alike to band together in solidarity to support the mourning, the injured and the suffering. Pope Francis has acknowledged the inadequate response to the scourge of clerical sexual abuse, saying the Church was too late to recognise the gravity of the situation. The Pacific bishops are trying to avoid being too late to support the local economies and a New Zealand-born Australian bishop wants to make sure it’s not too late to reach people’s hearts and minds via social media. If that fails, the power of music and the Eucharist might work — or at least that’s maybe what some Colombian worshippers concluded. Enjoy the musings of Anna, Don, James and Gavin in this month’s episode.
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Station XV: Episode 113 — Praise, criticism, tragedies and comedy
It’s been a manic first (almost) month in the Trump presidency, and the US bishops have been both praising and criticising the President. In Australia, the bishops have been more focused on repentance, as damning statistics emerge about the extent of sexual abuse in the Church there. Back in New Zealand, there’s more analysis of the changing religious landscape and, internationally, there’s conjecture about a new translation of the Mass. But what would Jesus tweet? Catholic comedian Stephen Colbert offers his thoughts. Join Don, James and Gavin for the latest episode of The 15th Station.
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Station XV: Episode 105 — Negligence, Tolerance, Intolerance and Holiness
Somewhat recurrent themes on The 15th Station — clerical abuse and the state of the US presidential race — show their face again in this month’s episode. Pope Francis has taken steps to make the removal of negligent bishops more straightforward, despite some counter-productive efforts in the US on statutes of limitations. Former NZ Prime Minister Helen Clark says the country offers a model for religious tolerance at about the same time Donald Trump is accused of lacking in that virtue. The holiness of a French priest who served in New Zealand and the humour of Jim and Jeanne Gaffigan might save us.
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Station XV: Episode 103 — Communion, Commission, Closures and Contributions
The Pope’s apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia leads off this month’s episode and — spoiler alert — there are some strong feelings on the document. Pope Francis’s Holy Thursday initiative to wash the feet of refugees of different faiths and the possible Royal Commission into child sexual abuse in New Zealand also feature, and Don, James and Gavin have a mix of sadness and support for the closure of three parishes in Dunedin. Maybe if they’d been receiving tithes via a new app, the parishes could’ve stayed open. Just joking. Mostly. Enjoy the show.
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Station XV: Episode 34 — Belgians and Blue Brothers
The panel returns with a series of hot topics to tackle this month, including the Belgian police raids that saw a number of a number of Catholic bishops detained as well as the upcoming visit of the Holy Father to the United Kingdom. We also discuss the Vatican’s newspaper endorsement of The Blues Brothers and their “Mission from God”, with L’Osservatore Romano saying it’s undoubtedly a Catholic film. If you’re looking for a Catholic spin on some of today’s film, you can check out the Australian Catholic Film Office or the United States Bishops’ Media Office for reviews.
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Station XV – Episode 31 – Abuse, apologies and another round
It’s not a pleasant topic to cover, but we’d be remiss in leaving it out this month. So we deal in detail with the growing abuse scandal in Europe and the attacks on the Pope, the Waihopai Three spybase destroyers and their “not guilty” verdict, the terrible case of a woman starving herself to death, and the pubs in Ireland opening on Good Friday…for a football match! Follow us at facebook.com/station15 or twitter.com/station15
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Station XV – Episode 28 – roasting by the Christmas fire
For our final show of the decade, the three (not so wise) men talk about the bishops opposing the FPA’s application for an abortion license, the Pope’s take on climate change, have a heated exchange about adding “Catholic” to the names of our schools, the latest Irish abuse report, and eye damage to well meaning but misguided Catholic pilgrims? All this and some more great music from the Priests – Happy Christmas everyone!
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Station XV – Episode 22 – The rollercoaster show
In this month’s episode we talk about some serious and not so serious stuff: the New Zealand bishops altering their decision on when to kneel at Mass, the report on the terrible historic abuse in Ireland, the Budget and the Church’s response to it, the killing of Dr Tiller, and some great names for Bishops. Don’t forget, you can follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/station15. You can also find us on Facebook, but not yet at www.facebook.com/station15 (as we promised on the show) until Facebook allows us to reserve the name on June 28.
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