Station XV: Episode 77 — Il Papa was on Rolling Stone
Pope Francis continues to be a media darling, with Rolling Stone magazine the latest publication to run a glowing piece on the Pontiff as he approaches the one-year anniversary of his election. But, as this article from The Week explains, there were quite a few errors and exaggerations in the article. Pope Francis has also been in the news with his appointment of his first group of new cardinals, and he’s also talked of the Internet — our medium of communicating with the world — is a “gift from God”. We find it hard to disagree with him. James, Shannon, Don and Gavin also talk about the death of a New Zealand bishop and a survey of Catholics in Germany and Switzerland. Enjoy the show.
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Station XV: Episode 76 — Holy Land, Catholic School, Religious House
We burst into the new year with the great news that Pope Francis, who was apparently a real drawcard in his first 10 months as leader of the world’s Catholics, will make a trip to the Holy Land and Jordan this year in the latest peace mission from a Pope. James, Lucy, Don and Gavin also talk about Catholic education — who it’s for and who it should be for — as well as the 6.6 million people who attended papal events since Pope Francis’s election, the expulsion of a priest from the Jesuits and the latest round of secularist antagonism, this time against the Ten Commandments. All in a busy episode of The 15th Station.
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Station XV: Episode 74 — The Pope, the Cardinals and Lesus Christ
Is the Church about to become a democracy? And a democracy that has women cardinals, no less? Your answers to those questions will depend on which news sources you’ve been reading over the past few weeks. Pope Francis is surveying dioceses and parishes to get some insight into family life in preparation for next year’s synod on the topic, and there’s been conjecture he’ll appoint women cardinals at his first consistory in February. What we do know is that a Latin American cardinal thinks New Zealand should have a louder voice in Rome, a $20,000 bathtub isn’t a great idea and someone forgot to proofread some new Vatican coins. Join James, Don and Gavin for this month’s show.
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Station XV: Episode 72 — Special prayers, special appointment, special guest
Four years after his last appearance, Father Roderick Vonhogen returns to Rendition Studios for this month’s episode of The 15th Station. Along with James, Shannon and Gavin, topics for discussion include Pope Francis leading a day of prayer and fasting for Syria, the Holy Father’s appointment of a new secretary of state and efforts in New Zealand to address youth unemployment. Two religious orders kissing and making up and the papal “selfie” are also on the list of topics. Enjoy the show — and tell you friends about The 15th Station 🙂
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Station XV: Episode 66 — Habemus Papam!!
There’s really only one story to talk about this month, and it’s the election of Pope Francis. What a momentous occasion for the Church and what great interest it received from around the world. James, Marcus, Shannon and Gavin talk about the announcement, the man himself, the name he chose, their (very) early reactions, the big priorities he faces and even find some time to mention a light story, with a US TV show seeking to demonstrate the ignorance of the average Joe or Joanne on the street asking what they thought of the new Pope — days before he was announced. Enjoy the show, and tell your friends 🙂
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Station XV: Episode 65 — Did you hear the Pope resigned?
To cover possibly the biggest story in the history of The 15th Station, we had to think big. So we went even more international than normal, with Lucy in Asia and Gavin in Australia joining studio-bound James and Brendan to discuss the Pope’s surprise announcement, start a bit of crystal-ball gazing and reflect a little on Benedict’s papacy. The Los Angeles archbishop’s decision to relieve his predecessor of his duties, a milestone Mass in New Zealand and an unusual Catholic school oath also fill a bumper episode — complete with technical difficulties.
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Station XV: Episode 61 — The butler did it, and so did the German bishops
The magic of the Internet brings Don, James and Gavin together for this month’s episode of The 15th Station, in which the papal butler’s conviction, the sale of a Catholic school to a Muslim education trust and the German bishops’ ruling that Catholics who stop paying a Church tax can’t receive the sacraments all get a run. That story has us a bit stumped, so this blog post (or this one) can offer a more learned exposition of the situation. We also chat about the changing religious landscape in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, and revisit the evolving story of the fresco restoration fail.
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Station XV: Episode 58 — Repeal, repeal, repeal
In Sesame Street style, this month’s episode of The 15th Station is brought to you by the word “repeal”, as we discuss the near repeal of President Obama’s health care legislation, the attempted repeal of the affiliation of a university pro-life club and the possible future repeal of refugees’ rights in New Zealand. Rest assured, though, there have been no attempts to repeal the 15th Station — enjoy the show.
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Station XV: Episode 57 — Of budgets and butlers
The big international stories of the month fell on either sides of Atlantic, with Catholic organisations in the US sue the Obama administration over aspects of its health care reforms while, across in Rome, the Vatican was dealing with a series of documents allegedly leaked by the papal butler. In the Antipodes, Budgets and the ongoing debate about same-sex marriage grabbed headlines. But fear not, we’ve also got our trademark light story for the month.
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Station XV: Episode 51 — Happy news, smiling Pope, Happy Christmas
In this month’s episode of The 15th Station, the two-man panel of James and Gavin connects from each side of the Tasman Sea to discuss some of the big stories of the past month. The New Zealand bishops are in Rome for their ad limina visit, there’s talk of a full diocesan seminary in Auckland and we reflect on what Catholic News Service has found to be the biggest stories of 2011. There’s also time to chat about a complicated situation in New South Wales about admission protocols for a Catholic school in New South Wales, but we finish with a story that even brought a smile to the Pope’s face. On behalf of the team that makes The 15th Station possible, we wish you all a Happy and Holy Christmas and best wishes for a great 2011 — with more Station 15 podcasts as your New Year’s Resolution.
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