Ministry
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Rethinking parish life
The Catholic parish once stood as the Church’s neighbourhood heartbeat. Today, that model no longer fits. From Canada to New Zealand, the shift from “maintenance to mission” is taking hold. Lay-led communities, family-of-parishes, and digital ministries are showing that faith can flourish even where buildings close.
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From first witness to fallen woman: the rewriting of Mary Magdalene
Names like Mary Magdalene and Photini, the Samaritan woman known as the first Evangelist, reveal a deep yet suppressed tradition of women leaders. Their stories challenge a Church that still struggles to welcome women as full partners in ministry, governance and proclamation.
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Catholic educators sacred calling
Catholic educators carry the profound task of shaping hearts that encounter the living God through prayer and liturgy. Beyond curriculum, this mission calls teachers to nurture faith through lived, transformative experiences that form lifelong belief and deepen students’ awareness of God’s presence.
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Lay reform owes more to religious than it admits
While lay reformers spoke of inclusivity, it was religious life that had already lived shared leadership. Many lay Catholics found their truest allies among sisters, brothers and priests outside the clerical caste.
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Fruits of the Spirit: Two female Archbishops in two months in Britain
Two women now lead at the highest level in Anglicanism. Sarah Mullally in Canterbury and Cherry Vann in Wales arrive with deep pastoral experience and hard-earned credibility. Their appointments are news; after a moment’s reflection, they also feel inevitable—grounded in proven, practical leadership.
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A Divine Calling exposes the cost of clerical disdain
There is pain here, but not bitterness; a Sisyphean struggle, but also joy and humour. The contrast between a rich vocation and the obtuseness that blocks it would be farce if it were not so serious for the People of God.
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Foot washing: not a mime, but a model for the Church
Sarah Mullally’s words challenge the Church to rediscover its radical core. By placing service before status, and compassion before ceremony, she offers a model of leadership that could yet transform the Church from within.
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Lay ministers take on baptisms in German dioceses
These new developments are more than temporary measures. They reflect a deeper rethinking of sacramental ministry that considers today’s pastoral challenges. While the long-term future of lay-led baptisms in Germany remains uncertain, they are already firmly part of parish and diocesan life.
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Mercy before rules
Jesus meets the wound before the rule—touching the leper, lifting the bent woman, calling her daughter. The Church is called to do the same, placing mercy and care ahead of judgment or doctrinal debate. Mercy before rules.
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Youth are the light
Young Catholics often want to act on their faith. Volunteering in food pantries, hospitals, or parish projects allows them to serve others. Pope Leo’s words challenge leaders to create more opportunities for youth-driven service and ministry.
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