Pope Benedict’s third episcopal appointment to Australia in less than eight weeks is just the beginning, with several other dioceses due to receive appointments. Bishop-elect Vincent Long Van Ngyen, OFM Conv By Anthony Barich Analysis A VIETNAMESE refugee who fled Communism in 1980 as an 18 year old has been appointed as an auxiliary bishop of Melbourne. Bishop-elect Fr V...

By John Thavis Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI’s easing of restrictions on use of the 1962 Roman Missal, known as the Tridentine rite, is just the first step in a “reform of the reform” in liturgy, the Vatican’s top ecumenist said.   Father Edward Yew offers Communion to altar servers during a Tridentine high Mass at St There...

By Bridget Spinks THE newly beatified Pope John Paul II had such an impact on Balcatta’s Fr Irek Czech SDS that on 1 May, the Polish Salvatorian priest launched and consecrated the parish’s new JPII Youth Group to the new Blessed. Pope John Paul II. Photo: CNS Fr Irek said that Karol Wojtyla - who was born six years before his own father, Bernard - was like a second fa...

Vatican norms insist on ‘generous’ approval for use of Tridentine rite By John Thavis Archbishop Barry Hickey gives first Holy Communion on the tongue to a young boy kneeling at the ‘second re-opening’ of St Anne’s Church in Belmont on 25 July 2010. Fr Michael Rowe (at left), chaplain of Perth’s traditional Latin Rite Catholics, and his community spent much time renovating the church aft...

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - In a world marked by new forms of slavery and injustice, the Church must evangelise constantly and fearlessly - even in the face of persecution, Pope Benedict XVI said. The Pope, addressing directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies on 14 May, said Catholic activity at every level needs to be infused with the missionary spirit. “All the sectors of pastoral life...

Liturgy needs tradition and progress, Pope says Pope Benedict XVI holds his pastoral staff as he celebrates Mass on the feast of the Epiphany in St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on 6 January. Photo: CNS/Paul Haring By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY - The Second Vatican Council’s renewal of the liturgy wasn’t so much about changing texts or ...

ROME (CNS) - At the door of the Pontifical Regina Apostolorum University, priests and seminarians prepared to welcome former Vatican officials and other important guests. Inside the auditorium, the rector checked the final details of the three hour long multimedia tribute to Pope John Paul II. Fr Marcial Maciel Degollado, founder of the Legionaries of Christ, greets Pope John Paul II in...

By Mark Zimmermann Catholic News Service WASHINGTON - As a 37 year old priest, then-Fr Donald W Wuerl witnessed the election of Pope John Paul II in 1978, as reportedly the only non-Cardinal allowed into that conclave. The book Cardinal Donald Wuerl wrote inspired by Pope John Paul II. Photo: CNS He was priest-secretary to US Cardinal John Wright, who was then in frail health...

By John Thavis Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY - As Church officials keep emphasising, Pope John Paul II is being beatified not for his performance as Pope, but for how he lived the Christian virtues of faith, hope and love. Pope John Paul II prays during midnight Mass at St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican early on 25 December. During his annual urbi et orbi address later in t...

By Anthony Barich HUNDREDS packed out to overflowing churches across the Archdiocese as a number of Masses were offered celebrating the beatification of the “indefatigable” Pope John Paul II on 1 May. Archbishop Barry Hickey offers Mass with Perth and visiting Franciscans at Our Lady Queen of Poland Chapel in Maylands to celebrate the beatification of Pope John Paul II, with...