At the Hope and Renewal Summit held on 3-4 October 2025, in front of over 500 participants, Fr Simon Story from the Catholic Parish of New Plymouth shared a personal account of his journey through challenges in parish ministry and the impact of adopting a...

The Hope and Renewal Summit brought together over 500 Catholics from across Aotearoa, igniting hearts with the Holy Spirit’s call to love, connection, and transformation. In this collection of post-Summit reflections, Victoria Arrowsmith shares a personal journey from...

Please note: The reflections and opinions expressed in this piece are those of the author and are shared in the spirit of personal faith and contemplation. They do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Diocese of Palmerston North.October is one of the...

Please note: The reflections and opinions expressed in this piece are those of the author and are shared in the spirit of personal faith and contemplation. They do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Diocese of Palmerston North.Sue Jones is a lifelong...

In this reflection, EJ Barrett shares their journey with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and the transformative impact of embracing the identity of being disabled. From navigating invisibility and misunderstanding to finding empowerment through the Hidden Disabilities...

Please note: The reflections and opinions expressed in this piece are those of the author and are shared in the spirit of personal faith and contemplation. They do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Diocese of Palmerston North.On Sunday 13 July, the...

Introduction I had the pleasure of meeting Fr Arthur Toothill SM at our Pastoral Day in March earlier this year and again at the Clergy Day in July. Though he is now “retired” (insofar as a priest ever truly retires!), he continues to serve in supply ministry for the...

Please note: The reflections and opinions expressed in this piece are those of the author and are shared in the spirit of personal faith and contemplation. They do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Diocese of Palmerston North.Often within the tragedies...

Emily Sit, the Director of Mission and Evangelisation for the Diocese of Palmerston North, recently went on pilgrimage to Assisi, Italy. Below she shares some reflections of the trip.This past month, I had the profound gift of travelling to Assisi — a place where...

Kevin Dobbyn FMS, a Marist Brother, reflects on the unique vocation of Religious Brothers and Sisters in the Church. Drawing on personal experience and the story of St Marcellin Champagnat, he invites us to consider the role of brothers and sisters in religious life...

Deborah Thompson Jones is a Cathedral of the Holy Spirit parishioner, wife, mum, birth doula, and newly baptised Catholic. The daughter of church leaders, she grew up in a nondenominational charismatic background and has been deeply involved in Christian ministry,...

Sue Jones is a lifelong Catholic from Napier who has been writing for Catholic publications like the Marist Messenger and NZ Catholic since the late 1980s. Using the simple, homely image of breadmaking, Sue invites us to pause and reflect on the quiet, faithful work...