September 2026
Kia ora and greetings,
Today’s anniversary of 25 years since the attack on the New York Twin Towers is mentioned on the news almost everywhere. So much so that current attacks and natural disasters around the world seem to be forgotten for a while. After the tragedy in New York, the Western World of the time stood by the United States and supported their biggest ally in many ways.
Today, the threats the world is facing are complicated and difficult to fight. Among them are natural disasters like landslides, wildfires, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, droughts and floods as well as cyber attacks and AI efficiency calculations.
Pope Leo XIV issued his first encyclical Magnifica Humanitas at the right time. He referred to his predecessors who addressed the dignity of the human being and the care for the earth. We are all interconnected and need to constantly build bridges to our sisters and brothers of all beliefs. He asked us to be aware and informed about the blessings and threats in the world we live in. Catholic Social Teaching can help and guide us in our discernment of adaptation or caution.
In my talks about Magnifica Humanitas, I summarised the encyclical for a one-hour presentation – without the use of AI. While I could have saved time using AI for this task, I wouldn’t have experienced the journey of reading and reflecting on the encyclical.
Our recent Muffin Talk interviews are:
- Fr Robert Steele: Overcoming Addiction
There is hope for overcoming addiction – Fr Robert Steele shares his story and describes himself as a recovering alcoholic. He has been reaching out to people struggling with addiction and has published books on this topic. - Debbie Miller: Jacob’s Dreams
Jacob’s Ladder and Jacob wrestling with the angel. What do these dreams mean? This is a perspective from a Jewish educator. - Fr Emile Frische MHM: Remembering 9/11
25 years after the attack on the World Trade Centre Fr Emile Frische MHM remembers his ministry to the family members of the victims in New York.
Please also check out the News & Views page with short articles on events and reflections on the Sunday Scriptures.
Recent short articles:
Please also check out the News & Views page with short articles on events and the reflections on the Sunday Readings.
Recent articles:
Tūmanako – Hope for Peace in the World. On the 9th of August 2026, the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, three days after the anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, young people aged 5 to 18 presented their artworks that reflect their aspirations for peaceful coexistence.
AI and the Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Pride, laziness, impatience and over-confidence without carefully evaluating the consequences. An apprentice wants to imitate the master without having either the full knowledge or the wisdom that the master had acquired over years.
Out of Control? Training sessions that became real. Maybe the first but not the last AI-enabled cyberattack.
Upcoming Events
Our next Webinar:
Content & Characters in the Gospel of Luke with Fr Kevin Waldie
Monday, 17 November 2026, 7-8.30pm (Zoom)
Please register with us.
Many blessings,
Beate
Beate Matthies—Titipounamu Study & Joy
https://www.facebook.com/TitipounamuStudyandJoy
YouTube: @titipounamustudyandjoy
Between Two Popes – Journal of a Pilgrim
There is now a printed version of the accounts of my pilgrimage to Rome in 2025. My journey started two days after Pope Leo XIV was elected and finished one day before his inauguration.
This is a compact guide through the main churches and Holy Doors in the Year of Jubilee. A combination of historic facts, stories and a journal. Easy to read with many pictures. Available through this website.
