New Zealand

110-year old Wellington church to close

Unaffordable maintenance costs and an old and shrinking congregation have spelt the demise of a 110-year old Wellington church. St Bernard’s parish church in Brookyn held its last mass on 10 April. It will close altogether in the coming months. St Bernard’s parish priest Fr Doug Shepherd says earthquake strengthening work was needed on the Read more

Bishops postpone national hikoi until further notice

New Zealand’s Catholic Bishops’ Conference has deferred the national hikoi prior to this August’s renewal of Aotearoa New Zealand’s dedication to Our Lady Assumed into Heaven. The bishops have decided to postpone the hikoi in which a specially-commissioned artwork will be displayed. Bishop Stephen Lowe, (pictured) Secretary of the Bishops’ Conference, says the bishops revised Read more

Analysis and Comment

‘We cannot wait!’ pleads Catholic missionary in Myanmar

On Sunday, May 16, Pope Francis celebrated a Mass in Rome for Myanmar Catholics on the Feast of the Ascension, underlining his religious and diplomatic efforts to promote peace and reconciliation in the troubled Southeast Asian country. Myanmar, once known as Burma, spiralled into violence when military forces took over the country on Feb. 1, Read more

Changing face of NZ poses big challenges for the future of rugby

The state of our national game, and what is best for its future, has generated a lot of recent debate. But there are some contributing factors that might not have had the attention they deserve. The demography of New Zealand is changing, with major implications for rugby, especially for player participation. The impacts of immigration Read more

In Gaza, tiny Catholic community tries to stay in touch during airstrikes

Since early May 11, Israeli bombs have been falling around the Rosary Sisters school in Gaza, which sustained light to moderate damage inside and outside the compound — including to the front door and solar panels used for electricity. “It is very terrible; from (today) 5 a.m. in the morning (there has been bombing) behind Read more

Declining birthrates: trouble ahead

Europe’s baby deficit is becoming impossible to ignore. In Rome on Friday, Italy’s prime minister, Mario Draghi, and Pope Francis were the star attendees at a special conference to discuss the country’s declining birthrate. According to the latest figures, 2020 saw the lowest number of births recorded since the Italian unification in 1861. Spain is Read more

Children miss out on ‘kindness’

child poverty

A Government report from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) says New Zealand poorest children are continuing to miss out. The new Child Poverty Related Indicators Report, released Thursday, found there has been no measurable improvement in housing conditions, preventable hospitalisations or food security. “The report shows our children are suffering unnecessarily. “Polling Read more

  • Oddly

    • Yoga classes in a Christian church welcomed by Hindus

      A Hindu teacher has commended an Episcopal church in USA, for hosting yoga classes. Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed said that yoga, referred as “a living fossil”, was a mental and physical discipline, for everybody to share and benefit from, Read more

  • World

  • Pope to attend UN Convention on Climate Change in Glasgow

    Pope Francis will attend the Noember UN Convention on Climate Change in Glasgow. Pope Francis and John Kerry, U.S. President Joe Biden’s special envoy for climate, met privately in a closed-door meeting, last week at the Vatican. In an interview after the meeting, Kerry said he believes Francis will participate in the U.N. Framework Convention Read more

  • Pope’s new Catechist ‘lay’ ministry to backfire

    While the pope’s announcement of Antiquum ministerium – the new Rite of Institution of the Lay Catechist has made many people happy, others are finding it perplexing and likely to backfire. “Just who are the laity in a church of priestly people” asks Robert Mickens, writing his weekly Letter from Rome column in La Croix Read more

  • Amazon bishop ‘disappointed’ by synod outcome

    A prominent bishop in the Brazilian Amazon has said there is marked disappointment in the region over the post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation Querida Amazonia. Erwin Kräutler, the bishop emeritus of Xingu in the Brazilian Amazon, expressed concern that not a word was said about opening up the Sacrament of Holy Orders to married men and ordaining Read more

  • Israeli strikes called disproportionate

    Christians suffer in Gaza

    The homes of Christian families have been hit during the Israeli air force raids on the Gaza Strip, according to the Patriarchal Vicar for Jerusalem. Bishop Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo, Bishop Emeritus of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, said the convent and the nursery school of the Sisters of the Rosary were also damaged. Marcuzzo stated that Read more

  • Protect children from ‘psychological murder’

    Pope Francis protect children

    More than ever, Pope Francis is urging families, educational and public institutions to protect children and tackle the scourge of child abuse. He described child abuse, paedophilia and child pornography, as “psychological murder.” Speaking to members of the Meter Association in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on May 15, the pope noted that the Internet is Read more