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Gaza humanitarian crisis – Government urged to take action

Monday, March 18th, 2024
Gaza humanitarian crisis

Three major Catholic aid agencies are urging Australia, Canada and New Zealand’s leaders to take immediate diplomatic action over the “catastrophic” humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip The agencies working in the area are warning that starvation and famine threaten hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians. Catastrophic conditions in Gaza In a joint statement, the Read more

Solidarity with 10,001 Palestinian children killed in Gaza

Thursday, March 14th, 2024
Palestinian children

Recently in Christchurch, a 40m banner inscribed with 10,001 names of Palestinian children killed in Gaza formed a visual expression of Christian and community solidarity and a call for justice in peace. From pre-schoolers to pensioners, about 75 people joined for portions of a 36km walk on Saturday 9 March. The distance symbolically mirrors the Read more

Personal attacks have “infected the Church”

Monday, March 11th, 2024
Personal attacks

Personal attacks seem to have replaced conversation these days, Cardinal Wilton Gregory says. The top US cardinal (pictured) says meaningful dialogue is stifled because so many people enter conversations with their minds already made up. “One of the things that would foster better listening skills among young people – among all of us – is Read more

NZ Police say Cardinal Dew has no case to answer in sex abuse allegation

Thursday, March 7th, 2024
Cardinal John Dew

New Zealand Police have found emeritus Cardinal Archbishop of Wellington, New Zealand, John Dew has no case to answer regarding a historical sexual abuse allegation. Dew was accused of serious criminal sexual misconduct during his time as an assistant priest in Upper Hutt. The announcement comes after a 10-month Police probe into the allegation dating Read more

Three kura buck social trend in school exam results

Monday, March 4th, 2024
academic success

The latest available data for every New Zealand high school shows three kura (schools) bucked the socio-economic trend for school exam results. According to analysis of 2022 University Entrance (UE) and NCEA Level 3 results across New Zealand’s high schools, there is a clear correlation between academic success and social privilege. Based on 2022 data Read more

Once was plumber now hospital chaplain

Monday, February 26th, 2024
chaplain

Life has changed a lot for Joe Gray since becoming an Ecumenical Chaplain at Taranaki Base Hospital. He’d been a plumber for 32 years before that. “When you hang a toilet, fit a bath, turn it on and it’s done, you walk away” he said. Gray says life is extremely different going from a 9am Read more

Pope Francis creates study groups for Synod’s next stages

Thursday, February 22nd, 2024
Pope Francis

Pope Francis has set up study groups to explore various themes that emerged from the Synod on Synodality’s session last October. At the upcoming session, participants will continue to work on the theme “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission”. The pope has also set the dates for the second session which – after Read more

Catholic student tops world in Religious Education exam

Monday, February 19th, 2024
Religious Education

Coming first in the world for his religious education examination wasn’t a result Auckland St Peter’s College student Christian Domilies expected. Domilies’s Cambridge examination results were the highest among the 1.5 million students from 150 countries and over 6000 schools. He has been given a badge and certificate to commemorate his achievement. “It feels great Read more

Parish praised for work against racism

Thursday, February 15th, 2024
Racism

The Catholic Church has a “crucial role to play” in speaking out against racism and promoting racial inclusion, a prominent British Catholic says. “Racism is a sin and has no place in our world. As followers of Christ, it is our duty to welcome all people, regardless of race or background, into our Church and Read more