Fijians were recently recruited by the Taliban says Federal Administered Tribal Areas Research Centre‘s director administration and research Mansur Khan Mehsud. He was speaking to the Fiji Times from Islamabad in Pakistan. Mehsud says that foreigners are coming from a more diverse number of countries than in years past. “A few months ago, we even welcomed some (two Read more
A Parliamentary Select Committee has recommended that a bill to legalise same gender marriage be passed into law. The Government Administration Committee said the private member’s bill should progress, but with an amendment to make it clear that no minister was obliged to marry someone against their own beliefs. New Zealand’s Catholic Bishops say they Read more
Since the 2011 earthquake, Caritas has allocated more than $700,000 of earthquake recovery funds, to support projects such as emergency toilets immediately after the quake, thermal wear, and specialist trauma counselling and social work. Two years on from the February 2011 Canterbury earthquake, Catholic agency Caritas is still maintaining a commitment to long-term recovery in Read more
A bill allowing victims to get part of the compensation paid to prisoners is “eye-for-an-eye” justice, according to the Ombudsman Beverly Wakem. Some criminals have received large compensation payments for violation of their human rights. The Prisoners’ and Victims’ Claims (Continuation and Reform) Amendment Bill will make permanent earlier temporary legislation which allowed victims of crime to Read more
Members of the Marist family along with representatives of the Archdiocese of Wellington and the Friends of the Mount Street Cemetery joined the Archbishop of Wellington, John Dew, at the Mount Street Cemetery, Wellington, New Zealand on Sunday 17 February to unveil a memorial which commemorates two early French Marist missionaries who died at sea. Read more
A blogger has, perhaps light heartedly, called for New Zealand’s airlines to ban “Richard Prosser and his fellow Islamophobes from aircraft!” “How would he and they feel if that happened? Not too happy I would imagine!” says Chris Ford. On Wednesday Prosser apologised for comments made in a magazine column that young Muslim men should be Read more
There was “absolute silence” this morning when the Pope told cardinals that he decided to resign, according to Mexican prelate Monsignor Oscar Sanchez, who witnessed his resignation. Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said the pope took his decision “aware of the great problems the church faces today”. His decision showed “great courage” and “determination”, Lombardi said. Lombardi Read more
A book about 7 modern Melanesian martyrs and the legacy of reconciliation they left behind in the Pacific islands, by Monica Attias, a member of Rome’s Catholic St Egidio community, was launched last Friday. As part of the Commission on new Christian martyrs, set up by Pope John Paul II, Monica has been studying the ecumenical Read more
On 2 February, twenty-five years to the day after the Society of Mary left Taradale parish, Adrian O’Flynn, Tom Kouijzer and Brendan Jenke took their first vows as Marists. Tom (Holland), Adrian and Brendan (New Zealand) took their vows at Mass attend by forty Marist priests and brothers, who came from around the country for Read more
Archbishop John Dew has announced that Mr Bill Kilgallon is to replace Mr John Jamieson, who retires in February, as National Director for the Office for Professional Standards, the office which is tasked with dealing with complaints of abuse against clergy or religious. “While the complaints and reviews which are currently being processed are all Read more