The rest of the world has watched transfixed and uncomprehending over the last few days as legislators in the United State struggled to come to some agreement to prevent the United States government defaulting on its debts. The spectacle led one commentator, Robert Dallek to say, “Something is at work here that makes you wonder if rational discourse Read more
A five-year doctoral study by Waikato University sociologist Dr Kellie McNeill has found that charities served 25,000 free meals, Work and Income gave out 12,000 food grants and foodbanks gave out 4,000 food parcels in Hamilton in 2006-07. That was at a time when the economy was booming. National statistics suggest the recession may have roughly doubled Read more
In a world that may seem increasingly secular to many of us, it is easy to forget that religious belief is a central part of life for hundreds of millions of people. An Ipsos survey conducted between 6th and 21st April 2011 in 24 countries around the world via the Ipsos Online Panel showed that 69 per Read more
Iain Duncan Smith, British Prime Minister’s Work and Pensions Secretary, is in New Zealand to give a lecture for the Maxim Institute. His reforms are a trial run for what a local welfare working group chaired by economist Paula Rebstock has recommended here. Rebstock had a rather narrower assignment – to “reduce long-term benefit dependency”. Read more
A leading church official rejected harsh criticism of the Vatican in the wake the Cloyne report. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, told Vatican Radio July 19 that much of the criticism failed to take into account the efforts of Pope Benedict XVI and other church officials to prevent future cases of child sexual Read more
Fr Paul Donoghue recently the Provincial of the Society of Mary in Oceania was ordained Bishop of Rarotonga by Bishop Stuart O’Connell on Sunday last. The people of the Diocese joined bishops, clergy and religious from across the Pacific; friends and family from New Zealand and elsewhere to see Paul Donoghue ordained Bishop. Bishop O’Connell, Read more
About 100 young New Zealanders will be attending the World Youth Day in Spain. There also will be local activities in each of the dioceses. In Auckland they will begin on August 19 and include praying stations of the cross and adoration, says Teresa McNamara, co-ordinator of youth and young adult ministry for the Auckland Diocese. The following day Read more
The Prime Minster John Key, and the leader of the opposition Phil Goff both spoke about their beliefs at the Family First Conference. Neither believes he is going to heaven. Goff believes there is “a force that is beyond mankind” – but “I don’t believe in an afterlife.” Key said “I can’t tell you what Read more
The Consulate-General of Saudi Arabia has written to the New Zealand Government to complain after two incidents in which Saudi Arabian women were told by bus drivers that they couldn’t board a bus because of their Muslim veil. Dr Sameer Aljabri, the husband of one of the women, who works at the Saudi Arabia Cultural Mission in Auckland, said Read more
Pope Benedict has decried an approach to agricultural production based solely on profit, and called for steps to protect family farming, as he met on July 1 with leaders of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). He spoke of hunger born of selfish behaviour. He said persistent world hunger was a “tragedy” driven by Read more