“Nothing prepared me to see so much widespread death, pain and suffering, and up so close,” says a former patient of COVID ICU unit in India. “I’m one of the very lucky ones. “Many are not as fortunate,” said Ivan Fernandes, La-Croix International managing editor. Fernandes was talking with CathNews on Saturday. Reflecting on his Read more
Italian Cardinal, Camillo Ruini acknowledges there is a risk of schism in Germany over same-sex unions, however, he is hoping and praying it will not eventuate. “I hope with all my heart that there will not be any schism, and I pray for this,” Ruini told the Il Foglio newspaper. His comments come in response Read more
The new Christchurch Catholic Cathedral complex is estimated to cost $100 million. The announcement was made Monday by the Coadjutor Archbishop of Wellington and Apostolic Administrator of the Christchurch diocese, Paul Martin. The diocese hopes the whole complex will be completed within five years. To fund the project Martin says the diocese is considering selling Read more
The government is seeking to tighten controls on the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care. Besides insisting on a firm 2023 deadline to wind up the investigation, the government has told the Abuse in Care Commission that they may not investigate modern care providers and post-1999 cases of abuse. In addition, the Commission’s budget blow Read more
Same-sex adoption, religious freedoms and child-abuse petitions are before Parliament at the moment. Reforming law in relation to hate speech offences is also on the agenda. If the hate speech law passes, offenders will face a larger maximum sentence than if they were found guilty of rioting, assaulting a child or providing explosives to commit Read more
At an April 8-10 online symposium with religious representatives from around the world, Pope Francis expressed his hope that religions, together, can fight the profound evil of child abuse. After decades of child sexual abuse scandals the Church is ready to share its successes — and failures — with other religious and lay institutions. Francis’ Read more
Everyone deserves access to basic hygiene. With 41,600 Kiwis not knowing where they will sleep tonight, and many not having access to a shower or laundry services demand for Orange Sky services has doubled. And, it needs more volunteers. Orange Sky, offers a mobile laundry and hot shower service working on the streets and in Read more
A tiny earthquake-prone church, Father Garin’s chapel in Nelson’s Wakapuaka Cemetery will be restored – but it’s a long-term project, the Catholic Church says. The building is listed as a category one historic place, with “special or outstanding historical or cultural significance or value.” Garin arrived in Nelson in 1850 and worked for nearly 40 Read more
Politicians have voted for a new law allowing three days’ bereavement leave where pregnancies end because of miscarriage or stillbirth, but not for women suffering post-abortion grief. Politicians have rejected calls for the leave to be extended to allow support for these women. “We absolutely support this bill but requested that it be extended to Read more
Australia and New Zealand have raised deep concerns about human rights abuses against Muslim minorities in China. Citing “the growing number of credible reports” of severe violations, both countries’ foreign ministers say the abuses are occurring in the Xinjiang region. The violations include “restrictions on freedom of religion, mass surveillance, large-scale extra-judicial detentions, as well Read more