The Justice and Peace Commission of Catholic Diocese of Auckland is asking the government to intervene in the Ihumātau land dispute. They have asked the government to purchase the disputed land. Deacon Chris Sullivan, the Ihumātao Response Team leader says the Government needs to take the land back first. “Because it was the Government back in Read more
One of the judges who heard Cardinal George Pell’s appeal says he would have quashed the cardinal’s five convictions for child sex offences. Judge Mark Weinberg says he would have based his decision on a “significant body of cogent evidence” that cast serious doubt on the victim’s account. In his dissenting ruling, Weinberg says the Read more
About Sixty people from throughout the diocese of Christchurch met at Sacred Heart Hall Addington on Sunday 11 August, to discuss their hopes for the future of the diocese. They were responding to two announcements made recently by the bishop Christchurch Paul Martin. On 9 June he announced a proposal to close 13 churches in the diocese Read more
New Zealanders’ long, proud anti-nuclear weapon history is being compromised by KiwiSaver investments according to Paul Brownsey, Chief Investment Officer of Pathfinder Asset Management. “We have strong opinions about where our money is invested. We especially don’t like it to go to organisations manufacturing nuclear weapons.” Yet according to Brownsey, some New Zealanders are helping Read more
The New Zealand Catholic Bishops have expressed their concern about the proposed new abortion regime for New Zealand. However, they look forward to contributing to what they hoped would be an honest, respectful dialogue that explored the complexities surrounding abortion. The Bishops hear about abortion from a wide community of Catholic women and men said Read more
Consumer New Zealand is campaigning for direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription medicines to be banned. Consumer says the advertisements don’t provide people with useful information. The advertisements sell the promise of a quick fix, but Consumer doesn’t think they provide all the facts needed for people to make an informed choice. A study has found Read more
People fighting to preserve heritage buildings are questioning the decision announced by the Bishop of Christchurch to demolish the Blessed Sacrament Cathedral. But Christchurch Regeneration Minister, Megan Woods says the city needs to accept the church’s decision and move on. Woods said she had many fond memories of the cathedral having gone to school next Read more
The third reading of the End of Life Choice Bill began in the House of Representatives on Wednesday. It had passed its second reading, in June, 70 votes to 50. This stage will see politicians debating and individually voting on possibly more than a hundred changes to the bill, in a process that may take Read more
It appears that the Destiny Church has been the only church to acknowledge the wero presented by the reaction to the proposed development of Ihumātao next to the Ōtuataua Stonefields Historic Reserve in Māngere. On Saturday, Brian and Hannah Tamaki and about 100 Destiny Church supporters arrived at Ihumātao. Hannah Tamaki said she was there Read more
Catholic Twitterers around the world have become increasingly curious about the author of the Twitter account Vatican Just Googled. The Catholic News Agency (CNA) says they have found him and he lives in New Zealand. CNA’s Joe Slama tweeted: “After months of mystery, the author of the account agreed to step out of the shadows Read more