Professor Max Abbott says the way gambling has been set up in New Zealand has silenced the organisations, including churches, that would usually be expected to oppose the proliferation of opportunities to gamble In an interview on RNZ’s Nine to Noon programme on Monday, he said the profits from gambling are distributed to NGOs and Read more
A former student of Mount Hobson Middle School, a partnership (charter) school, claims that his science teacher Rachel O’Connor favoured creationism as an explanation for how the world began. Rachel O’Connor is the sister of National Party leader Simon Bridges and wife of National MP Simon O’Connor. This news item appeared on Newsroom two days after the opposition Read more
The Compassion Soup Kitchen in Wellington, run by the Sisters of Compassion for 116 years, was honoured as Supreme Winner at the 2018 Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards ceremony on Thursday 26 July. They also won the Health and Well-being category. The Wellington Airport Regional Awards are run by the Wellington International Airport, the Wellington Read more
Both sides of the abortion debate demonstrated on Parliament’s front lawn on Wednesday. The Voice for Life prolife group laid out 13,285 pairs of baby booties on the lawn to represent the number of foetuses aborted in 2017. There was tension and some scuffles when a prochoice demonstrator started picking up handfuls of booties and Read more
Pope Francis has appointed Cardinal Sir John Ribat of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. one of four presidents-delegate for the October Synod of Bishops. Climate change is a key issue for the pope and Ribat has been outspoken about the effects that rising ocean levels have had on his people. The other three president delegates are Louis Read more
An Auckland councillor says churches in his area need to re-think the way they tithe low-income residents. Manukau Ward Councillor Efeso Collins told The AM Show some residents have been forced to take out loans to keep up with the cost of tithing. A tithe typically involves giving 10 per cent of a person’s income to Read more
Sacred Heart Cathedral in Thorndon, Wellington, closed its doors on Friday. An assessment has found the building’s structural integrity to be just 15 per cent of the standard for a new building. This means there would be a significant risk to occupants if there was an earthquake. While Sacred Heart Cathedral is closed, weekday masses Read more
Two opposition MPs have visited an Auckland mosque to protest against the mosque’s public support of Hezbollah. Members of the Islamic Ahlulbayt Foundation’s Pakuranga mosque demonstrated in Aotea Square in support of the Lebanon group. Chris Finlayson and Pakuranga MP Simeon Brown told mosque members of their concern at the support. Mr Finlayson says Hezbollah Read more
New Zealanders and people from Pacific Island nations were among representatives from all over the world attending the International Conference “Saving our Common Home and the Future of Life on Earth” at the Vatican July 5-6 to commemorate Pope Francis’s encyclical on the Care of Creation. The conference was attended by faith leaders, youth activists, Read more
A new document reflects a fresh approach taken by the official Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogue commission. It shows a major development in ecumenism by establishing that difference is not cause for suspicion or reproach but is rather an opportunity for mutual listening, learning and conversion. The statement, Walking Together on the Way: Learning to Be the Church Read more