The Coalition Government’s pledge to introduce a Treaty Principles Bill is insupportable, opponents say. Describing the proposed Bill as “radical”, former National Party minister Chris Finlayson and political commentator Matthew Hooten say the bills should not have the National-led Government’s support. Former National Party attorney general and minister for Treaty negotiations under Sir John Key’s Read more
Rallying from a winter-long bout of respiratory problems, Pope Francis led some 30,000 people in Easter celebrations on Sunday and made a strong appeal for a cease-fire in Gaza and a prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine. Francis presided over Easter Sunday Mass in a flower-decked St Peter’s Square and then delivered a heartfelt prayer Read more
The Catholic Church’s sexual ethic is anachronistic, says Salesian Father Ronaldo Zacharias. Its “established, dogmatic models of the theological approach to sexuality have become anachronistic.” Zacharias made the statement when speaking at a conference in Rome on sexuality and culture at the John Paul II Pontifical Institute for Marriage and Family Sciences. New sexual ethic Read more
When Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau heard Wellington’s mosques were seeking permission to broadcast the Call to Prayer, her response was offensive and irreligious. Whanau was on air at the time talking to The Platform’s Sean Plunkett. “The Platform has received quite a bit of feedback regarding the district plan vote Thursday on the broadcast of Read more
Three major Catholic aid agencies are urging Australia, Canada and New Zealand’s leaders to take immediate diplomatic action over the “catastrophic” humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip The agencies working in the area are warning that starvation and famine threaten hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians. Catastrophic conditions in Gaza In a joint statement, the Read more
Recently in Christchurch, a 40m banner inscribed with 10,001 names of Palestinian children killed in Gaza formed a visual expression of Christian and community solidarity and a call for justice in peace. From pre-schoolers to pensioners, about 75 people joined for portions of a 36km walk on Saturday 9 March. The distance symbolically mirrors the Read more
Personal attacks seem to have replaced conversation these days, Cardinal Wilton Gregory says. The top US cardinal (pictured) says meaningful dialogue is stifled because so many people enter conversations with their minds already made up. “One of the things that would foster better listening skills among young people – among all of us – is Read more
New Zealand Police have found emeritus Cardinal Archbishop of Wellington, New Zealand, John Dew has no case to answer regarding a historical sexual abuse allegation. Dew was accused of serious criminal sexual misconduct during his time as an assistant priest in Upper Hutt. The announcement comes after a 10-month Police probe into the allegation dating Read more
The latest available data for every New Zealand high school shows three kura (schools) bucked the socio-economic trend for school exam results. According to analysis of 2022 University Entrance (UE) and NCEA Level 3 results across New Zealand’s high schools, there is a clear correlation between academic success and social privilege. Based on 2022 data Read more
Pope Francis took a risk in inviting an Anglican woman bishop Bishop Jo Bailey Wells to address him and his advisory Council of Cardinals, Wells says. Nonetheless, she hopes the Catholic Church will continue to explore the topic of women’s leadership with “courage”. “I’m aware … that to many such an opportunity feels rare, if Read more