A groundbreaking New Zealand decision has led to a few disturbances in the fabric of religious time and space. The registrar-general of births, deaths and marriages Jeff Montgomery has approved the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster as an organisation to solemnise marriages. Massey University professor of history Peter Lineham has questioned the decision by the registrar-general and Read more
Pacific voices have been heard at the Climate Change Conference in Paris, COP21. “It is through the actions of civil society and small island nations that the agreement recognises we need to keep a global temperature limit well below 2C, and work towards a limit of 1.5C to protect the most vulnerable states,” says Caritas Read more
The Catholic Diocese of Auckland has expressed concern about the misinformation given to students of Hato Petera College and their whanau about the future of the school’s boarding hostels. The facilities are owned by the Catholic Diocese of Auckland, and it has confirmed that the boarding hostels will not be available in 2016. The diocese says it was surprised by a Read more
Cardinal John Dew was formally installed as the Titular Parish Priest of Sant’ Ippolito – an historical tradition for Cardinals to be assigned a parish in Rome, much like a patron. “It was a wonderful service, meeting parishioners of Sant’ Ippolito, and I was grateful to be surrounded by friends and colleagues from New Zealand who sang Mo Maria,” Read more
Since 2012 Rosmini College students have been mentoring younger students in roughly 40 classrooms across 10 countries. They have provided a weekly video lesson across New Zealand and 23 classrooms overseas. The Year 12 students have led 8-10 minutes lessons to some of these schools for more than four years. The Over the Back fence Read more
Jonah Lomu became a Mormon, joining the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints in 2012. The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints (LDS) forbids the broadcasting of a funeral service on the internet or “in any other way.” The LDS announced details today for Tuesday’s funeral services for Jonah Lomu. Read more
Plans to establish a secondary boarding Muslim school for boys in South Dunedin have had another setback. The Al-Noor Charitable Trust is trying to be selected as a Ministry of education partnership school. The proposed school would be exclusively for boy boarders, with a capacity for 100 students in Year 11 to Year 13 groups. Read more
When the Education Review Office (ERO) visited the Society of St Pius X (SSPX) schools in Whanganui the children behaved so beautifully, the inspectors were sure the schools had been tipped off. Deciding then to catch the schools out by visiting again when they were least expected, they found the children equally as good. The Education Review Office Read more
The Wellington City Council has agreed to provide $400,000 to help St Mary of the Angels church with its earthquake strengthening. Council staff had recommended giving the church $200,000 to help with its $9.3 million earthquake strengthening project. But city councillors increased their contribution to $400,000 on Thursday, and signalled as much as $500,000 be given Read more
The Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand have issued a joint statement with the NZ Human Rights Commission in the wake of recent terrorist attacks in France and Lebanon. “We stand alongside all innocent victims of terrorism in peace, solidarity and humanity,” said Hazim Arafeh, president of the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Read more