The Futuna Chapel in Wellington features on the cover of a new book about New Zealand churches. In the book architect John Scott’s work is described as “not just the best church in New Zealand, but the best building.” Worship features photographs by acclaimed photographer Jane Ussher which are accompanied by stories on each by Read more
Another Auckland woman has found her job prospects limited because she wears a Muslim headscarf. Fatima Abdulkarem, 19, has turned down a job trial at a juice bar at Auckland Airport over what she felt was discriminatory and racist treatment during her job interview. Her story followed that of Fatima Mohammadi, 20, who was turned Read more
Over 20 years ago, in response to requests by Hato Petera College whanau, the Catholic Diocese of Auckland set up the Te Whanau o Hato Petera Trust. In signing the Trust Deed Te Whanau o Hato Petera Trust accepted total responsibility for the land, buildings and operations of the Trust and a 20 year lease Read more
After attending a meeting with dismayed families who have daughters and sons at Hato Petera College Sir Toby Curtis has decided to lead a delegation which will seek a meeting with Bishop Dunn and raise the possibility of a joint strategy. Curtis, an old boy and former principal of Hato Petera College, is a member Read more
The Vatican’s Secretary of State expects an apostolic exhortation on the family from Pope Francis reasonably soon. Cardinal Pietro Parolin told Italian news agency ANSA that the Pope will promulgate a document based in the conclusions of the synod of bishops’ recent meeting. Regarding the timing of any apostolic exhortation, he said: “This I do Read more
The final document of the synod of bishops on the family has stressed that the Church must involve the divorced and civilly remarried in all ways possible. While the document does not mention Communion for such people who are baptised, it calls for their integration into the Church community, while “avoiding every occasion of scandal”. Read more
A statement from a New Zealander on the goodness of sexual love in marriage is being considered for inclusion in the family synod’s final document. In a blog post on the New Zealand Catholic bishops’ website, Dr John Kleinsman wrote of how the synod’s working document made little mention of this goodness. He told a Read more
Pope Francis has called for a Church that listens and learns at every level, but he said this requires the correct view of Church structure. Marking the 50th anniversary of the Synod of Bishops, Francis outlined his vision for a Church that is “synodal” at every level. “A synodal church is a listening church, aware that listening is Read more
Bishop Charles Drennan has called for theologians to engage with the science that says sexual orientation is neither a matter of choice nor of conditioning. In his intervention at the synod on the family in Rome last week, Bishop Drennan appealed for mercy for a particular category of people who feel rejection – persons with Read more
Some of the prelates at the synod on the family have expressed confusion over what is expected of them in their deliberations. The 13 small groups that had been meeting last week released their reports on Friday. The four English-speaking groups are chaired by Australian Cardinal George Pell, British Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Irish Archbishop Eamon Martin, and Read more