Things may not be as rosy as they say in God’s own country. A Canterbury Community Law (CCL) investigation, which looked at access to justice for beneficiaries, says beneficiaries felt they were treated as “non-humans” by Work and Income – not even allowed access to toilets during lengthy waits at offices. “Beneficiaries are uniformly scared stiff Read more
Christian churches should target the rich and affluent if they want to grow their flock according to former Catholic, and successful businessman, Ron Barker. Barker is responding to a NZ Herald report based on 2013 Census data and the New Zealand Deprivation Index. “As society gets better off, churches need to change their message to Read more
Cardinal George Pell says when it comes to October’s Synod of Bishops on the Family, “the synod will massively endorse the tradition” of the Church’s teachings on marriage. He believes synod delegates “will recognize that the Christian tradition of St. John Paul the Great, Benedict, the Council of Trent, is well established … and I Read more
Lindsey Pointer from Colorado, USA, has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study restorative reintegration and rituals of re-entry in New Zealand. “I am excited to expand my understanding of the impact of restorative practices through the opportunity to study in New Zealand, where these practices are well-established and integrated into the justice system,” she Read more
An Irish missionary in Indonesia says Brazilian Roderigo Gularte seemingly did not realise that he was going to be executed. Gularte suffered from schizophrenia and he also had a bipolar disorder. “I was joking with him, saying that ‘I am 72; I will be up there with you soon enough,” said Father Charles Burrows. He Read more
Education Minister Hekia Parata says the problems at Hato Petera College are a reflection of how the Catholic Church runs its Maori boarding kura. She said the issues have always been in the church’s hands – and not the government’s. Parata was responding to a call by New Zealand First’s education spokesperson, Tracy Martin, for Read more
“The future of the Church is in good hands,” Kitty McKinley, founder of Challenge 2000, says. McKinley is the founder of Challenge 2000, a youth development organisation based in Johnsonville, Wellington. On ANZAC weekend Challenge staff, volunteers, gap students and locals produced moving performances that recognised and remembered those who gave their lives and fought for Read more
An Auckland parish priest has challenged the Church to make contemplative prayer a priority throughout its schools. Writing in an integrated schools newsletter, Fr Peter Murphy stated that Christianity is at a crossroads. Fr Murphy wrote that the New Zealand bishops’ document “The Catholic Education of School-Age Children” last year came as a wakeup call Read more
25 pensioner units at Liston Village in Delargey Ave, Auckland, are under threat. Liston Village, owned by the Auckland Catholic diocese, could face demolition for parkland under a long-term plan for the development of Monte Cecilia Park. Puketapapa Local Board member, Michael Wood, said the local board was commissioning a report to investigate options to Read more
The two recently appointed Pacific cardinals have been assigned to Roman Curia offices. Pope Francis named Cardinal John Dew of Wellington, New Zealand, to be a member of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples and of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Cardinal Soane Mafi of Tonga was named a member of the Read more