A Palmerston North judge has criticised the cultural pressures put on Pacific Islanders to give money to churches in New Zealand. His criticism came after a woman stole more than $27,000 from her workplace to keep up payments to her church. Ana Fangaiuiha, worked for Countdown in Palmerston North for five years, and was promoted Read more
In a recent interview in the New Zealand Herald, All Black, Keven Mealamu was asked how big a part faith played in his life. “It’s always with you,” he replied. “I’m Catholic. Go to church whenever I can. When we were on tour in Italy I stopped into a church with a couple of the other boys Read more
Declining numbers in all the mainstream churches means that Catholicism has emerged as the most populous religion in New Zealand. The 2013 New Zealand census shows that of the total population of 4.2 M, population, 3.9 M stated their religious affiliation. Of those, 1.635 M, (1 in 4), say they had no religious affiliation, up from Read more
David Olivier, principal of St Peter’ College in Palmerston North, New Zealand was once the principal of Christian Brothers’ College Mount Edmund in Pretoria, located just 1 kilometre from the state president’s residence. He has a personally signed copy of ‘A Long Walk to Freedom’. His wife bought it for him as a Father’s Day Read more
In October 2014, there will be a meeting of the Synod of Bishops in Rome to examine “Pastoral challenges of the family in the context of evangelisation”. To assist them prepare for the Synod the Bishops of New Zealand have asked Catholics across New Zealand to respond to a marriage questionnaire. The New Zealand Catholic Read more
On the 30th of November a large crowd gathered to celebrate the Magnificat Community’s 20th Anniversary. The community was commissioned in 1993 by Monsignor John Carde and he returned on Saturday to celebrate Mass with the community and its supporters. It was joy filled day of thanksgiving and celebration for all that God has provided Read more
On Wednesday Sonny Bill Williams became the first Kiwi to be named the Rugby League International Federation player of the year He says his Muslim Faith has helped him to become the man he is today. He grew up a Christian but meeting a Tunisian family who lived with their five children in a one-bedroom Read more
More than 8000 people attended a mass at the CBS Arena in Christchurch on Sunday 24 November, the feast of Christ the King, to celebrate the conclusion of the Year of Faith. The mass was celebrated by Bishop Barry Jones, the Bishop of Christchurch, and was part of a diocesan wide celebration known as Faithfest Read more
The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) has declined to hear teacher’s claim that he lost his job because he is an atheist. A former art teacher at Tamaki College, Christopher Scott Roy claims he was constructively dismissed because he is an atheist, and the school saw Christianity as “a core responsibility to which he was indifferent”. Read more
It has been 175 Years since the first Marist mission to Oceania and Aotearoa New Zealand. To celebrate this and coinciding with the close of the Year of Faith and the Year of Colin, people from all branches of the Marist family in the Auckland Diocese gathered at Manurewa on Sunday 17th November. Marist Brothers Read more