Up to 50 per cent of pregnant women in parts of Auckland remain unvaccinated despite being at high risk of hospitalisation, complications and having a premature baby if they catch Covid-19. Doctors and midwives around the country are gearing up for an influx of unvaccinated pregnant women infected with the virus as Delta continues to Read more
New Zealand
Disability community welcomes ‘groundbreaking’ changes to sector
Monday, November 1st, 2021A raft of “groundbreaking” changes to disability support systems have found overwhelming support in the disability community who welcome the chance to be more independent and included in society. The government announced on Friday that it will establish of a Ministry for Disabled People, expand disability support services and introduce legislation to make New Zealand Read more
Children’s Commissioner: NZ belongs on “international roll of shame”
Thursday, October 28th, 2021
Outgoing Children’s Commissioner Judge Andrew Becroft has harsh words to describe children’s wellbeing in New Zealand. Aotearoa New Zealand is a great place to be a child if you are rich, white and able-bodied. The reality for at least 125,000 children, however, includes abuse, neglect, poverty and poor health and education outcomes. Over the last Read more
Covid vaccines alone will not solve human problems
Thursday, October 28th, 2021
While some people bunkered down during the Covid lockdowns, Gerarld Arbuckle wrote a book! The award-winning author’s new book is about the Church in a post-COVID world. In “The Pandemic and the People of God“, internationally renowned theologian and anthropologist and New Zealand-born priest, Gerald Arbuckle SM, weaves together insights from life, anthropology and theology Read more
Traffic lights, vaccine certificates and Church services
Thursday, October 28th, 2021
Vaccination certificates and ‘traffic lights’ are coming soon to your church. Under the new COVID-management system, places of worship may legally choose to implement a vaccination entry requirement for congregants. Whether they do or do not has different consequences. Vaccine certificates will also apply to clergy. The government’s three-tier “traffic light ” framework will come Read more
Man who stole charity’s Christmas food parcels gets present from court
Thursday, October 28th, 2021Some may have labelled Bishop Bayden Poipoi a Grinch after he stole Christmas food parcels set aside for people in need, but he has been given a gift from the High Court – a shorter sentence. In a recently released High Court judgment, Justice Simon France shaved Poipoi’s sentence for a range of offences from Read more
Terry Jordan elected St Vincent de Paul president
Thursday, October 28th, 2021
Long-time Wellington Vincentian Terry Jordan has been elected as the Society’s new National President. Terry has been a member of the Conference in Waiwhetu, Lower Hutt, since 2008 and has held leadership roles at Conference, Area Council and National Board levels. “I see my membership of the Society as a practical expression of my faith,” Read more
Catholics urged to get involved in climate response
Thursday, October 28th, 2021Caritas says recent government announcements on climate response recognise the urgency of making deep far-reaching changes across all sectors of New Zealand society, and the need to provide climate finance for the poor; but do not go far enough in aiming to cut New Zealand’s emissions sooner. The New Zealand government recently put out a Read more
NZs Lutheran and Catholic churches make baptism agreement
Thursday, October 21st, 2021
The Lutheran and Catholic churches in New Zealand have approved a statement recognising the unity of each other’s baptisms. The baptism agreement is the first major work of New Zealand’s Roman Catholic-Lutheran Dialogue Commission. The Commission has held regular meetings since being created by Lutheran Bishop Mark Whitfield and Cardinal John Dew in 2017 during Read more
NZ favours Pacific neighbours in substantial increase in climate change aid
Thursday, October 21st, 2021
The New Zealand Government says it will quadruple overseas aid to help poorer countries deal with climate change. The allocation has been increased to $1.3 billion. The Government says the increase in overseas aid means that New Zealand will now be paying its fair share towards global climate funding. It is part of a global Read more