Ten years on from Christchurch’s devastating earthquake, the Catholic Diocese is seeking the treasures that once graced the Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. Among the items that have gone missing is a pair of angels. So has one of the marble Stations of the Cross designed for the cathedral’s centenary in 2000 by late Read more
Everyone deserves access to basic hygiene. With 41,600 Kiwis not knowing where they will sleep tonight, and many not having access to a shower or laundry services demand for Orange Sky services has doubled. And, it needs more volunteers. Orange Sky, offers a mobile laundry and hot shower service working on the streets and in Read more
A call has been made to change the street names and names of reserves in a Christchurch suburb with links to allegations of cases of child abuse. In a letter to the Spreydon-Cashmere Community Board, the writer says society should not honour places where children were harmed, calling for change. The names the writer says Read more
Experts are concerned that tenants will cop higher rents under the government’s new housing policies. In this month’s Finder RBNZ Official Cash Rate Survey, 14 experts and economists weighed in on future official cash rate (OCR) moves and other issues related to the state of New Zealand’s economy. The government recently announced a suite of Read more
The new Auckland City Missioner is well known in Catholic social justice circles. Helen Robinson, who is stepping up to the post from her role as Auckland City Mission’s social services general manager, will start her new role this month. Robinson’s experience includes working with Catholic youth development organisation The Logos Project and with Challenge Read more
Although Wellington icon St Gerard’s church and monastery has been declared earthquake-prone and will close next month, it is unlikely to be pulled down. While St Gerard’s future is ultimately up to the owners, the church – built in 1908 for the Redemptorists – could be deconsecrated so it could be used for events like Read more
A tiny earthquake-prone church, Father Garin’s chapel in Nelson’s Wakapuaka Cemetery will be restored – but it’s a long-term project, the Catholic Church says. The building is listed as a category one historic place, with “special or outstanding historical or cultural significance or value.” Garin arrived in Nelson in 1850 and worked for nearly 40 Read more
Christchurch sculptor Paul Deans was searching through limestone pillars from an earthquake-damaged church when he uncovered a turtle fossil believed to be about 35 million years old. The pre-historic fossil was embedded in the limestone core of a pillar from the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church, which was built between 1881 and 1882 in central Christchurch. Read more
Tears flowed freely when Sacred Heart Cathedral parish farewelled its music director Michael Fletcher. Fletcher was the Director of Music at the cathedral for the past ten years. The occasion followed his final choral Mass on Sunday 14 March with tributes from choristers and parishioners emphasising Michael’s outstanding contribution to the cathedral, particularly in music Read more
Cardinal John Dew is unsure why former Bishop of Palmerston North, Charles Drennan remains a bishop, saying it is entirely Rome’s decision. Dew made the comment, Friday, in answer to questions from counsel Sally McKechnie, at the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care. “The Pope is the only one that can remove a bishop from Read more