Ninety-four New Zealand schools – including at least 11 Catholic schools – are at risk of flooding. Niwa says sea level changes could create flooding around school buildings and roads. Then it would be difficult for children to get to and from their classrooms. Infrastructure would be affected. Seawater in pipes would cause school toilets Read more
The housing crisis is seeing more than 4000 children growing up in motels across New Zealand, devastating parents who are desperate to find a permanent place for their kids to live. Skyrocketing house prices are prompting many landlords to sell, forcing up rents which are becoming unaffordable for many families. Figures released to Checkpoint show Read more
A brand-new family home built in 10 weeks? It’s possible. Off-site building manufacturer Concision and house building company Versatile Pukekohe have announced they recently built a four bedroom, two bathroom house, in just 10 weeks from start to finish. The house was built from 43 prefabricated panels manufactured in Concision’s Rolleston factory over two days. Read more
The first Dean of New Zealand’s new Catholic Theological College is a medical doctor. Dr John Evangelista (pictured with his wife, Tina) is described as an active Catholic who has had a strong involvement in the Church both locally and overseas. He was educated as a medical doctor and has 25 years’ experience in senior Read more
If we’re looking for something to do for Lent, we could do as Pope Francis suggests and take up gratitude, says Auckland’s Catholic bishop, Patrick Dunn. And if we’re looking for something to give up, the pope suggests the Lenten season could be a time to give up gossip, Dunn added, in an on-line address Read more
A newly-released report says a reality of the COVID pandemic’s effect can be seen in soaring poverty rates throughout New Zealand. Rising unemployment and corresponding increases in people relying on government income support is concerning. Then there’s food insecurity, housing insecurity, increasing child poverty, increasing drug use and increasing debt levels. All these issues are Read more
A euthanasia advocate who failed to disclose three overseas murder convictions has been censured and had his registration cancelled. Sean Davison applied to the Medical Sciences Council for registration as a medical laboratory scientist in 2017. As part of the application, he admitted to a conviction relating to the attempted suicide of his terminally ill Read more
Wellingtonians want action on the city’s housing crisis, but residents are very much divided into two camps over intensification. The city council has received almost 3000 submissions from individuals and organisations on Wellington’s draft spatial plan, which outlines how up to 80,000 more people will be accommodated in the next 30 years. The spatial plan Read more
Ash Wednesday on Sunday is a possibility. Cardinal John Dew and Bishop Patrick Dunn identified the option in messages to pastoral leaders and people in their respective dioceses. “If the Alert Level changes back to Level 1 on Wednesday night, we will look at having the belling and distribution of the ashes at Masses next Read more
It’s 150 years since Nelson’s Mission sisters arrived in the developing province from France. St Joseph’s School pupils and other members of Nelson’s Catholic community celebrated the milestone with a special Mass on 11 February. During the service, a video presentation documenting the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions history and contribution to the Read more