On Friday the New Zealand Catholic Bishops wrote to Pope Francis to encourage and support the Holy Father. President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, Bishop Patrick Dunn, wrote: “Our priests and our people, and we ourselves, appreciate greatly all that you are doing to highlight the Joy of the Gospel. “We are grateful Read more
Just under 1,000 churches offered a prayer for the people working in media at their services last Sunday. It’s an initiative organised by the Christian Broadcasting Association, an organisation that creates Christian-themed content for secular media – largely for talk radio stations like Newstalk ZB and RadioLIVE. The Media Prayer Day initiative has been endorsed Read more
Slow progress in establishing the ground rules for New Zealand’s biggest ever inquiry is causing further pain for state care abuse survivors. New information also shows a formal proposal on the inquiry is yet to reach Cabinet – which must approve the final inquiry scope before anyone can be heard. Continue reading
Former head girl of Wellington’s Erskine College, Nicola Young, finds the memories of an extraordinary education and strange rituals come flooding back as she revisits the old chapel and school rooms which have lain empty for years. Read more
After nearly three years of design, planning and consultation, an application has been lodged with the Queenstown Lakes District Council for consent to build a parish and community centre on land adjacent to the historic St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Arrowtown. Already the project has created considerable national and international interest and offers of support. Read more
At the Pacific Islands Forum in Nauru, New Zealand announced aid packages to assist Pacific Island Nations. Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern announced a $9 million package to make it easier for Pacific students to access education. Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced $10 million over three years to enhance free-to-air Pasifika TV service. Education “This initiative will Read more
Churchgoers have resorted to parking illegally on a West Auckland shared foot and cycle path and it’s not going down well with cyclists. The parking on Harbourview Orangihina Reserve on Te Atatū Rd had always been an issue but lately, it’s caused an uproar in the Te Atatū Peninsula community. Continue reading
Karl de Fresne provides examples of statements that strike him as evidence of the mainstream churches desperately searching for relevance in an increasingly secular world, and of deluding themselves that they will find it by pushing fashionable political barrows. Read more
A woman wanted in Fiji is yet to return from Australia to face charges over trafficking workers from Fiji to New Zealand. Continue reading
Dr Nathan Matthews has been appointed the new principal of Hato Pāora College, the Catholic Māori boarding school for boys near Feilding. He is an old boy of the school and his son Caleb is the school’s head boy this year. Matthews will be formally welcomed next month but he doesn’t start until 1 October. Sean Read more