A working group set up explore how different strands of thinking on sexuality could be kept together in the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia has published its interim report. In their interim report, the working group recommends that there should be “no alteration to the formularies of this Church” and that dioceses Read more
New Zealand
Vincentians support Bishops’ election statement
Monday, August 7th, 2017The NZ Catholic Bishops’ Election Statement, Step out and Vote, has received a resounding endorsement from the Society of St Vincent de Paul. Society President Terry Comber said that the social issues that the Bishops raise are at the forefront of the Society’s work. “On behalf of Vincentians in New Zealand, I would like to Read more
NZ media largely failed to convey complexity of euthanasia issue
Thursday, August 3rd, 2017
The New Zealand media have, to date, largely failed to convey the complexity of the euthanasia question in their mostly shallow reporting on this issue says Dr John Kleinsman. He is pleased that the Health Committee Report on the subject noted that complexity. Kleinsman is the Director of The Nathaniel Centre, the Bioethics Research Agency for Read more
St Vincent de Paul Society – Celebrating 150 Years of Service
Thursday, August 3rd, 2017
This year the St Vincent de Paul Society celebrates 150 years since it was first established in New Zealand. Anniversary celebrations are planned for the weekend of October 13-15 in Christchurch. On Sunday October 15, an Anniversary Mass will be celebrated by Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Martin Krebs as well as Bishops Owen Dolan and Charles Read more
Euthanasia Report makes one important recommendation
Thursday, August 3rd, 2017
The New Zealand Parliament Health Committee’s report on Euthanasia has made a single recommendation. Read the report. “The Health Committee has considered Petition 2014/18 of Hon Maryan Street and 8,974 others and recommends that the House take note of its report.” The the Committee recognises that that euthanasia is a very complicated, very divisive, and Read more
Scrap over costs for Christ Church Cathedral spills into General Election
Thursday, August 3rd, 2017On the weekend of September 8/9 at St Christopher’s in Avonhead, the Christchurch Synod will vote to decide the fate of the Christ Church Cathedral. As we have heard endlessly, opinion is split over whether to restore the current building or to build a new, contemporary cathedral. On Tuesday, Christchurch Regeneration Minister Nicky Wagner released Read more
Infected Bali holy water brings on eye trouble
Thursday, August 3rd, 2017An Auckland woman came close to losing sight in one eye after bathing in contaminated water in Bali. Fighting the infection the lawyer and mother-of-two endured five days of sleep deprivation, woken hourly to have antibiotics administered. Last month Jenine Briggs went to Bali on a week-long yoga retreat. During the retreat she visited the Read more
TVNZ ends production of Praise Be after 30 years
Thursday, August 3rd, 2017TVNZ has quietly ceased production of 30-year-old local series Praise Be, New Zealand’s fourth longest-running TV show – and it happened more than a year ago. The last new episode of the Christian choral show actually screened in late 2015, while the 2016 season – funded to the tune of $388,000 by NZ On Air – consisted Read more
Six ordinations in 12 months signals positive new energy
Monday, July 31st, 2017
Six ordinations in a twelve-month period signals a positive new energy and life for the Catholic community of Westland, Canterbury and the Chatham Islands says the vocations director of the Christchurch diocese. On his website Food For Faith Fr John O’Connor was commenting on a feature in the Press about the recent ordinations in Christchurch. But Read more
God kept nagging me says NZ’s youngest priest
Monday, July 31st, 2017
Alister Castillo, 27, who is thought to be the youngest priest in New Zealand says God is a “nagger”. “It’s that very annoying nagging that’s kind of like when your parents are telling you to do the dishes, ” he told Stuff.co.nz Castello, who describes himself as “a born and bred Cantabrian”, completed his secondary Read more