A peaceful protest by some 60-80 people outside a public meeting in support of vulnerable migrant students has been such a threat to New Zealand’s security that the police officers present had to be deployed with Tasers. The protest was held on Monday outside a public meeting presented by the Finance Minister Bill English and Read more
New Zealand
Animal blessing service planned for Auckland this Sunday
Friday, September 30th, 2016SPCA Auckland is encouraging animal lovers to celebrate their pets by taking part in the Great Animal Walk and Blessing of the Animals on October 2. The parade starts at 12.45pm from Victoria Park and finishes at St Matthew-in-the-City in time for the Blessing of the Animals service. Continue reading
A charity that has a loyalty programme for donors
Friday, September 30th, 2016A Whangarei child poverty charity is a finalist in the community innovation category at the NZI Sustainable Business Network Awards. The New Zealand Network Charity’s unique fundraising loyalty programme, called ‘network member with rewards’, allows people to register as a member, pay a membership fee and then have access to discounts and special offers from supporter businesses. Read more
Bishops support efforts to prevent students’ deportation
Tuesday, September 27th, 2016
Anglican and Catholic Bishops and other Catholic leaders have joined trade unions in asking the government to stop the deportation of 150 Indian students. The students’ visa documents have been found to be forged by agents in India. The students’ representatives, who include a lawyer and leaders from the Catholic and Anglican churches and the Read more
4300 Poverty and Justice Bible in parishes – 3000 more on order
Tuesday, September 27th, 2016
An extra 3,000 copies of the Poverty and Justice Bible have been ordered to keep up with demand as Catholic parishes throughout New Zealand embrace the Poverty and Justice Bible Buy One / Gift One campaign which enables free Bibles to be given to families in need. A joint initiative between Bible Society New Zealand Read more
Mayor Kokshoorn credits good Catholic up bringinging for his success
Tuesday, September 27th, 2016
Tony Kokshoorn, mayor of the Grey District since 2004 credits his success as a businessman and politician to family, his community and lessons learnt in his Catholic upbringing. “I went to a Marist Brothers school. I was Catholic, I had good morals instilled by my parents and my school and they have stuck with me.” Read more
NZ’s Congolese community condemns parents who blamed abuse on witchcraft
Tuesday, September 27th, 2016The parents who abused their teenage daughter because they thought she was a witch have been condemned by the leader of New Zealand’s Congolese community. Francious Kayembe said exorcisms and witchcraft were not common in the Congo, though the practices did happen in some sections of the community there. However, it did not happen in Read more
Sallies in talks over pensioner housing
Tuesday, September 27th, 2016Salvation Army representatives hope to meet with Whanganui District Council staff to discuss a proposed joint venture for pensioner housing. If it goes ahead, Whanganui will become the first regional city in New Zealand to implement such a scheme. Continue reading
Civic award for Pleroma’s Shirley Duthie
Friday, September 23rd, 2016
Pleroma Social Services and Pleroma Christian Supplies founder, Shirley Duthie, has been awarded the Central Hawke’s Bay District Civic Award for 2016. The mayor of Central Hawke’s Bay (CHB), Peter Butler, presented the award as an acknowledgement of Shirley’s 46 years of service to the local community. Specifically, it recognised her work with vulnerable pregnant Read more
Suzanne Aubert Celebration Day on October 2nd
Friday, September 23rd, 2016
The New Zealand Bishops Conference has lent its support to the first Suzanne Aubert Celebration Day on Oct 2, to coincide with the 90th anniversary of her death on 1st October 1926. All parishes have been asked to include a special Prayer of the Faithful at Masses on Oct 2 and also to make available Read more