Pope Francis has appointed Fr Richard Umbers to be an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Sydney. Originally from Papatoetoe in Auckland, New Zealand Umbers was ordained a priest by Bishop Javier Echevarría, Prelate of Opus Dei. He has served as a priest in Sydney for the past 13 years. Umbers is one of two Read more
The Methodist church in Mornington, Dunedin, will be inviting refugees and members of the Muslim faith to take part in a shared religious service to dedicate a specially-made cross to refugees. It is a Lampedusa Cross, made from the wreckage of a refugee boat by Francesco Tucci, a carpenter on the Italian island of Lampedusa. Read more
All Black Sonny Bill Williams has said he is most happy when he is saying his prayers. In an article in the UK Daily Mail, Williams admitted to having to fit his Islamic diet and prayer around an intensive rugby schedule. “When I’m most happy is when I’m doing my prayers,” he said. “When you Read more
On Friday 1 July the Compassion Soup Kitchen hosts its Annual Street Appeal with a variety of activities happening across Wellington. Over 200 volunteers will be out on the streets of the capital collecting donations from the public. In the past 12 months, the Compassion Soup Kitchen served 9,939 breakfasts and 17,493 dinners. Providing two Read more
A preacher with links to US presidential hopeful Donald Trump, is going to be speaking at a church conference in Wellington. Jentezen Franklin, was last week announced as a member of Trump’s Evangelical Advisory Board, which is expected to lead a larger Faith and Cultural Advisory Committee to be announced later this month. Trump stated Read more
Singer Lorde has donated $20,000 to a struggling Hutt Valley charity that feeds hungry schoolchildren. Fuel the Need got the donation via its Givealittle page yesterday. An apparent message from the pop star on the website reads “Good on you Manuel and Fuel the Need. Hope this helps a little bit.” The message also says Read more
A new report from the NZ Council of Christian Social Services, NZCCSS, says there is a soaring demand being made on social service organisations. At the same time government support has shrunk, particularly in the form of food grants. Executive officer Trevor McGlinchey said social service organisations were under huge financial stress. But government funding Read more
The Puketapapa Local Board has hired an engineering and design consultancy firm, Harrison Grierson, to investigate partial preservation or re-development of the Liston Village. Harrison Grierson have proposed nine options. Many of the proposed options indicate room for expansion and the development of new one and two-bedroom units. The 25-unit village was established in 1984 for people over 60 on low Read more
Eight Catholic secondary schools in the Wellington Archdiocese are participating in an inquiry project about enhancing students’ outcomes in technology. The lead school in the project is Chanel College in Masterton. The other participating schools are: St Patrick’s College (Silverstream), St Patrick’s College (Wellington), St Bernard’s College, Sacred Heart College (Lower Hutt), Garin College, (Nelson), St Read more
On Saturday, 6 August, the Feast of the Transfiguration, Bishop Patrick Dunn will ordain Deacon Justin Glyn SJ a priest at the Cathedral of St Patrick and St Joseph, Auckland, in a ceremony commencing at 11.30am. The following day, at 9.30am, he will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving at Our Lady Star of the Sea, Read more