St Patrick’s College in Kilbirnie has been hit with graffiti, just days after its students were accused of causing tagging damage at Wellington College. The culprits who tagged obscenities across Wellington College, including a metre-high phallus on a $1.4m artificial pitch, are still yet to be caught. However, in an apparent act of retaliation, property at St Read more
New Zealand
Space for Aubert in Memorial Park crèche future
Friday, March 4th, 2016The Home of Compassion crèche at Memorial Park in Wellington is to be an education centre, but space will be dedicated within it to Suzanne Aubert. There was a late push to have the crèche turned into a centre dedicated to Mother Aubert. But the Ministry for Culture and Heritage said education centre plans are Read more
Caritas goes to Parliament to oppose Easter trading change
Friday, March 4th, 2016Caritas representatives appearing before Parliament’s Commerce Committee on Thursday argued against proposed changes to Easter Sunday trading. A proposed law change – the Shop Trading Hours Amendment Bill – would let local councils pass bylaws allowing shops in their area to open on Easter Sunday. Caritas’s Lisa Beech said Easter Sunday trading would affect community Read more
Funds raised to counter 40 Days for Life vigils
Tuesday, March 1st, 2016
Hundreds of dollars have been raised to send flowers and support to New Zealand abortion clinics in response to the 40 Days for Life prayer campaign. The Abortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand set up a “give a little” web page to raise $300 to send the flowers, support messages and “sweet treats” to Read more
Tourists leaving rubbish, human waste near historic church
Tuesday, March 1st, 2016
Tourists are leaving human waste and rubbish around the historic Church of the Good Shepherd near Lake Tekapo. This is upsetting locals who value the landmark building. Tekapo Community Board member Stella Sweney told the New Zealand Herald that on February 22, within a 5 metre radius of the church, she picked up bits of rubbish and Read more
NZ lumped in with Germany in terms of synod offerings
Tuesday, March 1st, 2016
The head of the Polish bishops’ conference has lumped New Zealand in with the German bishops in terms of contributions at last year’s synod on the family. Archbishop Stanislaw Gadecki discussed the synod in a recent interview with EWTN Germany. The archbishop was asked about if there had been a “German-Polish” war at the synod. Read more
New way for NZ Anglican, Catholic, Methodist dialogue
Tuesday, March 1st, 2016New rules have been made for the way the Methodist, Anglican and Catholic Churches in New Zealand work towards Christian unity. Cardinal John Dew attended the Forum for National Dialogue for Christian Unity, where the rules were formally accepted. A celebration of prayer followed afterwards. Continue reading
Catholic MP to marry mother-of-five
Tuesday, March 1st, 2016A National Party MP who once studied for the priesthood with the Society of Mary is to marry a mother of five children. Tamaki MP Simon O’Connor proposed to Rachel Trimble earlier this year. She is the sister of Transport Minister Simon Bridges. Mr O’Connor is 10 years younger than Ms Trimble. Referring to his Read more
Obituary: Bishop Barry Jones ‘humble and pastoral’
Tuesday, March 1st, 2016Pope Francis, on his recent tour of Mexico and the United States, said priests and bishops must be servants of the people. They should not regard their calling as a career in which to seek advancement and notice. As he spoke, a bishop who personified this ideal was dying, in far-off Christchurch, New Zealand. Bishop Barry Jones was Read more
New rental housing legislation; tenants could be exploited
Friday, February 26th, 2016
Tenants could be exploited under proposed laws requiring rentals to be insulated and have smoke alarms, Catholic advocacy and aid agency Caritas Aotearoa says. Under the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill, (RTA) ceiling and underfloor insulation will need to be retrofitted in social housing by July, and in all other rental homes by July 2019. It Read more