Family Planning chief executive Jackie Edmond said the abortion law as it stands is outdated and needs fixing. She said abortions were part of a broken system as they currently fell under justice rather than the Ministry of Health. Edmonds said this when making a submission last Thursday to the Justice and Electoral select committee’s Read more
Christchurch’s Anglican and Catholic dioceses want proposed new planning rules relaxed so it is easier for them to demolish their quake-damaged heritage buildings. In submissions lodged on the Christchurch Replacement District Plan (CRDP) the two dioceses argue the proposed planning rules focus too heavily on preserving heritage buildings at all costs and ignore the fact Read more
There has been a big jump in the number of New Zealanders not giving to charity, a University of Otago study shows. The University of Otago New Zealand Consumer Lifestyles Study, published late last month, reveals the percentage of people never giving to charity has doubled. “I suspect it is about their ability to give, Read more
First class seats, Greek resorts, a penthouse suite in a Miami hotel and gambling in Las Vegas – it’s not the typical life of a church leader. A photo of Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki was uploaded to Facebook on Saturday night by an onlooker who saw him gambling. “What does Brian Tamaki of Destiny’s Read more
Marist School has worked hard to raise the money through their annual Mission Market and now it will be put to good use. Leanne and Matthew Prichard, along with their children Louis, Fenn and Nina will personally ensure the funds are delivered safely to Mulemi Community School in Zambia. A sum this size is likely to Read more
Former Wellington mayor Sir James Belich died last week at the age of 88. Belich was the mayor of Wellington from 1986 until 1992. Hundreds attended his funeral at the Church of St Benedict in Khandallah. Prior to standing for mayor, Belich had already established some public profile as chairman of the Downstage Theatre Trust board and as Read more
Michael Fitzsimons, a former editor of Zealandia Catholic Newspaper, is a director of Wellington-based communications and publishing company, FitzBeck Creative. He has written a number of books, including the Wellington Book and the NZ Book, but this is his first book of poems. The collection, called Now You Know, includes poems by Michael Fitzsimons and Read more
Conservative commentators are expressing concern about the makeup of the additional 45 Synod members personally selected by the Pope. They are suggesting that “conservative” bishops have been excluded while more “progressive” ones have found favour. The archbishop of Wellington, Cardinal John Dew, has been identified by these bloggers as being on the “progressive” side. Two Read more
Peter Fava has made one of the hardest decisions of his life. After 19 years at the helm of St Bernard’s College in Lower Hutt, he is retiring due to ill health. “My health has not been top notch and obviously this job has been very demanding. Either you give 200 percent or you don’t Read more
The first of four new Auckland Catholic schools is near completion. Monte Cecilia School principal Michele Mill said that after more than a century on its Hillsborough site, the school would move to a new site and new buildings next year. Auckland Council bought land from the Catholic Church for Monte Cecilia Park. The existing Read more