Auckland’s Catholic bishop has no plans to sell troubled Hato Petera College, leased by the diocese to the school on a rolling term. Bishop Pat Dunn returned from a fortnight in Tokelau to clarify that the diocese never intended to sell the Northcote property. “He has become annoyed at the constantly repeated comments in the Read more
New Zealand
TPP moves a big step closer. What deals were done?
Friday, June 26th, 2015
The US Congress has handed President Barack Obama a major victory on trade, with the Senate approving “fast track” negotiating authority on trade. Approval of fast track boosts Obama’s hopes for a 12-nation TransPacific Partnership (TPP) agreement that is essential to his effort to expand U.S. influence in Asia. New Zealand could be disadvantaged by Read more
NZers urged to share the peace and welcome refugees
Friday, June 26th, 2015
The Human Rights Commission says New Zealand can help its own citizens and also provide refuge to people escaping violence and war. “We can help our own people and we can also save some of the world’s most vulnerable people. It doesn’t have to be one or the other,” said Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Read more
MPs to have an inquiry into voluntary euthanasia
Friday, June 26th, 2015
Announcing an inquiry into voluntary euthanasia on Wednesday, chairman of the health select committee, Simon O’Connor, said members were “ready to engage” on what was an “important conversation that needs to be had”. The inquiry will consider how best to involve the public and what questions and terms of reference need to be included, he Read more
Salvation Army marks 500,000th free loaf with celebration
Friday, June 26th, 2015A food company marked the 500,000th loaf of free bread delivered to Salvation Army food banks with a celebration in Lower Hutt. The Goodman Fielder Cares Trust has provided baked bread for 10 Salvation Army food banks around the country for about the last six years. That is enough bread to stretch from Wellington to Read more
Presbyterian Church welcomes Pope Francis’s encyclical
Friday, June 26th, 2015Pope has important message on climate change for New Zealand says Presbyterian Church The Presbyterian Church has enthusiastically welcomed Pope Francis’s encyclical on the environment which addresses one of the great moral challenges of our time, climate change. “Climate change is a global problem with grave implications: environmental, social, economic, political and for the distribution Read more
Former priest pleads not guilty to historic sex charges
Friday, June 26th, 2015A former Catholic priest, now living in Nelson, has pleaded not guilty to historic sex charges. Peter Joseph Hercock, 71, a former chaplain at Sacred Heart College in Lower Hutt and administrator at a Nelson school, entered the not guilty pleas through his lawyer in the Nelson District Court on Tuesday. He is charged with Read more
Care Alliance needs support
Tuesday, June 23rd, 2015
Recently Care Alliance participated in the High Court case Seales v Attorney General. It needs financial support to help pay the legal fees for this case. Care Alliance consists of a number of organisations who are united in their opposition to the legalisation of euthanasia. These mainly small participating organisations do not have big financial resources. Read more
Hato Petera College Board elects 7 new members
Tuesday, June 23rd, 2015
On Sunday the Whanau Hato Petera Trust elected seven new members. The 12-person trust board had been reduced to five after a number of recent resignations. The present chairman, Tame Te Rangi, retained his position. Hato Petera Collge has two boards. One is the Whanau Hato Petera Trust, which is responsible for the dorms and Read more
NZ bishops quoted by Pope Francis in Laudato Si’
Tuesday, June 23rd, 2015
Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ quotes the New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ statement on the environment which they published in 2006. Paragraph 95 of Laudato Si’ reads: “The natural environment is a collective good, the patrimony of all humanity and the responsibility of everyone. If we make something our own, it is only to administer it for Read more