Wellington City Mission is celebrating Whakamaru, its beautiful, brand-new $50-million facility. The six-years of planning, contriving and building the facility is now at an end. City Missioner Murray Edridge says the result “… is way beyond our expectations and our dreams, our ambitions and our aspirations”. Whakamaru’s facilities The light, airy building stretches five floors Read more
Abuse-in-care survivors are looking forward to next month’s apology from government leaders for the suffering they have endured. The apology is one thing. But some advocates say there are survivors who are expecting unrealistic payouts. Apology Erica Stanford, the minister leading the government response to the inquiry, has announced a Parliamentary apology on November 12 Read more
More than half of the survivors of the 2019 Christchurch mosque terrorist attacks have suffered long-term mental health effects in the aftermath, a new study has found. A University of Otago, Christchurch study found more than 60 percent of participants from the Christchurch Muslim community suffered from mental health conditions such as PTSD and depression Read more
As Jay Clarke mulls the future of the commercial vegetable-growing business based on the fertile plains of the Horowhenua that his family has built into the region’s largest over the last 46 years, his voice begins to tremor. “I don’t think I’d want my kids to do this,” says the 42-year old father of two. Read more
The first-ever annual report of the Vatican Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors states that New Zealand, Australia, the South Pacific Islands, North America and Europe have all created adequate structures to address abuse. The report notes that Africa, Asia and South America lag behind in creating these structures due to a lack of Read more
New survey results have Trinity Catholic College principal Kate Nicholson (pictured) concerned. They show over half Dunedin’s teenage girl respondents feel unsafe in the inner city. Nicholson and Dunedin Student Council president Rohan O’Shea led the survey of 1300 Dunedin secondary students after schoolboy Enere McLaren-Taana’s fatal stabbing earlier this year. It aimed to see Read more
Catholic Bishop Jean Baptiste Pompallier’s question to Governor William Hobson – and his response – concerning the Crown’s care of Māori should be enshrined as the Treaty of Waitangi’s fourth article. So theologian Alistair Reese told Parliament’s Petitions Committee last week. The written text of the Treaty – Te Tiriti o Waitangi – includes a Read more
Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Tolaga Bay celebrated 100 years this month with a special mass of thanksgiving led by Bishop Richard Laurenson from the Hamilton Diocese. About 70 people attended the mass including the Filipino choir which led the singing. Parish priest Mark Field said it was a good turnout on a perfect spring Read more
A Catholic-owned “gravel pit” – one of central Christchurch’s last remaining rogue gravel car parks – may be upgraded by Christmas, after threats of enforcement action by the city council. The car park, on the corner of Armagh St and Colombo St, which is owned by the Catholic diocese but operated by Wilson Parking, has Read more
Ethnic leaders in New Zealand are repeating their calls for greater participation in shaping government policy. They have already met with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and on 10 October met with Opposition leader Chris Hipkins and several senior members of the Labour Party. Specific concerns The ethnic leaders told Hipkins and his cohorts they are Read more