On June 10 the Passionist Family Group Movement (PFGM) will celebrate 35 years of family ministry in New Zealand. To mark the occasion, Fr Brian Traynor of the PFGM will celebrate Mass at St Mary’s Church in Paeroa with the local parish priest, Fr Mark Field and then the following week continue the celebration at Read more
New Zealand
King’s Birthday honour for services to education
Thursday, June 8th, 2023Among the Otago residents receiving a King’s Birthday honours last weekend was Dunedin’s Gerard Anthony (Tony) Hanning (84). He says it is a privilege to accept the honour for services to education and the community. “There’s that element of surprise, because you’re not expecting it,” Mr Hanning said. “It is an honour and a recognition Read more
Caution urged over law change for integrated school boards
Thursday, June 1st, 2023
A Government move to widen the criteria for co-opting members onto school boards needs a cautious approach. The proposed changes would see the criteria including members’ genders, sexualities and sexes. In its submission on the Education and Training Amendment Bill No. 3, the Association of Proprietors of Integrated Schools (APIS) issued a clear warning. APIS Read more
Media Council upholds religious bias complaints
Thursday, June 1st, 2023
The NZ Media Council has upheld religious bias complaints against a Stuff online story. The November 2022 article slamming Tauranga’s Bethlehem College and its views on gender issues was unfair, the Council says. Stuff culled the story from an article school counsellor Marli de Klerk had uploaded to the College’s Facebook page. Using the (since Read more
Covid’s mental health effect needs care says Bloomfield
Thursday, June 1st, 2023
Looking after your mental health is important. Kiwis “can’t afford” to lose sight of how Covid-19 impacted on this, Sir Ashley Bloomfield says. Known for his leadership during the Covid-19 crisis, Bloomfield has recently become an ambassador for a mindfulness programme for school-aged children. The Southern Cross-funded Pause Breathe Smile (PBS) programme is free and Read more
Pacific Conference of Churches calls for Japan’s cooperation
Thursday, June 1st, 2023The Pacific Conference of Churches has renewed its calls for Japan to immediately stop its plans to release over one million tonnes of treated radioactive wastewater into the Pacific Ocean. The wastewater comes from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant. The group is imploring the Pacific Islands Forum, or PIF, to boldly explore punitive measures Read more
Vatican’s Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle to visit New Zealand
Thursday, June 1st, 2023Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle is understood to have accepted an invitation to visit New Zealand. He is the Pro-Prefect for the Section of Evangelisation of the Dicastery for Evangelisation, and is responsible for the appointment of New Zealand’s bishops. However the purpose of Tagle’s visit it to speak at the National Clergy Assembly, in October. Read more
Hastings parish gifts surprise school hit by Cyclone Gabrielle
Monday, May 29th, 2023
Hastings charity Thermals for Children surprised a group of young Cyclone Gabrielle survivors with a swag of unexpected gifts last week. With the Hastings Catholic Parish support, the charity fundraises and supplies local schools with hundreds of bundles of thermals and track pants each winter. This year the parish have raised more than $26,000 for Read more
Taxpayers should be free to choose to pay for abortions
Monday, May 29th, 2023
If women are free to choose whether to have an abortion, taxpayers should be free to choose if they contribute taxes to fund their choice. In a recent statement, the pro-life advocacy group Right to Life argues that while taxpayers have a moral obligation to contribute their taxes, they should not be obligated to fund Read more
Median rent in Queenstown-Lakes up by $110 a week, Auckland unchanged from a year ago
Monday, May 29th, 2023The national median weekly rent for newly tenanted properties increased by $15 a week (+2.7%) over the 12 months to the end of March this year. The latest data, based on bonds lodged with Tenancy Services each quarter, shows the national median residential rent increased from $550 a week in the first quarter (Q1) of Read more