Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests – SNAP NZ – has written to Pope Francis urging him to instruct the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference to initiate an urgent, independent and transparent review of the National Office of Professional Standards and its principles and procedures document, A Path to Healing. SNAP’s unhappy letter to Read more
A child abuse survivors’ group has told Pope Francis the Catholic Church in New Zealand is mishandling the abuse redress process. They are being retraumatised during the process, Aotearoa-New Zealand’s chapter of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) told Francis in a letter last week. SNAP, a global organisation, went on to accuse Read more
Toast Electric, Aotearoa-New Zealand’s first not-for-profit power company, opened its doors in Wellington on Thursday. It is an initiative of a registered charity, the Sustainability Trust. Toast’s aim is to reduce energy hardship. Its fair energy manager, Phil Squire, says Toast is addressing a desperate need within the community. “Energy hardship is a real big Read more
Sacred Heart College was evacuated after a fire broke out in the school’s technology room while children were inside, the headmaster says. A spokesperson from Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) said the fire had been extinguished and the building was being ventilated. At 12.25pm a small amount of smoke could still be seen by the Read more
The convenor of a science and technology fair who has been doing the job for more than 30 years says every year students become more innovative, and the future is in good hands. The judging for the Central South Island Sanford Science and Technology Fair took place at Craighead Diocesan School on Saturday, and event Read more
The New Zealand Catholic bishops have paid tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II, saying Catholics are mourning Her Majesty. The bishops describe the late Queen as “a remarkable woman who was our official Head of State for seven remarkable decades. She had grace, warmth and commitment in equal measure”. The bishops reiterated Pope Francis’ Read more
Young Vinnies are running the school canteen at Sacred Heart College, Napier and everyone is benefitting. “It gives everyone the chance to go to the canteen and buy lunch at a very reasonable cost,” says Vinnies Youth Coordinator for Hawkes Bay, Paola Minehan. It also helps the Young Vinnies. “They learn customer service, cash and Read more
Over 200 guests and past pupils gathered at St Joseph’s Māori Girls’ College in Napier this afternoon to celebrate the launch of A History of St Joseph’s Māori Girls’ College by Dr Malcolm Mulholland (Ngāti Kahungunu). Covering over 150 years, the book explores the college’s religious founding, the challenges and prejudices it has overcome, the Read more
The Salvation Army Oasis is describing harmful gambling as ‘the hidden addiction’ in its Gambling Harm Awareness Week campaign that runs from 5 to 11 September. “People experiencing harm from gambling often feel ashamed and stigmatised, and try to hide their situation, making it even less visible to others,” says Lisa Campbell, national operations manager Read more
An article in Stuff online news has mistakenly reported Catholic church-owned pensioner flats in New Plymouth were sold for nearly $2 million. They have not been sold, however. The land purchased as an investment has nine flats and has been independently valued at $1.95 million. Councillors learned in February it was likely to be sold Read more