A unique prefabricated housing project to support the Pasifika community will see 12 new social houses built on church-owned land in Flaxmere. The homes will be prefabricated in the Hutt Valley then assembled on site at 80 Caernarvon Drive in Flaxmere, Hastings. The half-acre site is owned by the Methodist Church of NZ Hastings Samoan Read more
New Zealand
Kavanagh College teen’s trilogy shows he’s a creative force
Thursday, September 1st, 2022They say everybody has a book in them, but one Kavanagh College pupil has already proven he has more. Kavanagh College’s Tom Davis (15) has published three books since 2019, a trilogy which now resides in the school library. The Lizard trilogy is a series of books aimed at readers aged 7-13 following the tale Read more
Catholic diocese meets select committee on UK Free Trade Agreement
Monday, August 29th, 2022
A parliamentary select committee heard the Catholic Diocese of Auckland’s views on the UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Legislation Bill last week. The diocese’s Peace and International Justice Committee (PIJC) told the Committee they opposed the FTA. “Our submission is based on the recognition of human dignity and the rights of all society members to Read more
Catholic school pupils leave school better qualified
Monday, August 29th, 2022
A higher proportion of private and Catholic school pupils leave school with NCEA level 3 than other New Zealand schools, a researcher says. Last week, educator Alwyn Poole discussed his research with Peter Williams on Taxpayer Talk, a podcast for the New Zealand Taxpayers Union. Poole is a well-known figure in the New Zealand education Read more
Church restrictions in red setting were justified, High Court rules
Monday, August 29th, 2022The Government was justified in blocking churches from holding large gatherings during the red traffic light setting under the Government’s Covid-19 response, the High Court has ruled. But a group of churches say the restrictions essentially forced them to excommunicate members and seriously infringed on the separation of Church and State. The measures included imposing Read more
Common threads emerging in Catholic NZ, Australia and Ireland
Thursday, August 25th, 2022
Common threads are emerging as dioceses and eastern Catholic churches release syntheses of the documents they’ve prepared for the 2023 synod on synodality. More adult faith formation and help with engaging young adults are important. So is revising the language used at Mass and other church ceremonies, say New Zealand and Australian Catholics. The New Read more
Right to Life names anti-euthanasia retirement homes
Thursday, August 25th, 2022
Right to Life says it is heartened by some responses to a letter it sent to several leading New Zealand Retirement Home organisations. The letter promoted Right to Life’s euthanasia-free policy. Assisted dying became legally available in New Zealand from 7 November 2021. Of the 11 retirement organisations Right to Life targeted, Ryman Health Care, Read more
Young Kiwi pilgrims sought for World Youth Day, Lisbon 2023
Thursday, August 25th, 2022Young people from around Aotearoa New Zealand are invited to join a pilgrimage to World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon next year and maybe see Pope Francis himself there. The Catholic bishops’ Council for Young People — made up of representatives from Catholic youth ministries across the country – has published a draft itinerary for Read more
Catholic school with just 20 students facing closure after 86 years
Thursday, August 25th, 2022After taking in its first students in 1936, Lower Hutt’s San Antonio Catholic School is focused on “making memories” and celebrating its history ahead of its likely closure at the end of the year. With just 20 students and predictions the Eastbourne school’s roll was unlikely to grow to a sustainable level in the short Read more