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
News Shorts
Eritrean government rounds up teens from church service
Monday, September 12th, 2022Places of worship have become the latest target for the forced roundup of Eritrean teens to serve as soldiers, which clerics describe as a deteriorating situation. For two years, 15- and 16-year-olds have been taken from towns and villages. According to the sources, some are ending up on the front lines in the war in Read more
Cambodia rejects ‘organ harvesting’ allegations
Monday, September 12th, 2022The Cambodian government has rejected allegations made in Hong Kong and Taiwan that human traffickers had lured victims into this country for “organ harvesting” and the sale of body parts for transplants on the black market. “Up until now, there has not been a single case of a human trafficking organisation harvesting organs from their Read more
Pope says Ukraine, Russia trip not currently possible due to knee pain
Thursday, September 8th, 2022In a new interview, Pope Francis laid to rest rumours that a papal visit to Kyiv could happen before his visit to Kazakhstan next week, saying he has been forbidden by doctors from travelling before that due to his ongoing knee troubles. Speaking to CNN Portugal, the pope said he has spoken to both Ukrainian Read more
Pharmac says it will strengthen its focus on equity for Maori after June review
Thursday, September 8th, 2022Pharmac says it will strengthen its focus on equity for Maori and other population groups as a result of the government’s independent review. That review, released back in June, found Pharmac had issues on accountability, decision-making and responsibilities. It also said the benefits the model brings need to be shared more equitably across Maori and Read more
Doctors’ gathering to reflect on ‘Christian humanism’
Thursday, September 8th, 2022Catholic doctors and medical scholars from across the world will meet in Rome in mid-September to discuss and get training on “Christian humanism” in the medical context. The 26th World Congress of Catholic Physicians will be held from 15 to 17 September. It is being organised by the International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations (FIAMC), Read more
Request for schoolgirls’ karakia over human remains causes upset
Thursday, September 8th, 2022
Upset whānau say asking a pair of Māori schoolgirls to say a karakia (prayer) over human remains found at their school breached many protocols. The human kōiwi (bones) were found at Epsom Girls Grammar school. The school admits that although the idea was well-intentioned, it was a breach of tikanga (custom) and should not have Read more
Britney Spears no longer believes in God: “I’m an atheist, y’all”
Thursday, September 8th, 2022Britney Spears said in an Instagram audio story yesterday that she now considers herself an atheist. Her explanation, however, feeds right into flawed stereotypes Christians often have about why people stop believing in God. Most atheists have a story about why they stopped believing in God. Perhaps something caused them to begin questioning their faith. Read more
Pope Francis appoints Vatican’s first-ever HR director
Thursday, September 8th, 2022Pope Francis has selected Luis Herrera Tejedor, a Catholic layman from Spain, to be the director of the Holy See’s newly-created “Human Resources Department”. The position is stipulated in Praedicate evangelium, the apostolic constitution on the Roman Curia, which was published last March and went into effect on June 5. The 62-year-old Herrera, a lawyer Read more
Abducted American religious sister freed in Burkina Faso
Monday, September 5th, 2022An American religious sister ministering in Burkina Faso, who was kidnapped in April is free and safe after nearly five months of captivity, according to her congregation and the local diocese. Suellen Tennyson, 83, a New Orleans native, has served at a missionary outpost in northern Burkina Faso since 2014. She was abducted by unidentified Read more