Over the past few years, there has been greater recognition of gender diversity in mainstream Western popular culture. The Pacific is a region that has long-hosted alternative expressions of gender, and this current cultural moment has given its peoples a chance to contribute to a global conversation. Read more
Pope Francis said Sunday he was late to his weekly Angelus prayer because he had been stuck in a Vatican elevator and had to be freed by firemen. “I have to apologise for being late,” the smiling 82-year old pontiff told crowds of faithful patiently waiting for him to appear at his study window overlooking Read more
There’s concern about the growing influence of a South Korean apocalyptic cult at New Zealand universities. Shincheonji is widely criticised for its misleading and distorted teachings of Christianity, which isolates its members from family and friends. Read more
In what appears to be a new position, Monsignor Dario Viganò, the former head of Vatican communications forced to resign amid scandal in 2018, on Saturday was named “vice chancellor” of the Pontifical Academies for Sciences and Social Sciences. The news was announced in an Aug. 31 communique from the Vatican, after rumors began to Read more
Since Nelson’s Anglican Diocese was founded in 1858, there have been only a handful of processions through the city to commemorate the installation of a new Bishop. Read more
Sydney Catholic and Anglican churches say they will not follow the example of the Uniting church, which has granted support to the school climate strike movement and given students support to attend the marches. Students across the country are planning to walk out of school on Friday 20 September, to protest government inaction on the Read more
A 15-year-old student from Kavanagh College arrived home from Budapest on Wednesday and was greeted by Kavanagh College classmates at Dunedin Airport. New world junior champion swimmer, Erika Fairweather had been surprised by the welcome home, which was ”super cool” Read more
The 145-year-old Vatican pharmacy has a new hire: a state-of-the-art robot working behind the scenes to manage the stockroom, retrieve medications and deliver the drugs quickly to the sales floor. The Vatican, which claims to have the busiest pharmacy in the world, recently adopted the new automated system by the Germany-based BD Rowa firm. The Read more
Ireland’s former president Mary McAleese has been selected as the winner of the prestigious Alfons Auer Ethics Prize. The award will be presented to Dr McAleese at a ceremony at the University of Tübingen in Germany on 30 October. Leading US moral theologian Professor Hille Haker of Loyola University in Chicago will deliver the commendation Read more
The purpose of the Climate Change Response (Zero-Carbon) Amendment Bill (the Bill) is to provide a framework and process by which New Zealand can achieve its existing commitment under the Paris Agreement to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5° Celsius above pre-industrial levels. In its oral submission to Parliament, Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand voiced its support Read more