A national memorial service for Jean Vanier will be held at St. Gregory’s Catholic Church, Bishopdale, Christchurch on Saturday, June 8th at 11:00 am. It’s open to the public. There will be a few smaller memorial services around the country that will be announced soon, but the Christchurch one is the primary one. The L’Arche Read more
George Clooney and Elton John are among a number of celebrities who convinced the Sultan of Brunei to drop the death penalty provisions in incoming legislation prohibiting gay sex. Brunei was widely criticised after it announced its interpretation of Islamic laws, or sharia, early last month, which involve punishing sodomy, adultery and rape with death, Read more
A pro-life event showing a live 4D-ultrasound of a 36-week gestation baby was broadcast in Times Square on Saturday, as part of Focus on the Family’s “Alive in New York” celebration. “Alive in New York” was organized by Focus on the Family and drew a crowd estimated in the thousands, and it is believed to Read more
Survivors of sexual abuse at the hands of clergymen are outraged three senior bishops attended a funeral celebrating the life of an abusive priest. In 2003, Laffey admitted he had sexually assaulted Mike Phillips in the mid 1960s, when Phillips was a 13-year-old altar boy at St Mary of the Angels Church in Wellington. Laffey retired from his Read more
Grand plans for the reconstruction of the Notre Dame’s roof reveal a glorious garden that will produce 21 tonnes of fruits and vegetables. An innovative design to rebuild the historic 12th century cathedral could see modern and eco-friendly features replace the original roof that was destroyed in the devastating fire in April. The possible transformation Read more
Calling it “an ambitious target,” an English bishop has welcomed a UK panel’s call to phase out greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The Committee on Climate Change (the CCC) was established as an independent body to advise the British government – as well as the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland – by Read more
A new museum being built at a remote North Hokianga marae will rival any in the Far North, a curator says. Construction of Raiātea Resource Centre, at Motuti Marae between Kohukohu and Mitimiti, is well under way with the roof of the two-storey building now nearing completion. Most items in the collection — which include Read more
An Assassin’s Creed video game may be used to help with Notre Dame Cathedral’s reconstruction. When the Parisian Cathedral caught fire, the world held its collective breath. The spire fell, and the wooden roof was reduced to ash, but the holy relics were saved, and the interior preserved from the worst ravages of fire. Now Read more
he Archbishops of the Anglican Church in New Zealand have elected the world’s first Māori woman Bishop. Archdeacon Waitohiariki Quayle has been appointed Bishop of Te Ūpoko o Te Ika. She was ordained deacon in 2013 and priest in 2014 by Bishop Muru Walters at the Church of Te Hepara Pai in Masterton. Continue reading
More than 5000 parents of migrants are waiting for a moratorium on parent category visas to be lifted so they can be reunited with their children in New Zealand, but New Zealand First looks unlikely to back the removal of the ban. Continue reading