Support is growing for an Iranian human rights lawyer after she was sentenced to 38 years in prison for defending women who refused to wear headscarves. Nasrin Sotoudeh received the sentence — along with 148 lashes — last month on charges of encouraging prostitution and offering legal advice to women protesting the mandatory hijab. The Read more
Muslim leaders are welcoming the chance to dispel myths about the faith, as more Kiwis reach out. They’re reporting a surge of interest in the religion in the wake of the Christchurch attacks. Ikhlaq Kashkari, president of the New Zealand Muslim Association, is delighted. He says everyday Kiwis are entering mosques for the first time Read more
During a visit to a parish in Rome, Pope Francis offered three signs a parish is doing well: prayer; the “charity of facts”, exemplified by their charitable works; and “passive charity”. “What is passive charity?” he asked rhetorically. “That you love one another and do not criticize one another”. During his pastoral visit Francis meets Read more
Peter Thirkell, Secretary of the Care Alliance, has welcomed the Justice Select Committee’s statement that the End of Life Choice Bill “is not workable in its present state”. “Mr Seymour should withdraw his bill immediately. It is simply not feasible for MPs to try to ‘fix’ the bill during the Committee of the Whole House Read more
Police have charged an Indian bishop with repeatedly raping a nun at a rural convent in a case that has cast a new shadow on the Catholic church’s global sex abuse crisis. Franco Mulakkal was charged with raping the nun several times between 2014 and 2016, according to the police deputy superintendent in the district Read more
National deputy leader Paula Bennett has come out in strong support of the End of Life Choice Bill, which would legalise euthanasia. Bennett is the highest-profile National MP to support the members’ bill, which her leader opposes. The success or failure of the bill will likely hinge on the amount of National MPs who support it. Read more
Pope Francis has published a new document dedicated to youth, bringing full-circle a process of consultation that began last year when the Vatican reached out to young people around the world ahead of an October summit of bishops on how to better approach them. Called Christus Vivit, the document is 180 pages long and takes Read more
Seven Canadian doctors published a 2018 World Medical Journal article, “Euthanasia in Canada: a cautionary tale”, endorsed by 57 other Canadian doctors. They wrote, “As Canadians, we are saddened by this situation, but we hope that our experience and observations will serve as a warning for our colleagues in other countries and their patients”. Read more
The Vatican has upheld its decision convicting the former Archbishop Anthony Apuron in the U.S. territory of Guam for sexually abusing minors. “Our church on Guam can now continue with certainty, our collective journey toward healing and reconciliation. Most importantly, the victims, survivors and their families who have suffered greatly can have some measure of Read more
Canterbury’s Anglican bishop has responded to movie star Sam Neill’s call to demolish the Christ Church Cathedral and replace it with “a dynamic social hub”, saying it’s too late to reconsider the building’s future. Continue reading