News Shorts

Mary is most feared by the devil

Thursday, March 7th, 2019

A priest and author of a new book on the “Hail Mary” says papal devotion to Mary reflects their belief that she’s most feared by the devil. Read more

TV Story on Kiwis volunteering for a Christian Medical Charity

Thursday, March 7th, 2019

Every year a bunch of Kiwis head to West Africa to volunteer onboard an enormous hospital ship run by a Christian charity called Mercy Ships. Surgeons, nurses, physiotherapists and radiographers providing surgeries to thousands of patients from the world’s poorest countries. Tumour removal, facial reconstruction, cataract removal/lens implants, cleft lip and palate reconstruction and orthopaedics Read more

Church fire spares all the Bibles and crosses

Thursday, March 7th, 2019

A church fire which badly damaged the building spared every bible and cross inside. The US Fire Department was called to the blaze at Freedom Ministries Church in the US state of Virginia on Sunday. “Though odds were against us, God was not,” the fire department wrote. Read more

National Office for Professional Standards employs private investigators

Thursday, March 7th, 2019

The Catholic Church’s National Office for Professional Standards (NOPS) has called in private investigators to examine historic sexual abuse at a former Dunedin high school. NOPS director Virginia Noonan would only say when contacted her office took all complaints seriously, and church protocols now required an independent party to investigate such complaints. Continue reading

Priest numbers decline for first time in decade

Thursday, March 7th, 2019

The percentage of Catholics in the world has remained steady, while priest numbers declined for the first time in almost a decade, according to Vatican statistics. Meanwhile, the numbers of bishops, permanent deacons, lay missionaries and catechists have all increased. Read more

Neighbours day Aotearoa celebrates 10 years

Thursday, March 7th, 2019

Neighbours Day Aotearoa is an annual community-led campaign.  This year be the 10th year it has been celebrated. Its purpose is to encourage everyone around New Zealand to make a special effort to connect with their neighbours. It will be marked by hundreds of event large and small that will take place between 22nd – Read more

Thousands of migrant children suffer sexual abuse in government custody

Monday, March 4th, 2019

United States federal documents show thousands of migrant children have been exposed to abuse while in government custody. The U.S. government has received more than 4,500 complaints over the last four years alleging that children who are under government custody because of immigration matters faced sexual abuse. Read more

Vatican astronomer on national tour of NZ

Monday, March 4th, 2019

Internationally acclaimed astronomer and Director of the Vatican Observatory, Br Guy Consolmagno SJ, will visit New Zealand this April with the support of the Catholic Enquiry Centre. Consolmagno S.J., a leading American research astronomer, is also an internationally renowned speaker, Jesuit and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation. Continue reading  

Pope says to remember our own faults before correcting others

Monday, March 4th, 2019

Catholics must be recognise their own sins and shortcomings when giving correction and guide to others, Pope Francis says. “So many times, we all know, it is easier or more convenient to discern and condemn the defects and sins of others, without being able to see our own with just as much clarity,” he said Read more

Kiwis spent equivalent of $648 each on gambling

Monday, March 4th, 2019

New Zealanders spent $2.4 billion on gambling last year – around $648 for every person in the country That was $49m higher than last year, but once inflation and population growth were taken into account it was a slight decrease on the previous financial year. Continue reading