A preferred candidate has been chosen as Christchurch’s new Bishop – but their name will remain a secret until a vote by the church’s governing body. The involved and legal process to determine a new Bishop for the city began after Victoria Matthews stood down from the role in May. Continue reading
Franciscan Brother Sergio Gorgen and five of his Brazilian compatriots, have been on a hunger strike since the end of July to highlight the deteriorating conditions many Brazilians have to live with. The hunger strikers are denouncing the social policies adopted by the current administration and the country’s court system. They say the system is Read more
The spotlight on sexual abuse within the Catholic Church is widening to include fresh allegations against the Christian Brothers in Dunedin. An Otago Daily Times Insight investigation, as part of the ongoing “Marked by the Cross” series, has uncovered allegations of historic sexual abuse, dating back to the 1970s, levelled against two Christian Brothers. Continue Read more
A Pennsylvania report a grand jury issued this week shows the Church hid allegations of sex abuse of minors and brushed victims aside. More than 300 priests were linked to abuse claims and over 1,000 victims were identified, said Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro in a news conference following the report’s release. Read more
The Catholic Institute (TCI) has put together a promotional video with students discussing their experience of studying at TCI, proving a uniquely Māori and Pasifika view of their time at the Institute. TCI offers qualifications to those who minister and lead in parish communities, chaplaincies and Catholic organisations or who teach in Catholic schools. TCI Read more
Almost a million euros has been seized from a French congregation. Prosecutors in France have charged the legal body managing the Missionary Workers of the Immaculate congregation with underpaying employees and has ordered 950,000 euros to be seized from its bank accounts. Read more
The Catholic Church in New Zealand has been forced to apologise for comments implying parents bore some responsibility for stopping clerical sexual abuse. The statements by Monsignor John Harrison, of the Catholic Diocese of Dunedin, and Auckland Bishop Patrick Dunn came in an Otago Daily Times article, published last week. Continue reading
A ruling legalising gay marriage by the Constitutional Chamber of Costa Rica’s Supreme Court has upset the country’s Catholic bishops. “In a democratic and pluralistic society like ours, legal recognition can be given to persons of the same sex that live together,” the bishops said. However, they continued, it would be “unjust if such recognition Read more
A Wellington Anglican Studies programme will be hosting a taster weekend for those interested in the programme. The taster involves attending the Anglican Studies weekend at Hiruhārama/Jerusalem on the Whanganui River from Friday 31 August to Sunday 2 September. Continue reading
Why do some people go to church and others stay away? A new Pew Research Center study offers a survey of 4,729 Americans telling us precisely why they do (or don’t) attend religious services. Read more