News Shorts

Pope sways in time with Hasidic Jews

Thursday, May 11th, 2017

A group of Hasidic Jews meeting Pope Francis at the Vatican had him itching to dance. A cellphone video of the group with Francis shows him swaying in time to the Hasidic beat. Read more

Is Tonga really the most Mormon country in the world?

Thursday, May 11th, 2017

Of Tonga’s 106,513 inhabitants, 64,156 are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (Mormom) according to the Salt Lake City-based faith’s official statistics. That constitutes about 60 percent of the populace, independent Mormon demographer Matt Martinich told RNZ. But the number of “active” Latter-day Saints is much lower. “It’s more like about Read more

Cross country anti death penalty march praised

Thursday, May 11th, 2017

Catholic bishops in the Philippines are praising a group on a march who are opposing the death penalty’s restoration. The march is “most deserving of support from all who want to make a clear unequivocal stand for life,” says Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, who is president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. Read Read more

Guam archbishop’s first sex abuse accuser testifies before Vatican tribunal

Thursday, May 11th, 2017

HAGÅTÑA, Guam — Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke and the Vatican tribunal is wrapping up the discovery phase and is entering another phase in the groundbreaking canonical trial of Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron. John Toves, the first to publicly accuse Apuron in 2014 of sexual abuse of a minor, testified before the Vatican tribunal at the Read more

Pope Francis and President Trump to meet

Monday, May 8th, 2017

The Vatican has confirmed President Donald Trump will meet Pope Francis on 24th May. The visit is scheduled during Trump’s first overseas trip since he took office. The meeting will take place in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace.  After meeting the Pope, Trump will see Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State, and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Read more

New Zealand still has anti blasphemy laws

Monday, May 8th, 2017

New Zealand still has an anti blasphemy law, though neither the prime minister nor the Anglican archbishop was aware of the fact. The law – which appears not have been used since 1922 – came to light after reports that British entertainer Stephen Fry faced police investigation in the Republic of Ireland for comments he Read more

New Gregorian chant album released

Monday, May 8th, 2017

A group of priests from the Fraternity of St. Peter in Nebraska US have just released Requiem, a recording of the Gregorian chants of the Requiem Mass in the Latin rite. The Fraternity is dedicated to celebrating the traditional Latin Mass. Requiem will be available from 12 May on Amazon. Read more

Being an RNDM Sister in an age of refugees and Netflix binges

Monday, May 8th, 2017

Anne Sklenars was 19 when she became an RNDM  Sister (Religieuses De Notre Dame Des Missions). At 32 she discovered more about the world, being sent on missions, first to the Philippines and then-Burma. While her contemporaries settled down and had families, Anne points to her time living and working in Southeast Asia as the Read more

Vatican investigates Catholic hospitals’ euthanasia policy

Monday, May 8th, 2017

The Vatican is investigating 15 Catholic psychiatric hospitals in Belgium because of a change in their euthanasia policy. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, is personally carrying out the investigation. The investigation follows an appeal to Rome for help from Brother Rene Stockman, the superior general of the Brothers of Charity order running Read more

Facebook post linking Orthodox Jew with meal deal pulled

Monday, May 8th, 2017

An Auckland bar’s Facebook post which advertised a meal deal and accompanied it with the photo of an Orthodox Jew saying “now that’s a bargain” has been removed. The post was put up on De Post Belgian Beer Cafe’s Facebook page on Saturday morning advertising a platter and drinks for $45 deal.  Continue reading