Leonardo Boff, who is a “liberation theologian” from Brazil and former Franciscan priest, says he would like to “embrace” and effect a “kind of reconciliation” with the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger – Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI. Read more
Leonardo Boff, who is a “liberation theologian” from Brazil and former Franciscan priest, says he would like to “embrace” and effect a “kind of reconciliation” with the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger – Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI. Read more
Underage couples would need court approval to marry under a private members’ bill that aims to crack down on forced marriages. National List MP Jo Hayes said she believes forced marriages between teenagers are “slowly creeping into New Zealand society” and that the problem exists primarily in Pacific and Asian communities, where parents can pressure Read more
Two senior police officers in the Philippines say some Philippine police have received cash payments for executing drug suspects, planted evidence at crime scenes and carried out most of the killings in President Duterte’s drug war. These same police blame “vigilantes” for the attacks which focus on killing the poor, the senior police officers say. Read more
Pope Francis will wash the feet of inmates at a prison known for housing mafia turncoats on Holy Thursday. He has often denounced the mafia. He has declared them “excommunicated” and urged them to change their ways. Many mafia turncoats have done just that. Read more
The amalgamation of five Catholic churches across the Tasman District into one “Our Lady of the Bays” parish took place on 1 April. While there will still be distinct church communities in each area, the come under centralised leadership. Father Seph Pijfers is overseeing the amalgamated parish and will be assisted by priests and lay-pastoral leaders based in each Read more
The United States government has refused to continue paying into the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). They say the money is used to fund forced abortions and sterilisations in China. “This is a victory for women and children across the globe, as well as for US taxpayers, ” says Cardinal Timothy Dolan. Dolan is the chairman Read more
Anglican leaders have ordered another survey of how Christchurch residents feel about restoring the cathedral. The new survey will be the latest in a long list of polls conducted in the city about the Christ Church Cathedral. There were two major surveys in 2013 and two more in 2014. Continue reading
The media need to get their terminology right and stop perpetuating negative stereotypes about immigrants says Pope Francis. Negative names for immigrants, like calling them “illegal” are not on, Francis says. The media is guilty of this. They should stop perpetuating negative stereotypes and find out why people migrate, he says. Francis offered a number Read more
Dunbar Sloane, New Zealand’s prestigious art auction house, had radical religious messages its homepage, after it was hacked on Saturday. Messages “to the sons of monkeys and pigs” were left on the homepages at dunbarsloane.co.nz and dunbarsloane.com. The auction house uses both domain names in its promotions. Continue reading