News Shorts

Canonisation of Fatima children

Monday, March 27th, 2017

The canonisation of Fatima children Jacinta and Francisco Marto will take place when Pope Francis visits the Portuguese shrine in May. Read more  

Samoa’s PM helped to raise $10,000 to send stigmata girl to Rome

Monday, March 27th, 2017

Samoa’s Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi helped raise $10,000 to send a young woman, who claims to the stigmata. to Rome. But Tuilaepa says there was no taxpayers’ money involved. Continue reading

Catholics have an ethical duty to vaccinate children

Monday, March 27th, 2017

Catholics have an ethical duty to vaccinate children. Paul J. Carson and Anthony T. Flood of North Dakota State University argue from the perspective of Catholic Social Teaching. Read more

Bishop Jones headstone unveiled

Monday, March 27th, 2017

Christchurch diocesan administrator Fr Rick Loughnan blessed the headstone on the late Bishop Barry Jones’s grave on February 12, one day before the late bishop’s one year anniversary. After Fr Loughnan welcomed members of the diocese to the unveiling service at Bromley Cemetery, a mihi was given by John McManus of the Te Rangimarie Community. Read more

Visitors crowd to see Jesus’s restored tomb

Thursday, March 23rd, 2017

Visitors from around the world are making pilgrimages to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem to see Jesus’s recently restored tomb. The last time the tomb was restored was in 1810. It is considered one of the most sacred sites in Christianity. Inside the tomb is a burial bed made of rock, where Read more

Palliative care practitioners speak out against euthanasia and assisted suicide

Thursday, March 23rd, 2017

More than 30 of Australia and New Zealand’s top palliative care practitioners have joined forces to oppose the introduction of euthanasia and physician assisted suicide, describing the practice as “unnecessary and unsafe”. It was a response to an opinion piece recently published in the MJA by Palliative Care Specialist, Professor Emeritus Ian Maddocks, who asked Read more

Catholic media strategise to counter fake news

Thursday, March 23rd, 2017

Catholic media from all over Asia gathered in Kuala Lumpur recently. Their aim – to develop strategies to counter fake news. They noted social media is particularly known for spreading false news stories. The meeting was convened by the World Catholic Association for Communication. Read more  

South Auckland politicians oppose Easter Sunday trading bid

Thursday, March 23rd, 2017

South Auckland politicians say they are opposed to allowing work on Easter Sunday. Auckland Council’s governing body voted to go to the community about whether it should allow  Easter Sunday trading  from next year. Continue reading

Australian Anglican Church: 1,100 abuse complaints

Thursday, March 23rd, 2017

The Australian Anglican Church has had around 1,100 child abuse complaints reported against it in the past 35 years. A Government report says most children were aged around 11 when they were abused. Their publication about the Anglican Church comes a month after the Royal Commission into child abuse was told the Australian Catholic church Read more

The Big Sleep Out aims to raise $350k for the homeless

Thursday, March 23rd, 2017

The Big Sleep Out on July 6 at Auckland’s AUT City campus aims to raise funds that will go towards Ending Youth Homelessness. Last year’s sleepout saw 130 participants who helped raised more than $300,000, but this time in its eighth year, the event is aiming to raise at least $350,000. Continue reading