Neonatal unit infants, and a hospice for the terminally ill received visits from Pope Francis last Friday, where he stressed the dignity of human life from conception to natural death. The visits are the latest in the Pope’s “Mercy Friday” initiatives, to spend time with various groups each month during the Jubilee of Mercy. In Read more
The European Space Agency just released a three-dimensional map of the Milky Way galaxy that charts the location of over a billion celestial objects. The new 3D map reflects the first 14 months of data collected by ESA’s Gaia satellite. Launched on December 19, 2013, Gaia orbits the Sun-Earth second Lagrange point (L2), which lies Read more
Auschwitz victims included a Scottish woman who died at the Nazi death camp after refusing to abandon the Jewish girls in her care at a missionary school in Budapest. Her will has been discovered in church archives. Jane Haining is the only Scot named as “righteous among the nations” – non-Jews who risked their lives Read more
It could be a while before Suzanne Aubert is canonised. To get full sainthood, miracles will have to be attributed to her. This can happen if a person who needs medical help asks Mother Aubert to intercede with Christ for them. If those prayers are successful, the cure can be deemed a miracle. Read more
Clergy seeking personal gain rather than helping those in need do not follow the spirit of Jesus who took upon himself the sufferings of others, Pope Francis said. Jesus often would rebuke leaders who use their positions for personal gain and warned his followers to “do what they say, but not what they do,” the Read more
St Patrick’s Cathedral has begun its 2016 Spring Organ Recital series. Entitled ‘Saturdays @ 6’, the recitals feature four of Auckland’s top organists, performing on the cathedral’s baroque-style instrument. The first recital on Sept 10 celebrated organist and Director of Music James Tibbles’ 40th year as a professional musician. WHAT: Organ Recital Series WHEN 6pm: Read more
False accusations of child abuse have led a priest to ask why Catholic Church authorities give any credence to anonymous allegations such as were presented against him. Fr Tim Hazelwood, parish priest at Killeagh in east Cork, explained how “in May of this year I was successful in securing an apology and an admission that Read more
Former Aucklanders Alan and Kath Jenkins discovered the 1870s Arrowtown stone convent when scouting for a “do-up.” The cottage, protected by the Historic Places Trust, was home to many nuns, who taught at the local St Joseph’s School until it closed in 1943. Continue reading
Anglicans see Pope Francis as a role model and are among the thousands of pilgrims and visitors present in St Peter’s Square for the Pope’s general audience. Last Wednesday a group of Anglicans from all over the world taking part in a week long study course on Christian leadership were among the pilgrims. Organised by Read more
Two teenage burglars have robbed a Salvation Army food bank in Christchurch should have visited in work hours if they were hungry, a spokesperson says. The break-in happened on Southampton Street in Sydenham shortly before 6am on Friday. Continue reading