Pope Francis has expressed his deep feelings of horror and condemnation of the killings of at least 50 people in a nightclub in Orlando in Florida. In a statement released by the Vatican on Sunday, the killings were described as a “new manifestation of homicidal folly and senseless hatred”. The statement said Pope Francis joined Read more
News Shorts
Pope raises St Mary Magdalene memorial to feast
Tuesday, June 14th, 2016Pope Francis has raised the memorial of St Mary Magdalene on July 22 to the level of a feast on the Church’s liturgical calendar. A decree titled “ApostolorumApostola” (Apostle of the Apostles) was published by the Congregation for Divine Worship formalising the decision. St Mary Magdalene is recognised as the first to witness Christ’s Resurrection Read more
Sistine Chapel replica opened in Mexico City
Tuesday, June 14th, 2016A temporary life-sized replica of the Sistine Chapel has been put up in Mexico City as a private art project. The replica, which has been approved by the Vatican, is open to the public until June 30. The replica was created using more than 2.7 million photographs printed on cloth and hung from a metal Read more
Bill English impressed with St John’ College boys
Tuesday, June 14th, 2016
Last week the deputy prime minister, and minister of finance Bill English spent almost an hour year with 13 students at St John’s College in Hamilton. “They’re enquiring, they’re confident to ask. At that age, I would never have asked a politician a question, certainly not in public,” he said. “They’re watching the world. There Read more
Susana Lemisio receives an honour for her work for Tokelau community
Tuesday, June 14th, 2016Susana Lemisio was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen’s Birthday honours for her services to the Tokelau community and early childhood education. She came to New Zealand in the 1960s as an 18-year-old “and it was a shock to me to see for the first time the tall Read more
Controversial preacher tells Destiny worshippers to ‘repent, repent, repent’
Tuesday, June 14th, 2016A controversial American preacher who has faced allegations he sexually abused young men during a previous trip to New Zealand urged Destiny Church followers to “repent, repent, repent” at their annual conference. American evangelist Eddie Long was the guest of honour at Destiny’s annual get together at the “City of God” in Manukau, south Auckland, Read more
SVDP pays tribute to volunteer Muhammad Ali
Friday, June 10th, 2016The executive director of the Society of St Vincent de Paul in Phoenix, AZ, has paid tribute to the volunteer work of the late boxing champion Muhammad Ali. Steve Zabilski wrote that Ali, with his wife Lonnie, were regular volunteers at the society’s dining rooms. Mr Zabilski stated that Ali was part of the Vincentian Read more
CDF to issue letter on hierarchical and charismatic gifts
Friday, June 10th, 2016The Vatican’s doctrinal office is to issue a letter to bishops on the relation between hierarchical and charismatic gifts for the Church’s life and mission. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is to release Iuvenescit Ecclesia (“the Church grows young”) on June 14. It will be the CDF’s first major document issued during the Read more
Risk of break-up of worldwide Anglican Communion
Friday, June 10th, 2016A deal to avert a break-up of the worldwide Anglican Communion risks collapse amid signals African churches are re-assessing ties with the Church of England. The leader of a powerful bloc of traditionalists representing the majority of the world’s Anglicans said the CofE has crossed a “line” in recent decisions on homosexuality. The Most Rev Read more
Homeless – ‘It’s a crisis’ says Mission
Friday, June 10th, 2016The homeless population of central Auckland is two-and-a-half times higher than it was three years ago, a new report says. The Auckland City Street Count of Central Auckland has found 177 people were sleeping rough within 3km of the Sky Tower on a single night this year. That’s the most recorded since the count began Read more