Fergus O’Connor’s beloved horses carried him to his final resting place, where he was welcomed, celebrated and farewelled. The Sts Peter and Paul Church in Appleby, near Nelson, was filled to capacity for Thursday’s mass. His move into purebred Clydesdale horses started when he purchased his first stallion in 1949 and began entering at the Read more
One Porirua school is turning the traditional parent interview on its head. Asking a parent to feel comfortable enough to ask hard questions of teachers, or understand all the information about their child, in just 10 minutes was not feasible any more, Holy Family School principal Chris Theobald said. That is why he is introducing a programme in which support worker Metua Tengaru Read more
In a wide-ranging interview, Pope Francis has spoken about sexual abuse, the Society of St Pius X and clericalising laity by making them deacons. Pope Francis told French newspaper La Croix that it is often a mistake to “clericalise” talented laity by turning them into deacons. “In Buenos Aires, I have known many good priests Read more
An Italian cardinal responsible for managing the Vatican’s real estate holdings is being investigated for embezzlement. Italian prosecutors are reportedly investigating Cardinal Domenico Calcagno over an alleged misappropriation of funds in his former diocese. The matter concerns funds at an institute to support the clergy in Liguira and real estate investments. Cardinal Calcagno is the Read more
Land adjoining the site of Jesus’ baptism in the River Jordan is to be cleared of thousands of land mines. A British trust is to work on clearing the mines at Qasr al-Yahud on the West Bank of the Jordan, with the co-operation of Israeli and Palestinian authorities and eight churches. Work is expected to Read more
New Zealand-born evangelist and creationist Ray Comfort has announced he is planning to feed 5000 atheists attending the the Reason Rally. “We are hoping to feed 5,000 — it’s been done before,” he said. Comfort will be handing out $25,000 worth of Subway gift cards, alongside a copy of his book, Why Pigs Will Fly Before Read more
Churches are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to comply with a new crackdown on charities’ financial reporting standards. Charities who spend more than $1m per year are being forced to open up their books, in some cases for the first time, under new laws which came into effect this month. The Charities Service say the new Read more
Pupils of Ōtorohanga College have filled “a vacuum in our history curriculum” in respect of the New Zealand Land Wars of the 19th century. They have proposed a national day of remembrance for the New Zealand Wars. Last year College students gathered around 12,000 signatures in support of a New Zealand Wars Day and travelled Read more
People in need deserve more love from us than our pets do, Pope Francis has said. In off-the-cuff remarks on Saturday at St Peter’s Square, he said: “How often do we see people greatly attached to cats, to dogs”, but fail to “help their neighbour, their neighbour who is in need . . . This Read more
Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has said it is banning its drugs from use in lethal injections. The company is the last major drug manufacturer to take this action. The decision has seen campaigners against the death penalty in the US say they are now close to ending the practice. Continue reading