St Patrick’s College in Kilbirnie has been hit with graffiti, just days after its students were accused of causing tagging damage at Wellington College. The culprits who tagged obscenities across Wellington College, including a metre-high phallus on a $1.4m artificial pitch, are still yet to be caught. However, in an apparent act of retaliation, property at St Read more
The Home of Compassion crèche at Memorial Park in Wellington is to be an education centre, but space will be dedicated within it to Suzanne Aubert. There was a late push to have the crèche turned into a centre dedicated to Mother Aubert. But the Ministry for Culture and Heritage said education centre plans are Read more
The Vatican released Pope Francis’ liturgical schedule for March and April, including Holy Week and Easter. The pope’s schedule includes a penitential celebration and a consistory for several causes of canonization. However, the schedule does not say where he will celebrate the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper. Greg Burke, vice director of the Read more
Tapping into greener power, a popular Catholic shrine in Manila is taking steps toward becoming the first church in the Philippine capital to be completely solar-powered. The National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, a shrine operated by the Redemptorists, will be installing solar panels in the coming months. Brother Ciriaco Santiago, head of Read more
Caritas representatives appearing before Parliament’s Commerce Committee on Thursday argued against proposed changes to Easter Sunday trading. A proposed law change – the Shop Trading Hours Amendment Bill – would let local councils pass bylaws allowing shops in their area to open on Easter Sunday. Caritas’s Lisa Beech said Easter Sunday trading would affect community Read more
A Louisiana judge has ruled that a state law requiring clergy to report child abuse or other crimes learned in the confessional is unconstitutional because it infringes on religious liberty. At issue is a long-running case involving Rebecca Mayeaux, a 22-year-old who claims that when she was 14 she told Fr. Jeff Bayhi, a Catholic Read more
Indonesian Bishop Leo Laba Ladjar of Jayapura has expressed support for a priest recently questioned by police on treason charges for leading a prayer service attended by members of an alleged Papuan separatist group. Father John Djonga appeared at the police station in Wamena on Feb. 26 after consulting with the bishop. Accompanied by a Read more
New rules have been made for the way the Methodist, Anglican and Catholic Churches in New Zealand work towards Christian unity. Cardinal John Dew attended the Forum for National Dialogue for Christian Unity, where the rules were formally accepted. A celebration of prayer followed afterwards. Continue reading
A National Party MP who once studied for the priesthood with the Society of Mary is to marry a mother of five children. Tamaki MP Simon O’Connor proposed to Rachel Trimble earlier this year. She is the sister of Transport Minister Simon Bridges. Mr O’Connor is 10 years younger than Ms Trimble. Referring to his Read more
Pope Francis, on his recent tour of Mexico and the United States, said priests and bishops must be servants of the people. They should not regard their calling as a career in which to seek advancement and notice. As he spoke, a bishop who personified this ideal was dying, in far-off Christchurch, New Zealand. Bishop Barry Jones was Read more