Just a few minutes before the papal Mass was about to get underway in St Peter’s Basilica this past Sunday, there was some commotion near the large platform and white chair from which Pope Francis normally presides. But it wasn’t Francis’ entrance that created the buzz. It was the arrival of Javier Milei, the recently Read more
Keeping the Pacific nuclear-free, in line with the Rarotonga Treaty, was a recurring theme from the leaders of Tonga, Cook Islands and Samoa to New Zealand last week. The New Zealand government’s Pacific mission wrapped up on Saturday with the final leg in Samoa. Over the course of the trip, defence and security in the Read more
KiwiSaver providers are cutting back on harmful investments, as larger fund managers begin to follow the lead of their smaller counterparts. Analysis by ethical investment charity Mindful Money, showed investment in harmful products fell by about $800 million in the six months ended September 2023, to $7.9 billion. Mindful Money said it was the biggest Read more
Scaffolding that shrouded the top of Notre Dame Cathedral following a devastating fire in April 2019 is being removed, marking a milestone in its reconstruction. As the shell at the summit has been taken down in recent days, it has revealed the cathedral’s new spire for the first time, adorned with a golden rooster and Read more
At least one person died, and 53 were injured when part of the second floor of a Catholic church collapsed during a packed Ash Wednesday Mass in Bulacan province in the Philippines. The accident occurred at St Peter Apostle Church in San Jose del Monte City, about 47 kilometres northeast of the capital, Manila, during Read more
The Oxford Oratory reports that an increase in adults seeking to be received into the Catholic Church means that it has had to start special classes to cater for the influx. As a result, the Oratory has been responsible for 5 per cent of such application requests within its relevant Archdiocese during 2023. By the Read more
Bishop Viard College, Porirua, has gone from a struggling school with a roll that had almost halved to one yielding the most impressive growth across the Wellington region. The Porirua-based state-integrated Catholic secondary school saw its roll drop dramatically from about a peak close to 500 in 2010 to a low of 231 in 2019. Read more
Organisers of a marathon in predominantly conservative southern Iraq have decided to exclude women following furious controversy on social media pitting women’s rights supporters against opponents of mixed events. The Basra marathon, sponsored by the provincial governor and several corporate donors, is scheduled to take place on Friday. The organizers say the aim is to Read more
A recent study highlighted the significant impact of Covid-19 vaccines in New Zealand, notably reducing deaths and hospitalisations during the Omicron phase. Published in Vaccine, the research estimates vaccines averted 4,000 to 12,000 deaths and 34,000 to 56,000 hospitalisations within 18 months from January 2022. However, among the highlighted outcomes were the disparities in health Read more
The Vatican’s first resident envoy to Vietnam has hinted at the possibility of full diplomatic ties between the Holy See and the communist nation in Southeast Asia. “One day, we could have full diplomatic relations with Vietnam. This will be a great achievement,” Archbishop Marek Zalewski said in an interview on Feb 8. The Polish-born Read more