The Catholic community has lost a “passionate and enthusiastic educator” with the sudden death Brendan Schollum Schollum died last Friday aged 67 at Auckland Hospital after he was admitted for an infection, viral encephalitis, that caused swelling in his brain. Schollum was the founding principal of Aquinas College in Tauranga when it opened in 2003 Read more
Prime Minister John Key has asked his officials for fresh ideas on tackling child poverty. On his first day back at Parliament since being re-elected on Saturday, Key said he had ordered Treasury and Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet officials to start presenting new ideas. ‘‘The recognition I think we all have is that Read more
Pope Francis has told Albanian religious leaders that distorted forms of religion that promote violence must be firmly refuted as false. During a one day visit to the former communist nation on September 21, the Pope said authentic religion is a source of peace. “To kill in the name of God is a grave sacrilege. To Read more
The blood of St Januarius liquefied on September 19, his feast day, in the repetition of a familiar miracle in Naples in Italy. The saint and martyr is the patron of Naples. A vial of his blood, preserved by the faithful since the 4th century, regularly turns into liquid form on his feast day. Cardinal Read more
The Uniting Church has urged the Western Australian government to consider legalising cannabis for medicinal use. At its annual meeting, the church’s synod in Western Australia voted in favour of changes to state law so doctors could prescribe medicinal cannabis, which would be administered under supervision. Medicinal cannabis has a high proportion of cannabidiol, which Read more
Sarah Poulter is only 13 years old but her education is already steeped in history. Seven generations of women from her family have attended St Mary’s College in Ponsonby which is now celebrating its 150th anniversary. So there was never any doubt about where Sarah would go. Her ancestor John Fair arrived in New Zealand Read more
Te Kura O Hata Maria, (St Mary’s School), one of Northland’s smallest and most isolated schools has won a national competition which will see it fitted out with $10,000 worth of new technology. Te Kura O Hata Maria, a school of about 40 pupils in Pawarenga, North Hokianga, won the inaugural HP Rural Schools competition Read more
Marlborough Mayor Alistair Sowman wrote to the three Kaikoura electorate candidates most likely to become MPs to ask for their backing for changes to Easter trading laws. Every two years, Blenheim hosts the Omaka Classic Fighters event at Easter and the trading law restrictions mean retailers, restaurants and cellar doors cannot make the most of Read more
No extra security measures will be taken during upcoming trips by Pope Francis to Albania and Turkey despite alleged assassination threats. Threats to kill the Pope by the terrorist Islamic State were revealed by Iraq’s ambassador to the Holy See in an interview in an Italian newspaper on Tuesday. But Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi, Read more