The Legionaries of Christ have apologised for a promotional booklet that compared their disgraced founder to St Mary Magdalene. The booklet, promoting a pilgrimage centre in the Holy Land, was written by Legionary priest Fr Juan Solana. When the level of offense taken at the comparison between the saint and Fr Marcial Maciel Degollado was Read more
A Church of England parish has had its request to serve refreshments from the altar in its church knocked back. Worshippers at St Michael and All Angels Church in Uffington, Lincolnshire, wanted their oak altar to double up as a place to “serve refreshments”. But Mark Bishop, chancellor for Lincoln, and a judge of the Read more
The Department of Corrections is defending its treatment of prisoners after a United Nations report criticised the state of New Zealand’s detention centres. The report said many remand prisoners and youth detainees were being held in cells for 19 hours a day, while some were being fed “frozen leftovers” and others were having to take Read more
The Senior A Hato Paora Team and Turakina Maori Girls’ College, Kapa Haka groups will be performing their brackets from the 2014 National Secondary Schools’ Competition at Pipitea Marae on Saturday 6 September from 4pm to 6.30pm. This Concert is the initiative of the Wellington-based Old Boys who have worked together with some Wellington based parents Read more
No kava consumption on Sundays was the decision made by the Methodist Church in Fiji during the church conference at the Centenary Church in Suva last Friday. The church leaders and church members’ resolution on kava was that it was not to be consumed on Sunday until after the Sunday afternoon worship or sermon. Methodist Read more
Pope Francis will visit Sri Lanka’s war torn north next January, amid accusations of ill treatment of people there by the nation’s Sinhalese majority. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the archbishop of Colombo, said Pope Francis will visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu, 260 kms north of the capital. This is in the heart of Read more
Popular TV series Game of Thrones has been forced to find a new location for a “nude walk of penance” by one of its characters after Church opposition. The character Queen Cersei, played by Lena Headley, is to feature in a “nude walk” in season five of the show. But series producers have had to Read more
The Church in India is concerned that one of the effects of an alcohol clampdown in Kerala state will be a ban on wine at Mass. Over the next 10 years, hundreds of alcohol outlets in Kerala will be shut down and “alcohol free” days enforced. The General Secretary of the Hindu organisation SNDP Yogam, Read more
Political parties are showing their support for a review into religious instruction in state schools. Labour, New Zealand First and the Green Party are indicating they would support change in the way religion is currently taught in schools. Education Minister Hekia Parata says it’s up to Boards of Trustees to determine whether to include some, Read more
A bitter dispute is raging in the northern Southland town of Riversdale due to the school wanting to introduce a calming technique for its pupils in the wake of bullying. It is understood some Christian parents at Riversdale are furious the school wants to introduce the “mindfulness” technique, claiming it has Buddhism origins. Read more