Efforts to establish a support group for gay Hawke’s Bay youth have failed because of a lack of public support. Despite help from Trinity Methodist Church in Napier for the GayOk group, backing from local schools, funding bodies and the wider community was not forthcoming. “There is a real stigma around homosexuality in Hawke’s Bay Read more
Unlike across the rest of Spain where the Catholic Church has struggled with falling numbers, the priest, who is known as Father Pepe, celebrates mass to a packed congregation with queues regularly forming outside his church. The 66-year-old curate delights the faithful by dancing the sevillanas – a traditional dance linked to flamenco – in Read more
Pope Francis has lifted the 29-year suspension of a priest who refused to give up his role in Nicaragua’s former Sandanista government. Maryknoll priest Fr Miguel D’Escoto Brockman, 81, had formally requested permission to resume priestly duties and to celebrate Mass before he died. Nicaraugua’s foreign minister from 1979 to 1990, he is to be Read more
Famed movie director Martin Scorsese is to make a film based on the Jesuit Catholic mission to Japan in the 17th century. The film will be based on “Silence” by Japanese author Shusako Endo. It is based on the story of Tome Ferreira (1580-1650), a Portuguese Jesuit missionary, who renounced the Christian faith under torture Read more
Members of religious orders should not be ignorant of economic realities in their own communities, the Vatican has told religious. A recent circular letter from the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life dealt with the use of financial resources by religious orders. Under church law, each order is required to Read more
A New Zealand-born priest of the Liberal Catholic Church has been handed a suspended jail sentence in Australia for two counts of bigamy. Alec Stevenson, 70, illegally married two women over four decades, after marrying his first wife in New Zealand in 1962. But he never divorced his first wife, with whom he had three Read more
St Joseph’s School in Timaru North might be able to keep running the district’s Christmas parade, even though a city council agency withdrew support. The Timaru District Council’s economic development agency will be getting a “please explain” letter from Mayor Damon Odey. Aoraki Development, Business and Tourism’s chairman Ken McKenzie said there would be no Read more
A diocese in Paraguay says a priest accused of abuse in the United States was placed in ministry at then-Cardinal Ratzinger’s recommendation. Bishop Rogello Livieres Plano incardinated Fr Carlos Urrutigoty in Ciudad del Este diocese in 2005, where he was later appointed vicar-general. Recently the Vatican suspended ordinations to the priesthood in the diocese, following Read more
A common house of worship featuring a mosque, a synagogue and a Christian church is being planned for Berlin. Berlin Rabbi Tovia Ben Chorin, Imam Kadir Sanci and Pastor Gregor Hohberg hope their dream can become a reality. The trio hope Christians, Jews and Muslims will soon study and pray together. The city has already Read more