Wellington’s iconic St Mary of the Angels church in Boulcott St is no closer to raising $9.5 million for earthquake proofing despite assistance last week from Wellington City Council. An amendment to the council’s budget, proposed at last week’s council meeting by Iona Pannett, was passed, giving 133 historic buildings five years of rates remissions. Read more
Former soccer star Diego Maradona has urged Pope Francis to transform the Vatican from “a lie” into an institution that gives more to the people. In an interview shown on an Italian television station, Dubai-based Maradona urged his fellow Argentine move ahead with reforms. “The Vatican, for me, is a lie because instead of giving to people it Read more
A man is in hospital with serious injuries after he was beaten up at an Auckland mosque. Haider Lone, immediate past president of the NZ Muslim Association and administrator of the Avondale Islamic Centre, says he fears for his life as he believes the attack was an assassination attempt. Yesterday, police and security were again Read more
Western society has reduced the Christian command to “love thy neighbour” to mere secular tolerance, Templeton Prize winner Fr Tomáš Halík has warned. On May 14, the Czech philosopher priest was presented with the award, which honours a living person who has made exceptional contributions “to affirming life’s spiritual dimension”. The prize is worth about Read more
Schoolboy rugby sensation Daniel Tupou has crowned an unbelievable seven days with a stunning second hat trick of tries. Up of 1,200 supporters gathered on the Eastern Bays Sacred Heart College number one rugby ground to witness the giant, Tongan-born, 135kg prop who pulled off a sensational three tries last week. Sacred Heart old boys, Read more
A group of 26 Italian women – all claiming to be in affairs with priests – have written to Pope Francis pleading with him to end the celibacy requirement. The women said that there were many more like them who were “living in silence”. “We love these men, they love us, and in most cases, Read more
There will be a three-day National Youth Ministry Conference in Auckland from Saturday 24 through Monday 26 May The conference will focus on formation and networking for youth and young adult leaders. It is aimed at those who lead ministries with young people and those engaged in youth ministry within their diocese, tertiary, schools, movements, Read more
Hundreds of Orthodox Jews have protested against the visit of Pope Francis to a Jerusalem holy site later this month. The Pope is scheduled to celebrate Mass in the Cenacle, believed to be the site of the Last Supper, during his visit to the Holy Land from May 24-26. The site is also held by Read more
Aid groups say the 2014 Australian Budget amounts to a broken election promise to the world’s poorest people. The Foreign Aid budget will be cut by 7.9 Billion dollars over five year Extent of cuts to Australian aid to the Pacific unknown Archie Law, executive director, ActionAid Australia says Australia is “not one of the Read more
In a letter to Pope Francis, the patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church Tawadros II has proposed making one date for Easter celebrations for all Christian Churches. Differences in Easter dates are based on differences between the Julian calendar, which eastern churches follow, and the Gregorian calendar of western churches. Finding one Easter date for Read more