New Zealand currently ranks as the most socially progressive country in the world, according to a report from the Washington-based think tank, Social Progress Imperative. It also came in highest on overall opportunity, a score based on personal rights, freedom, inclusion and access to advanced education. According Huffington Post’s Living Well, On Location series, New Zealand’s not only about sports Read more
News Shorts
Former Vatican secretary of state denies luxury living reports
Friday, May 2nd, 2014Former Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone has defended himself against accusations he is living in a luxury apartment in the Vatican. On April 20, Italian daily La Repubblica reported that the cardinal was moving into a lavish 6500 square foot apartment in the Vatican’s San Carlo Palace. This was while Pope Francis was Read more
NZ has it much worse than the Ireland
Friday, May 2nd, 2014Irishman David Quinn says the Irish have become intolerant about public manifestations of religion. But, he says, “We really shouldn’t complain too loudly. In New Zealand they have it much worse, if that’s the word.” “I was in New Zealand on Good Friday three years ago visiting a family member, and on Good Friday no Read more
Church backs unionists on same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland
Friday, May 2nd, 2014The Catholic Church has backed unionist politicians’ moves to block legalised same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland. A Sinn Fein motion to introduce same-sex marriage legislation is likely to be defeated in the Northern Ireland assembly next week. Unionist parties will introduce a “petition of concern” against the move. Under the rules of the Stormont assembly, Read more
Another cathedral court battle
Friday, May 2nd, 2014A judge has reserved his decision in the latest legal wrangling over the Christchurch Cathedral. Cathedral owners, the Church Property Trustees were seeking to have a Court of Appeal judgement preventing the demolition of the building, removed. But Great Christchurch Buildings Trust spokesman Jim Anderton questions why the ruling should be lifted when the owners Read more
Robert Mickens will no longer be The Tablet’s Rome correspondent
Friday, May 2nd, 2014British Catholic weekly The Tablet has announced it will no longer be using Robert Mickens as its Rome correspondent. The Tablet suspended Mickens in March after he called Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI “The Rat” and anticipated his death in a Facebook comment. The publication stated an inquiry would be carried out. About a month later, Read more
Census: Ashburton embraces God; Lyttelton doesn’t
Tuesday, April 29th, 2014Ashburton is the most Christian place in Canterbury, while Lyttelton is one of the least religious, according to new census data. Growing Filipino and Pacific Island communities have swelled congregations in the Mid-Canterbury town, which has the biggest proportion of Christian people in the district. About 71 per cent of the 1500 people that live Read more
Young man killed by falling cross that was built to honour JPII
Tuesday, April 29th, 2014A young man has been crushed to death after a 30-metre high cross built in northern Italy to honour Pope John Paul II fell down. The tragedy at Cevo, near Brescia, happened only three days before the late pope was to be canonised as a saint in Rome. The victim, Marco Gusmini, aged 21, was Read more
Prime Minister still favours liberisation of Easter trading laws
Tuesday, April 29th, 2014
The Easter trading laws aren’t working and need an overhaul, Prime Minister John Key says. “I don’t think the law is working terribly well, but I’ve always voted in favour of liberalisation of trading laws when it comes to Easter weekend,” Key said. The Retailers Association has suggested that shops should be allowed to open Read more
Another dead Dutch bishop found to have been a child abuser
Tuesday, April 29th, 2014The Dutch Catholic Church has admitted that another of its dead bishops was a child abuser. A commission investigating Church sex abuse scandals in the Netherlands confirmed four complaints against Bishop Johannes Nienhaus, who died in 2000. Nienhaus was auxiliary bishop in Utrecht from 1982 to 1999. The abuse took place from the mid-1950s to Read more