One in 10 New Zealanders could now be considered “alcoholic” according to new diagnostic criteria – but the majority of those with a drinking problem are unlikely to recognise it because the issue is so common. The new estimate of 400,000 “alcoholics” in New Zealand – around 10 per cent of our 4.4 million population Read more
Central city Church, St Mary of the Angels in Wellington, New Zealand has been closed because it is an earthquake risk. It is hoped the church will re-open within the next 18 months amd last week, Parish Priest, Father Barry Scannell announced that the design drawings for the seismic strengthening of the Church are in the final stages Read more
The Vatican’s new No. 2 has been released after more than 10 days in a hospital. The Vatican has refused to say what was wrong with Monsignor Pietro Parolin, only that he underwent surgery unexpectedly and missed the Oct. 15 ceremony at which he was to take up his duties as secretary of state. The Read more
Concern is growing about increased pressures on teenagers to engage in risky behaviour such as sending sexually explicit text messages. Celebrity culture, the prevalence of sexual imagery and a lack of awareness about the consequences are among the pressures experts say are being piled on teenagers. Parents are now being called on to educate themselves Read more
The bishops’ conference of Canada is redoubling its efforts to inform and educate about the issues related to euthanasia and assisted suicide. The conference posted a new section on its website about euthanasia and assisted suicide. The site comes as a bill in Quebec aims to allow physicians to administer “terminal palliative sedation” or “medial Read more
The Sultan of Brunei says his country will begin enforcing a tough Islamic penal code in six months’ time. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah said authorities had been considering the new Sharia Penal Code for years and it will be enforced in ‘phases’. Punishments under the Hudud code may include stoning for adultery, amputation for theft and Read more
An evangelist accused of overstating his life story is being hosted by New Zealand churches – but his inspirational message is not welcome at the country’s prisons. Tony Anthony’s visit to New Zealand has sparked a warning from some churches, who say an investigation found his autobiography to be “99 per cent false”. Despite the Read more
A foreign student had nightmares after a shopper told her to either take off her burqa or leave New Zealand while she was shopping at a Dunedin supermarket, a court has been told. Yuet Rappard, a farm worker, appeared in front of Justices of the Peace in the Dunedin District Court yesterday and was found Read more
Perplexed by Pope Francis’s habit of making off-the-cuff remarks, many conservatives in the United States are openly questioning his statements. “Behind the growing scepticism is the fear in some quarters that Francis’s all-embracing style and spontaneous speech, so open as it is to interpretation, are undoing decades of Church efforts to speak clearly on Catholic Read more
In an address to a United Nations committee, the Vatican’s representative has called for a total ban on chemical and nuclear weapons. “It is sadly ironic that states vociferous in their condemnation of chemical weapons are silent on the continued possession of nuclear weapons,” said Archbishop Francis Chullikatt. “The international community must appeal and act Read more