The Anglican synod in Auckland is to stop investing in fossil fuel companies. The synod has decided to move away from fossil fuels because it encourages companies to find and exploit more oil, gas and coal. A spokesman said the church is concerned about the long term health of investments in the fossil fuel industry Read more
The Rev Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, a former religious advisor to the BBC, has been elected as the Waikato’s seventh Anglican bishop after her predecessor David Moxon headed to Rome as the Anglican Communion’s ambassador to the Vatican. Mrs Hartley, 40, was nominated by several Hamilton based Anglicans after spending 18 months teaching at the theological Read more
The Vatican’s outgoing Secretary of State has lashed out at the “vipers” in the curia who undermined him – a day after Pope Francis named his successor. Asked about his seven years in office by the Ansa news agency, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone said: “I see the record of the past seven years as positive. Of Read more
Pope Francis has written to Vladimir Putin criticising world leaders for standing by while a “senseless massacre” unfolded in Syria. In a letter sent on Sept 4 to Mr Putin in his role of host of the G20 conference, and published on Thursday, Francis wrote: “It is regrettable that, from the very beginning of the Read more
A priest has launched an un-Christian attack on the poor and homeless and described them as ‘lying and messy’ people sent by God to test his faith. Outspoken Father Ray Blake said one who regularly turned up at his church pleading for money was ‘an irritating little ——‘. He accused the beggar of making a Read more
A former Catholic brother will remain on bail while a judge considers an appeal on his extradition. Bernard Kevin McGrath faces 252 charges of alleged offending against boys in New South Wales over several decades. McGrath’s appeal case was heard on Thursday morning in the High Court in Christchurch by Justice Christian Whata. All of Read more
Social Justice Week (8-14 September), is an apt time for the Catholic social justice agency to remind Parliamentarians of society’s obligations to support young people entering the workforce. Meaningful work for the young worker is the theme of this year Members of the Transport and Industrial Relations Select Committee considering the Employment Relations Amendment Bill Read more
A Ngai Tahu historian has published a book about what she calls an unspoken part of New Zealand history – inter-racial Maori and Pakeha unions and marriages. For the book, Matters of the Heart, the University of Otago’s Angela Wanhalla spent several years researching the unions spanning from when early settlers arrived. Dr Wanhalla says Read more
Pope Francis has broken protocol once again, appearing with a puzzled look on his face in a “selfie” photo taken with a group of teenagers visiting the Vatican. The picture appeared on the Facebook page of one of the youngsters, who used it as his profile picture, and was going viral on social media on Read more
Today is Sister Vivian Ivantic’s 100th birthday. She’s spent 90 of those years hoping to one day become a priest, and she still holds firm to that conviction. “I think the American church is outstanding,” she told The Chicago Tribune. “But I’m waiting for women’ ordination. We have been deprived of the celebration of the Read more