Holy Family’s Father Brian Fennessy is hoping he passes the stringent medical tests again so he can do another four-week stint at American Research Centre McMurdo Station in November. He has already completed two trips to Antarctica in 2005 and 2007, as one of the five Catholic priests who work as chaplains to all denominations Read more
Credible and disturbing reports are continuing to emerge from Tingginambut, Puncak Jaya, in the West Papuan highlands, detailing evidence of another violent rampage by the Indonesian army special forces (Kopassus) against civilians throughout May, allegedly by Kopassus officers stationed in the district which has been suffering war conditions since February. Continue reading Continue Reading Radio Read more
Family First New Zealand says it will appeal a decision that will soon see it deregistered as a charity. Earlier this month, Family First received notification that the independent Charities Registration Board intends to deregister the group, because in their assessment it does not meet the requirements of a charity under the Charities Act 2005. Read more
Catholic Scouting groups in the United States have called for respect for all people while reiterating the Church’s teaching on sexuality following the Boy Scouts of America’s decision to admit gay youth. Some Catholic dioceses have stated that they will continue to sponsor Scouting groups under the new policy. Other dioceses, and the National Catholic Read more
A day after the beatification of a Sicilian priest killed by the Mafia, Pope Francis called for “these gangsters” to convert to God. Father Giuseppe Puglisi, who was murdered by Sicilian Mafia in 1993, was beatified in Palermo on May 25. Shocked by his death and inspired by his example, many of Sicily’s priests began Read more
A French priest has been removed from ministry after he refused to end his active involvement with a Masonic lodge. Father Pascal Vesin, of the Alpine resort of Megeve, had been ordered by Bishop Yves Boivineau of Annecy to end his membership of the Grand Orient of France lodge. When he declined, the bishop removed Read more
An Invercargill youth worker says children as young as 11 are having sex in Invercargill, which has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in New Zealand. She wanted to get the message out that children in the city were having sex and many parents did not know it was happening. “I want to stimulate Read more
A senior Anglican theologian, Dr Jenny Te Paa Daniel, has spoken out about what she terms ”theologically indefensible” male leadership dominance in the international Anglican Church. Dr Te Paa Daniel, who is the former Ahorangi (principal) of the St John’s Theological College in Auckland, was commenting recently in a public lecture at the University of Read more
Insurer of churches, schools and historic buildings Ansvar paid out $511 million of claims last year, settling more than three-quarters of the earthquake claims lodged with the company. That’s according to the company’s latest financial results, for the year to December 2012, published yesterday. Ansvar was inundated with claims after the Canterbury earthquakes and withdrew Read more
Emphasising that everyone has the potential to do good, Pope Francis has said Christ’s saving act on the cross was for everyone, no matter their belief. “The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone. Even the atheists. Everyone,” he insisted. “We Read more