Last week a Mr Eugene Sisneros took the Anglican Bishop of Auckland to the tribunal claiming he was barred from becoming a priest because of his sexuality – a claim the bishop denied, saying he was simply following the church’s doctrines. Mr Sisneros’ lawyer David Ryken yesterday told the tribunal’s three-member panel excluding someone from Read more
Catholic social justice agency Caritas has added its contribution to New Zealand Music Month by announcing two winners from opposite ends of the country for its annual Singout4Justice songwriting contest. Lucy Wilkins, a Year 10 student from Kavanagh College in Dunedin, won the Years 7-10 section with One Human Family, while Elena Šiljić, in Year Read more
Pope Francis has told Christians to be joyful and not have a face that looks like “a pickled pepper”. Joy, he said, is a “pilgrim virtue” that moves Christians to journey out into the world, preaching the Gospel and proclaiming Christ. But when Christians have more of a sourpuss than a face that communicates the Read more
English rock singer David Bowie’s new music video has been branded “juvenile” by a former Archbishop of Canterbury and “confused about religion” by the Catholic League in the United States. The video, called The Next Day, depicts French star Marion Cotillard as a dancing girl who bleeds from stigmata marks on her palms while Bowie Read more
The mass exodus of millions of Christians from one part of the Islamic world to another as the result of persecution by Muslims has reached epidemic proportions, according to a Middle East and Islam expert. “This matter of Muslim persecution of Christians is a humanitarian crisis at this point,” said Raymond Ibrahim. He said the Read more
Auckland Catholic school, De La Salle College, involved last year in a high profile rugby brawl with Auckland Grammar has welcomed a new initiative aimed at improving sideline behaviour among supporters. The initiative involves having a parent or guardian of every boy playing for De La Salle attend an educational evening about appropriate sideline behaviour. Read more
Struggling families could be left without TV reception when South Auckland goes digital. The region and other parts of the North Island will be among the last in the country to move from analogue television to the new system in December. That means households without a UHF aerial face a bill of at least $200 Read more
Couples who helped each other through the stress of Canterbury’s earthquakes were brought closer together by the traumatic events, a new study says. Research into how couples were affected by the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes found that while some couples experienced increased marital distress, others would have felt their relationship grew stronger. University of Canterbury Read more
The priest who presided over the major clergy treatment centre in the United States has been suspended from public ministry following charges of sexual and financial improprieties. Monsignor Edward Arsenault had been president of the St Luke Institute in Maryland since 2009. He stepped down after his diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire, received reports of Read more
The Irish Supreme Court has decided that citizens do not have a right to assisted suicide — a ruling welcomed by an ethicist and healthcare professional as an affirmation of the value of human life. The Irish court ruled against Marie Fleming, who is in an advance stage of multiple sclerosis and wanted to end Read more