Every year the bishops of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands gather for their Annual General Meeting (AGM) on the second Monday after Easter. This year, the AGM is held in the Conference Centre in Alexishafen, Madang from 8th to 17th April, 2013. There are 19 bishops from the 19 dioceses of PNG and 4 bishops from Read more
Gonzaga University, a Jesuit-run university in Washington state, has refused to recognise the Knights of Columbus as a student organisation because its membership is solely Catholic and solely male. “These criteria are inconsistent with the policy and practice of student organisation recognition at Gonzaga University, as well as the university’s commitment to non-discrimination based on Read more
A long-awaited Vatican document on the Scriptures is nearing completion. It is intended to verify “how the themes of inspiration and truth are manifested in the various books of Sacred Scripture”. A statement from the Pontifical Biblical Commission says its aim is that “the Word of God may be welcomed by all faithful in a Read more
A suspended Catholic priest in Connecticut has admitted making more than $NZ350,000 from selling methamphetamine while also running an adult video and sex toy shop. Prosecutors said Kevin Wallin, 61, sold the drug from his apartment and bought an adult video and sex toy shop named Land of Oz & Dorothy’s Place, apparently to launder Read more
Archbishop John Dew has welcomed the news of the election of Anglican Archbishop Phillip Richardson. “I was delighted to hear of the appointment of Bishop Philip Richardson as the Archbishop of the Tikanga Pakeha of the Anglican Church. I have known Bishop Philip for several years and have been with him at many meetings and Read more
Father Hamesh Wyatt is happy to be spending Easter in the heart of Southland. As the newly-appointed parish priest for Winton and Te Anau, he’ll certainly be spending a lot of time on the road enjoying the province. Not daunted by the dual appointment in two different towns, Fr Hamesh said he was just pleased Read more
A Lower Hutt man has been sentenced to home detention after violently attacking a school principal in his own office. Daniel Wilson, 39, laid into St Joseph’s School principal Peter Ahern during a meeting over concerns a paedophile had been seen on school grounds in Upper Hutt. The December meeting was initially cordial, but turned Read more
Pope Francis joined a prominent Vatican official and seven priests for lunch on Holy Thursday and emphasised the importance of hearing confessions. Archbishop Giovanni Becciu has a longtime custom of inviting priests to join him for lunch on Holy Thursday — a custom that predates his 2011 appointment as deputy secretary of state responsible for Read more
A judge has tossed out a lawsuit that sought to stop the display of a cross-shaped steel beam found among the World Trade Center’s rubble, saying the artifact could help tell the story of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. US District Judge Deborah Batts rejected the arguments of American Atheists, which had sued the National September Read more
A high-profile convert from Islam — baptised by Pope Benedict XVI at Easter 2008 — has renounced the Catholic Church. Egyptian-born Magdi Cristiano Allam, who was instructed in the Catholic faith by Archbishop Rino Fisichella, head of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelisation, says he still believes in Jesus. But, he says, “The thing Read more