A long-overdue diplomatic agreement between the Vatican and Israel is finally near completion, according to a senior Israeli negotiator. The Vatican-Israeli accord, under negotiation since 1993, is intended to establish the juridical rights of the Catholic Church in Israel. The agreement also covers the issue of expropriating Church property for infrastructure purposes, with a reported Read more
Anti-abortionists are taking aim at the charity status of the Family Planning Association in their latest assault against women and pro-choice organisations. Pro-choice groups have labelled Right to Life’s ongoing grudge-match as tiresome and time-wasting. The Charities Commission confirmed it received a complaint regarding the Family Planning Association’s charity status, but was yet to decide Read more
Government schools in Samoa resumed on Monday this week, but there is much repair work to be done to school buildings affected by Cyclone Evan last month. The Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture, Matafeo Falanaipupu Tanielu Aiafi says the cost to rebuild and refurbish these schools is estimated at Read more
The booklet being prepared by the Vatican to tell priests how to celebrate Mass well will discourage “showmanship” by the celebrant and novelties introduced to make the liturgy “entertaining” to the people. The prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, Cardinal Antonio Canizares, said the guidelines will help priests to “celebrate well and to participate Read more
The Congregation for the Causes of Saints has approved the beatification of Pope Paul VI, the pope who led the Church through most of the Second Vatican Council and the post-conciliar period, and who wrote the encyclical Humanae Vitae. Two steps are necessary before a date for his beatification is announced — a decree from Read more
God still calls people to a life of complete dedication in the priesthood and the consecrated life, Pope Benedict XVI writes in his message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations on April 21, 2013. “Today too, Jesus continues to say, ‘Come, follow me’.” “The love of God sometimes follows paths one could never Read more
In the biggest Catholic education expansion in Melbourne since the 1970s, 13 new schools are planned in the outer northern and western suburbs to cope with population growth. According to Catholic Education’s executive director, Stephen Elder, families are choosing Catholic schools because of their own experiences in the system, because they like the faith and Read more
A West Auckland dental practice is offering free dental care tomorrow in exchange for two cans of food for charity. Dental Care West will treat at least the first 100 people in line between 8am and 2pm. Principal dentist and owner Dr Scott Waghorn says a lot of people are concerned about not being able Read more
A nationwide garden centre chain that “cynically” flouts trading laws by opening for business on Good Friday every year has vowed to continue the illegal trading, despite today being hit with maximum fines. Oderings opened five stores in Christchurch and outlets in Havelock North, Napier, Upper Hutt, Hamilton, and Palmerston North on April 6, Good Read more
Government agencies are vowing to work together to deal with the “emerging issue” of forced marriage in New Zealand. But a spokesman for the Refugee Council says he has seen no evidence of the problem and is wary of public hysteria. Police, Child, Youth and Family and the ministries of social development, education and immigration Read more