An elderly Jesuit priest in the United States has been suspended from his priestly faculties after he joined in a liturgical celebration with a woman who claims to be a Catholic priest. The Jesuit suspended, Father Bill Brennan, 92, said the superior of his religious community in Milwaukee told him the restrictions were at the Read more
The nativity at Rotorua Hospital chapel has its most important member back – baby Jesus. Last December hospital chaplain Reverend Ray Bloomfield was taking a service and looked over at the manger and noticed it was empty – someone had taken baby Jesus. Rotorua Hospital Chaplaincy Trust administrator Alison Lamberton said that after Christmas last Read more
Pope Benedict XVI has for the second time in two months appealed for the international community to send aid to the suffering people of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The eastern part of the African nation is being convulsed by a second wave of violence and spreading hunger, leading the Pope to describe the suffering Read more
A team of New Zealand celebrities has banded together in a video called “Marriage Equality Matters” to promote same gender marriage. “Marriage Equality Matters” features Tamati Coffey, Anika Moa, Rachel Hunter and other local celebrities, media personalities and sports people talking about what it means to be able to marry the person you love. Released Read more
All Black great Jonah Lomu has become a Mormon – but don’t expect to see him don a suit and ride a bike going door-to-door spreading the gospel. Lomu, 37, who is fighting rejection of a transplanted kidney, was baptised into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Wellington this year, the church Read more
An Austrian priest who has openly challenged Catholic teachings on celibacy and the ordination of women has had his title of monsignor take away by the Vatican. Father Helmut Schueller, who heads a group called Call to Disobedience, held the honorary title in his capacity as head of the Austrian branch of Caritas. Continue reading
The British Government has announced that two Catholic colleges are to be given full university status, making them Britain’s first Catholic universities since the Reformation. Leeds Trinity University College and Newman University College each started as teacher training colleges in the 1960s. Their new status will prove valuable as each institution looks to develop international Read more
A teacher sacked from a Catholic college in Northland for supporting students campaigning for gay rights has told a conference that more needs to be done to fight homophobia in schools. Nigel Studdart was dismissed from Pompallier College in Maunu in September after he helped students protest against comments made by the principal about gay Read more
Auckland city brothels aren’t worried that a new ‘mega-brothel’ in town will affect their business, but they are calling for private prostitutes to be made illegal. One central city brothel, One33 Vincent, believes that the approval for a 15 storey ‘sex hotel’ is positive and they don’t believe they will lose clients as a result. Read more
As a result of the Vatileaks scandal, all Vatican employees are being given magnetic ID cards which they will have to swipe every time they enter or exit the city. According to Italian journalist Andrea Tornielli, a chip in the cards will make it possible to locate the card’s owner at any time. The cards Read more