The long term lack of services for migrants and refugees in Auckland has resulted in a lost generation of refugees to crime, early marriage, unemployment, drugs and illiteracy, an Auckland Council report says. The report, Funded Services to Migrants and Refugees in Auckland, was completed earlier this year and aimed to provide a snapshot of Read more
Racist pamphlets horrified a top fashion model when she checked her mailbox last week. Danielle Hayes, who won NZ’s Next Top Model in 2010, was shocked to see a pamphlet equating people of colour to chimpanzees. “It’s been distributed all over Kawerau. The majority of my friends have [received it] too,” Hayes said. The crudely written flyers Read more
When Msgr. Daniel B. Gallagher was a microbiology major at the University of Michigan, his growing curiosity about the “deep questions” led the pre-med student to take philosophy and other humanities courses on the side. By the time he graduated, he had discerned his vocation to the priesthood. He had also discovered the appeal of Read more
Dangerous cases of faith leaders who tell people with HIV to stop taking their life-saving drugs have been identified by African-led community groups in a number of locations across England. Seven groups said there were instances of people being told by faith leaders they had been “healed” through prayer – and then pressured to stop Read more
Against the backdrop of an effort to recognize “gay marriage” in France, Pope Benedict XVI told a group of French bishops that the truth about marriage and the family is vital to society and must be promoted in bold and creative ways. He said marriage and the family “must be promoted and defended from every Read more
Catholic charity Caritas’ chapter in Spain has issued a new report showing that poverty, inequality and social injustice are on the rise in the European country. The findings were presented on Sept. 20 in Madrid by the secretary general of Caritas, Sebastian Mora, and the coordinator of the study team, Francisco Lorenzo. Caritas says that Read more
The New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference has announced they’ve appointed Louise Campbell as the incoming Director of the National Liturgy Office, commencing on 2 October 2012. Louise has been working as a Liturgy Advisor for the Auckland Diocese for the past thirteen years. While in this role she was an Auckland member of the National Liturgy Read more
This coming weekend Richard Puanaki will be at Tuhono, Te Ngakau Tapu Parish, in Porirua, to conduct a waiata workshop on all his new chants for the new translation of the te reo Maori Miha. The waiata workshop will include chanting, singing, group participation and questions. On Sunday there will be an opportunity to put Read more
Erskine College is one of six buildings whose council notices ordering earthquake strengthening work or demolition are about to expire with no work yet in sight. The Wellington City Council was warned yesterday that its hand may be forced if the building owners failed to act. Earthquake resilience manager Neville Brown told councillors the preferred Read more
Parishioners of a Westport church will continue to attend mass there, despite learning the building is high earthquake risk. An initial evaluation assessment found the 37-year-old St Canice’s Catholic Church was only 18 per cent compliant with the New Building Standards, said Father Raymond Soriano. This gave it a grade E rating, the lowest possible, Read more