A Catholic college in the southern Philippines is refusing to allow its female Muslim students to wear a hijab veil. The school, run by the Congregation of the Religious of the Virgin Mary, said: “Our origin is Roman Catholic and we cannot deviate from that origin. It is true we cater to students of different Read more
Life itself is a basic human right that is deserving of all humanity. But sadly in our country eugenics is denying that right to a group of individuals based on their genetic difference. Mr Mike Sullivan, spokesperson for Saving Downs says “The situation is so serious here that the International Criminal Court is now carrying Read more
By freezing superfluous embryos, the procedure of in vitro fertilisation is “creating new orphanages”, the Catholic bishops of Malta have said in a pastoral letter. The letter says parents shirk their responsibility if they agree to the freezing of their children, and the future of embryos in the frozen orphanages is “very bleak”. The freezing Read more
Louisa Wall has made it clear churches have nothing to fear if the proposed Definition of Marriage Bill becomes law. She says they will not be forced to make any changes to the way they administer the sacrament of marriage. “The law can’t force a church to host anyone’s wedding. And that won’t change,” she Read more
A Colorado business owned by a Catholic family does not have to comply with President Barack Obama’s new healthcare mandate that private employers provide employees with insurance coverage of birth control, a federal judge has ruled. U.S. District Judge John Kane in Denver temporarily blocked the government from the enforcing the birth control mandate against Read more
As more and more New Zealanders consider alternative power supplies, a Gisborne church will be praying for sunshine. Saint Mary Star of the Sea has invested in five-watt solar panels on the roof of the parish building in Campion Road. Father Yvan Sergy says the panels will be installed in the second week of August, Read more
Every morning and night, in a ritual dating back hundreds of years, two Muslim families control the opening and closing of the place in Jerusalem where Jesus rose from the dead. The Joudeh and Nuseibeh families, one generation after another, got the job of holding the keys and opening the door to Christianity’s most sacred Read more
The recent closing of a number of churches due to possible earthquake risk, has affected parishioners all over the archdiocese. St Mary’s Blenheim was no exception. Parishioners felt sadness and disbelief at the decision to close the church for an indeterminate period while inspections were carried out and, if necessary, remedial work completed. Continue reading
In 1908, in the wake of a serious economic crisis, Rome renounced hosting the Olympic Games, which eventually were held in London, England. In the same year Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics, sought help from the Vatican to support the Games, and Pope Pius X in person offered him his support. Read more