Specially designed souvenirs have been flying off the shelves at the Catholic Centre along Waterloo Street as Singapore gears up to welcome Pope Francis next week. With the pope’s visit looming, thousands of souvenirs – including T-shirts, umbrellas, tumblers, hats and tote bags – have already been sold at a pop-up store at the Catholic Read more
Porto takes pride in its beaches, old churches covered in blue-and-white tiles and its famous port wine named after the city in northern Portugal. It’s also home to a different kind of church — located on its beachfront suburbs along the Atlantic coast near a fishing town known for some of the world’s largest waves. Read more
A UFO expert has levelled accusations at the Pope, alleging that he is concealing “extraordinary” alien secrets within the Vatican. Steve Bassett, a UFO lobbyist in Washington, insists that it’s evident the Catholic Church is aware of the existence of alien life and has concealed evidence in their archives. As the executive director of the Read more
When the call went out for donations to a Christchurch food drive, it was answered with a deluge of baked beans! Sumner woman Nicola Wood donated 23 cans to the food pantry at Linwood Avenue Union Church. “Baked beans are back in fashion,” said Christchurch Labour list MP Tracey McLellan who has been collecting on Read more
Two Steubenville priests made headlines this month, when the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that they have legal custody of a two-year-old boy, who is living at their downtown parish rectory. A judge will consider the boy’s situation at a custody hearing in October, with the child’s mother reportedly seeking to regain legal care of her son. Read more
A legally blind New Plymouth man who is gutted about plans to carve up Whaikaha, the Ministry of Disabled People, and shift some of its responsibility to the Ministry of Social Development told Checkpoint: “Lord have mercy on the disabled community”. Harry, 72, went into his local Ministry of Social Development office in New Plymouth Read more
A dispute over weekend parking in bike lanes has left a group of inner-city congregations in Philadelphia dealing with a tricky urban dilemma. If all goes well, worshippers at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia will be able to park on the streets near the church in peace. They just may have to walk a little bit Read more
The tiny town of Tuapeka, about an hour and a half out of Dunedin, has more than its fair share of World Famous in New Zealand moments. Firstly, it’s got the only public river punt ferry in the Southern Hemisphere at Tuapeka Mouth, run – when river and weather allow – by ferryman and UK Read more
Little model boats hang from the ceiling and maritime paintings adorn the walls of the basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde, which from the city’s highest hill overlooks the bay of Marseille, where sailing regattas are being held for the 2024 Olympics. They’re votive offerings — some more than 200 years old — that Read more
A recent NZ parish newsletter highlighted an invite for the sick to be anointed. There is nothing odd about that. The invite was included in the pastoral outreach section, which, for example, invited people in need of prayer to register on a “prayer chain” or those who are sick and housebound to reach out if Read more