Ngā Whaea Atawhai o Aotearoa Sisters of Mercy New Zealand launched their new Whānau Mercy Ministries last Saturday. The new Ministerial Public Juridic Person (MPJP) – known as Whānau Mercy Ministries – is independent of Ngā Whaea Atawhai o Aotearoa Sisters of Mercy New Zealand. The Whānau Mercy Ministries will take up their responsibilities as Read more
Parish mergers, further sale of parish and diocesan land and building of a new Christchurch Catholic Cathedral have halted until the diocese hears back from Rome. The news was delivered by a letter read on behalf of the Bishop of Christchurch, Michael Gielen, at all Sunday Masses. Christchurch diocese parishioners told CathNews that Gielen had Read more
Polarisation is exhausting largely because it seems hopeless and also because it gets progressively worse. As measured in surveys, Americans’ negative attitudes toward political parties other than their own have increased dramatically in recent decades and at a much faster pace than in other countries. These entrenched divisions simultaneously increase the vehemence of our arguments Read more
We should treat other people’s physical and social differences as a chance to love better, not as an inconvenience, Pope Francis said on Sunday. After leading the Angelus with the 25,000-strong crowd in St Peter’s Square, he reflected on the day’s Gospel, which recounts Jesus’s miraculous healing of the blind man. Pointing out the different Read more
Streaming students by ability in schools is racist, researchers say. Yet streaming continues. This is despite evidence suggesting mixed-ability classes are more successful. Amid a long-term push away from ability grouping, both the Ministry of Education and the Government support think tank Tokona Te Raki – Māori Futures Collective aim to stop this. In a Read more
Churches in Asia synodal document calls people to address pressing issues in the region. The “Bangkok Document” released by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) highlights refugees, migrants, indigenous peoples, climate change, family matters, women, and youth. The 40-page document was presented by the federation’s leaders during an online ceremony on March 15, following Read more
The past week has seen the nascent leadership contest to replace Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister of Scotland turn nasty. The Scottish National Party is a broad church, it turns out, but some of its members seem to be finding difficulty in accepting that its breadth of opinion extends to traditional forms of Christianity. The Read more
Everyone who participates in the Synod of Bishops is eligible to vote, including women. Pope Francis made the comment in an interview with the Argentinean newspaper La Nacion. Francis stressed that including diverse voices in the synod is an ongoing process but that everyone who participates in the synod, regardless of gender, has the right Read more
New Zealand’s Catholic bishops are supporting a campaign to help people stay safe on social media. The campaign was developed after diocesan communications and pastoral staff noticed an increase in suspicious activities on Church social media pages. The Staying Safe on Social Media campaign starts next Monday, 20 March. It features special posts each day Read more
Plans for Christchurch’s new Catholic Cathedral are now under review, says Simon Thompson, the diocese general manager. “Bishop Michael (pictured) just wants to make sure he gets it right.” He said the new Cathedral precinct would be a fantastic addition to the city, a place where people, including tourists, would be able to “bump into Read more