The emeritus bishop Christchurch, Basil Meeking, aged 90 passed away at Christchurch Hospital on 11 June after a short period of ill-health. Meeking was the seventh bishop of Christchurch. He was ordained as a priest in 1953 and then as a bishop in 1987. He served as bishop from 1987 until 1996. Meeking served in Read more
The Christchurch Catholic diocese has spent more than $15 million on several blocks of riverside Christchurch land. The purchases are likely to be the first stakes in a larger site for a complex which may include a new cathedral. Property and company records reveal the Catholic diocese has bought 10 vacant properties in the central city block bordered by Read more
The Catholic bishop of Christchurch, Paul Martin, has released a file on child abuser Cornelius O’Brien to one of his victims, a Christchurch man in his 50s. Martin was asked by RNZ’s Phil Pennington if he thought the church should start publishing the names of clergy whom it had found guilty of abusing children even Read more
RNZ has asked the Christchurch bishop, Paul Martin, to release files the church has on Father Cornelius O’Brien. Martin said he would, but first had to sort out privacy issues and, until then, turned down requests for an interview. O’Brien arrived in New Zealand from Ireland in 1963 and served at least seven parishes in Read more
The heads of Christchurch’s Christian churches have supported the Anglican Synod’s decision to rebuild their cathedral. However, they have expressed regret at what they call the conduct of some aspects of the debate. The church leaders say there is a great deal of concern about the sometimes vicious nature of the debate. “Vitriol and personal Read more
The Diocese of Christchurch will have to pay a $150,000 development fee after a plea to have it waived was unsuccessful. Despite warnings from staff, the strategy and finance committee had recommended council waive the fee. Mayor Lianne Dalziel, who backed the application at the committee stages, said she had changed her mind on the matter. At a Read more
Christchurch city councillors have waived a development $150,617 fee for a new Catholic school. Council staff had recommended the church’s remission application be declined. St Paul’s School on Gayhurst Rd in Dallington was red-zoned after the earthquakes and subsequently sold to the Crown. The diocese decided to merge the school with Our Lady of Fatima in Read more