Pope Francis visited a deserted Rome on Sunday to pray at two shrines for the end of COVID-19. The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore was his first stop. Then he walked along one of Rome’s usually busy main streets to visit St. Marcello church. There he prayed before a crucifix used in a procession when Read more
About 1,800 people gathered at the TSB Hub in Hawera for the Hui Aranga over Easter. ‘Hui Aranga’ means ‘Gathering around the Rising of Jesus’. It is the Māori Catholic celebration of the Easter message. The Hui Aranga began at Ōtaki at Pukekaraka in 1946. This year the hosts were Taranaki, Ngā Pekanga (Waitara) and Read more
The Seriously Surprising Story draws children into the biblical story of Easter as they walk in the footsteps of Jesus’ followers on the road to Emmaus. Acclaimed New Zealand Children’s author Joy Cowley described it as “a lovely little book”. “It’s warm, it’s happy, it’s the Good News! “The positive message with the rhythmic text Read more
A church in the UK ordered some signs ahead of Easter, presumably meant to read ‘Christ is risen’. But they almost got a different message – ‘Chris is risen’. The pastor at the Baptist Church is actually called Chris. Curate Ned Lunn said Chris did indeed have to get up for a sunrise service at Read more
A cross the combined churches of Devonport on Auckland’s North Shore have been putting up Takarunga/Mt Victoria since 1992 was this year destroyed. They usually take the cross up the hill at 10 am on Good Friday, tie it into place, say prayers and sing hymns, and leave it there until 3 pm when some Read more
The seminarian who carried the cross at Pope Francis’s Easter Mass died unexpectedly the following day. Legionary of Christ Brother Anthony Freeman of Houston was 29. Read more
About 700 people gathered In Ohakune for this year’s Hui Aranga. Three-quarters of them were youth. The Hui Aranga, or Maori Easter Gathering, is a Maori Catholic celebration of Holy Week and Easter. Groups come to it from all over the North Island. This year they included Clubs from Tauranga (Tauranga Moana), Wairoa (Tawhiti a Read more
An “iconic” cross has been removed from Auckland’s Mount Roskill/Puketāpapa after lighting up every Easter for nearly 60 years. The borough’s former mayor David Hay has slammed the decision, saying the structure was part of the area’s local identity. “It is disappointing that our elected representatives have voted to stop what has been part of Read more
A goofy-looking man in fuzzy bunny ears next to the words “Skip Church This Easter” cover three billboards in western Wayne County. It is a gag arising from the rare converging of Easter Sunday and April Fool’s Day. Read more
As a general principle, an honest man will want know what something is, or is said to be, before he decides whether he thinks it is true or that he must do anything about it. Take one’s relation to a doctor. Insofar as we deal with a doctor qua doctor, we want him to tell Read more