Catholic bishops and priests from major dioceses across the United States plan to send a coordinated message next month backing changes in immigration policy. News reports said some Church leaders are planning to use Sunday Masses on Sept. 8 to urge congressional passage of a legislative overhaul that includes a path to citizenship for unauthorized Read more
Former Monkee, Davy Jones was remembered in a small private funeral at Holy Cross Catholic Church, Indiantown, close to his home in Florida, and next to Hope Rural School, which Jones has supported. Attending the funeral were his immediate family; his wife and daughters, and besides family, the man who first trained Jones to ride racehorses Read more
A new two-tier immigration system that favours the wealthy means that fewer Pacific Island migrants may be able to gain New Zealand residency. The government will scrap the sibling and adult child immigration categories to “reduce the number of unskilled migrants who find it difficult to get jobs and are more likely to get benefit Read more
The Ombudsman’s office in New Zealand is being criticised for tightening the rules on complaints from overstayers about their dealings with Immigration New Zealand’s Pacific division.
Thirteen overstayers were granted residency this year after the Ombudsman ruled they had been misled by the division in 2005, with promises of jobs and residency.
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The US Catholic bishops say religious freedom is being whittled away by same-sex marriage, abortion and healthcare legislation, and they are vowing to up their efforts to protect it. “For some time now we have viewed with growing alarm the ongoing erosion of religious liberty in our country,” Bishop William Lori, bishop of Connecticut told the Read more
“It’s nice not to be the silent referent to other people’s description of migrants as ‘the marginalised” and ‘the oppressed.’ I’m sure a lot of Australians – migrants and home grown alike – feel the same” says Robert Hiini, who migrated from with his parents from New Zealand to Australia when he was 15. “It Read more
Emotions flare up at the mention of immigration. People feel strongly about the issue on all sides. People express their opinion on Web sites, in blogs, at rallies and in phone calls to their legislators. Like other bishops, I have received many e-mails, calls and letters mostly voicing anger about my involvement with the issue. Read more