The marriage rate for New Zealand residents fell last year to its lowest since the peak in 1971. While the number of marriages and civil unions among residents has been steady at around 21,000 per annum for the last 20 years, a rising population means that the number per capita has been on a steady Read more
While having a baby without being married was uncommon and stigmatized several decades ago, it’s becoming the norm in many European countries — and even the U.S., according to a report released today by the United Nations Population Fund. Why it matters If having babies without being married becomes increasingly common, it could help stabilize Read more
New Zealanders owe billions in child support debt, with some individual parents owing more than $1 million. But most of the debt is late payment penalties, leading some to question whether the system is hurting the people it is designed to help. Continue reading
A document from Pope Francis was a focus for reflection at the recent National Association of Principals of Catholic Secondary Schools (NAPCSS) conference. Keynote speaker Dr Rocio Figueroa, a lecturer in systematic theology at Good Shepherd College in Auckland, spoke about the importance of persevering in love and joy, based on the post-synodal apostolic exhortation the Joy of Love. Continue reading Read more
There is no such thing as a normal marriage Cardinal Vincent Nichols told the World Meeting of Families in a keynote address. “Everyone is different” and all married couples will go through periods of difficulty. Fragility and brokenness are part of that. Couples and families often need resources and support, Nichols said, although they should Read more
When you’ve been married as long as my husband and I have, to speculate on what it would be like to be a single person is almost too fantastical. Or worse, when we imagine divorce or death, we horrify each other with the prospect of going on a first date with someone else. We dated Read more
A gay toy sheep wearing a colander was perched on the celebrant’s head, and the guests were dressed as pirates. When Pastafarians marry as they did at Worser Bay in Wellington on Sunday – sealing the deal with the “noodle of love” – things are a little different. Continue reading
Priests are not the best people to train others for marriage, according to the head of the Vatican’s office for the family. “They have no credibility; they have never lived the experience; they may know moral theology, dogmatic theology in theory, but to go from there to putting it into practice every day … they Read more
Catholic “yes” voters in Ireland’s Eighth Amendment abortion referendum should not be allowed to marry in a Catholic Church, say two priests from Northern Ireland. In a letter to the Belfast Telegraph, Father Patrick McCafferty said yes voters should “get married in City Hall.” It is “dishonest to have a wedding in a church if Read more
Teenagers wanting to have a civil union or de facto relationship will soon require approval from a judge. Parliament is considering a bill in the name of National MP Joanne Hayes which is designed to protect 16 and 17 year-olds from forced marriage in New Zealand. Continue reading