In a significant move, the NZ Catholic bishops are promoting open and informed life discussion through a modernised and broadened document, Te Kahu o te Ora – A Consistent Ethic of Life. The modernisation seeks to fill a twenty-six-year gap and reflect some of the modern challenges. Dr John Kleinsman, director of the NZ Catholic Read more
Caring for people living with mental illness is something many of us may have to do at some stage. On 9 October, the Catholic Church in New Zealand marks “Support Life Sunday.” Dr John Kleinsman, Director of the Nathaniel Centre for bioethics, says it is important this year’s campaign helps people hear those who have Read more
End of Life Choice Act (EOLC) Referendum, is one of two referendums being held alongside the October 17 New Zealand General Election. The New Zealand Catholic bishops’ Nathaniel Centre for Bioethics is providing a series of weekly briefs for parish newsletters. The first brief says: The End of Life Choice Act is not an option Read more
The Nathaniel Centre has posted a report by Dr Lynne Bowyer and Dr Deborah Stevens co-directors of The New Zealand Centre for Science and Citizenship Trust. They conclude there is no evidence to suggest that legalising cannabis will provide a solution to the drug-related issues that disproportionately affect marginalised/minority groups. “These issues include negative impacts Read more
Everyone is welcome at a free public event celebrating International Day of People with Disabilities tomorrow Tuesday 3 December in Thorndon, Wellington, organised by the Nathaniel Centre (New Zealand’s Catholic Bioethics Centre) in partnership with L’Arche Kapiti and The Catholic Institute of Aotearoa New Zealand. The event runs from noon to 1 pm in the Read more
The New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference president Bishop Patrick Dunn has announced the name of a new New Zealand Catholic tertiary institute. On January 1, The Catholic Institute and Good Shepherd College will merge to become Te Kupenga – Catholic Leadership Institute. The name has been chosen by the country’s bishops after careful thought and Read more
Catholics are trying to dominate the euthanasia debate, says Heather du Plessis-Allan. As far as she is concerned they can keep their opinions to themselves. Du Plessis-Allan was commenting on a piece in Wellington’s DomPost, More than a moral dilemma: The religious and community views on euthanasia. She is the host of NewtalkZB’s morning programme in Read more
Representatives of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (NZCBC) presented their reservations about David Seymour’s End of Life Choice Bill to the Justice Select Committee on Tuesday. Bishop Charles Drennan, Dr Caroline Newson, who works in acute psychiatry medicine, Dr John Kleinsman and researcher Dr Sue Buckley from the Nathaniel Institute made submissions. Drennan talked Read more
The New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ Conference (NZCBC) and its centre of bioethics, The Nathaniel Centre say that abortion is both a health and a justice issue and it should continue to be treated by the law as such. Their concern is that that making abortion purely a health issue would limit or remove the rights of the unborn Read more
The New Zealand media have, to date, largely failed to convey the complexity of the euthanasia question in their mostly shallow reporting on this issue says Dr John Kleinsman. He is pleased that the Health Committee Report on the subject noted that complexity. Kleinsman is the Director of The Nathaniel Centre, the Bioethics Research Agency for Read more