Posts Tagged ‘Peace’

Climate change is a religious problem, COP28 told

Thursday, December 7th, 2023
COP28

In a message to COP28 (Conference of Parties), Pope Francis stressed religious leaders’ responsibility for caring for the planet. Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin read the message on Francis’s behalf on Sunday at the COP28 Faith Pavilion. He passed on Francis’s thanks to those in the new Pavilion. They included the Grand Imam of Read more

The real enemy is war

Monday, November 27th, 2023
war

Over the last weeks the war between Israel and Hamas has come to Australia. In our local park each junction of the path is marked by a stenciled message demanding a ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Large, mainly peaceful, demonstrations in favour of the people of Gaza and of Israel have been Read more

Observing the end of the war to end all wars – the right way

Thursday, November 9th, 2023
War

On the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month in 1918 an armistice was declared, effectively ending one of the worst conflicts in history – World War I. On Nov. 11 the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and several other nations will observe the 100th anniversary of that historic day when the warring Read more

Siding with peace in the Middle East

Thursday, November 2nd, 2023
peace

Pope Francis said it well: “War does not solve any problem, it only sows death and destruction, increases hatred, multiplies revenge. War erases the future.” The future for Palestinians and Israelis is being erased each passing day. Before it is too late, the United States and Congress should side with peace, not more war, in Read more

Stop the war say NZ Catholic, NZ Anglican bishops and the Pope

Thursday, October 26th, 2023
stop the war

Stop the war! The war in the Holy Land must stop. Now. Please. Just stop. In a joint statement, Bishops from New Zealand’s two biggest Christian Churches – Catholic and Anglican – are begging the warring factions in the Holy Land to stop. Stop the war with the accompanying acts of violence it executes, the Read more

NZ Catholic bishops promote open informed life discussions

Thursday, September 28th, 2023
NZ Catholic bishops

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

Jimmy Carter – An appreciation

Thursday, September 7th, 2023
jimmy carter

“Enough is enough! I’m writing the President!” After hitting the umpteenth brick wall, my wife had reached the end of her rope. As a Canadian citizen in America, married to an American, obtaining a green card for work should have been a walk in the park for her. But it wasn’t. After three years of Read more

Peace walk organised by former gang members now Christians

Monday, August 28th, 2023
Peace walk

A peace walk in Palmerston North was spearheaded by Hemi Davidson, formerly affiliated with Black Power and Nomads, and Matthew Ngatai Te Moananui, a past member of the Mongrel Mob. The peace walk was organised in response to escalating gang tensions in Palmerston North. Davidson and Ngatai Te Moananui’s paths converged at Legacy Church in Read more

The peace I’ve experienced hearing confessions in prison

Monday, August 21st, 2023
Prison

When he pulls back from the table, it is wet from his tears. It isn’t like he is sobbing. The tears just fall silently. Salvo, the name of this 30-something man who signed up for confession at the prison where I serve as a chaplain, kept on speaking. I wasn’t sure whether he was talking Read more

Why a just peace in Ukraine will require more than defeating Putin

Thursday, June 8th, 2023
just peace

As long as there has been a war in Ukraine people have called for peace. Some propose peace simply defined as a halt to the fighting. They cite the suffering: More than 300,000 Ukrainian and Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded, thousands of civilians have been killed, and more than nine million Ukrainians have Read more