Religious workers will be able to become New Zealand residents under a recently announced policy change. Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman said until now there was no residence option for religious workers and some communities had struggled to fill positions. “This new policy provides a path to residency for religious workers as well as an updated temporary work Read more
Bishops in the Philippines have apologised “for the pain and sadness” caused after some bishops accepted donations from the state run Charity Sweepstakes Office. The president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, Bishop Nereo Odchimar, also said that the seven bishops involved were ready to “face the consequences” if they were found to Read more
A health expert last week praised the Church in the Philippines for the way in which it is helping patients with HIV/AIDS, but criticized its stand on preventing the disease’s spread. “The Church, especially the nuns, has been especially supportive,” said Dr. Ofelia Monzon, founding president of the AIDS Society of the Philippines, adding that Read more
Once again, Good Friday sees Filipinos nailed to crosses, re-enacting Jesus’ suffering and death. Yesterday tourists flocked to see at least 24 Filipinos take part in the annual ritual which Church leaders reject as extreme devotion and a distortion of the Easter message. “The Church asks you to deny yourself through mortification, prayer and sacrifice. Read more
After a barrage of criticism from the Catholic Bishops in the Philippines, fast-food chain McDonalds has scrapped a television commercial. The commercial showed two young children flirting with each, and a young girl asks a boy of the same age if she can be his girlfriend. The boy wasn’t interested and says that “girls are Read more