Thousands of migrant workers caught out in New Zealand by the spread of Covid-19 have found themselves in challenging circumstances. On Sunday, the Catholic bishops of New Zealand want Catholic communities to reflect on the plight of these migrant workers. 21 June, is the annual Day of Prayer for Refugees and Migrants and the theme Read more
Concerns from New Zealand’s Catholic education sector over the wording of a bill concerning religious instruction in state schools and how this might affect integrated schools were heard by a parliamentary select committee earlier this year. In a submission to the Education and Workforce Committee about the Education and Training Bill, former New Zealand Catholic Read more
A Catholic church in Masterton has come under fire for displaying the controversial slogan all lives matter on its message board. A Twitter user posted a photo of the slogan on social media, saying it was “pretty disgusting.” “All lives do not matter until black lives matter. All lives do not matter until brown lives Read more
The emeritus bishop Christchurch, Basil Meeking, aged 90 passed away at Christchurch Hospital on 11 June after a short period of ill-health. Meeking was the seventh bishop of Christchurch. He was ordained as a priest in 1953 and then as a bishop in 1987. He served as bishop from 1987 until 1996. Meeking served in Read more
The New Zealand Catholic Bishops met last Friday to discuss how COVID-19 Level 1 was working in their respective dioceses. They noted there were differences between some dioceses and even between some churches – for example, some churches allowed Communion from the Chalice, others did not. So they decided there was no need to issue Read more
The Sisters of Compassion consider that having a school named after their foundress is an honour. Although other schools have named classrooms and class houses after the Venerable Suzanne Aubert, this is the first time a whole school has been so named. Sr Josephine Gorman, DOLC, told NZ Catholic the sisters “are happy knowing Suzanne Aubert’s Read more
The presence of women in seminaries and seminary formation is vital for future priests and prevention of sexual abuse, but the Church must go beyond that and act now, a top New Zealand Catholic theologian said. Read more in NZ Catholic
As the clock struck 12 pm, last Sunday Wellington’s religious communities stood together in solidarity, re-imagining President Donald Trump’s photo opportunity with a Bible. Interfaith leaders gathered on the steps of St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral in Wellington to hold their Bibles and other sacred texts for a photo opportunity. But this was a photo of a Read more
Foundations are about to be poured later this week for a new church and community centre in Chapel Road, Flat Bush in Auckland. Before the concrete is poured, a collection of personal religious items, contributed by members of the Catholic community of St Luke’s in Flat Bush, will be buried in the foundations. The items Read more