New Zealand bishops have expressed satisfaction after a discussion with Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, on the cause of Venerable Suzanne Aubert. New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference secretary Bishop Stephen Lowe of Hamilton described the meeting as “positive.” Auckland Bishop Patrick Dunn, Wellington Cardinal John Dew, Christchurch Read more
New Zealand
Auckland secondary schools unable to accept all preference applicants
Monday, December 2nd, 2019Auckland Bishop Patrick Dunn has asked that Catholic secondary schools in his diocese unable to accept all preference applicants have an enrolment policy or scheme that places very high priority on such applicants having certificates for Catholic Baptism, First Eucharist and Confirmation. Bishop Dunn sent a letter dated September 20 with this request to Auckland Read more
Nathaniel Centre event to mark International Day of People with Disabilities
Monday, December 2nd, 2019Everyone 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
NZ warned of danger when country is tolerant of poverty
Thursday, November 28th, 2019
A study by the Human Rights Commission into the working poor shows there are 50,000 working households living in poverty in New Zealand RNZ reports that Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Saunoamaali’i Dr Karanina Sumeo claims the report is the most detailed research ever done on the working poor in this country. She said that as Read more
Suicide prevention office opens
Thursday, November 28th, 2019
The government, Wednesday, opened its first Suicide Prevention Office and announced a further $12 million for Māori and Pacific suicide prevention. The office was opened by Prime Minister Jacinda Adern and Health Minister Dr David Clark and is part of the government’s response to its inquiry into mental health and addiction. “Last year 685 New Read more
Pedophile priest appointment shocks Caritas NZ
Thursday, November 28th, 2019
Caritas New Zealand is shocked and deeply saddened to learn a convicted child abuser Luk Delft, (pictured), a Belgian Salesian priest, was appointed as the Country Director for Caritas Central African Republic (CAR). Caritas NZ has written to Caritas Internationalis expressing its deep concerns and asking how this was able to happen. “We have sought Read more
New Zealand launches world’s first HIV positive sperm bank
Thursday, November 28th, 2019The world’s first HIV positive sperm bank has been launched in an effort to reduce the stigma experienced by those living with the virus. Sperm Positive has begun with three male donors from across New Zealand who are living with HIV but have an undetectable viral load, meaning the amount of the virus in a Read more
Kebab shop owner told to stop feeding homeless
Thursday, November 28th, 2019A kebab shop owner who has been feeding homeless people on Sundays has been asked to stop by a local business association over concerns of anti-social behaviour. Zuhaib Abbas Bangash has been feeding the homeless every Sunday from 5.30 pm at his West Auckland shop, Glen Eden Kebab, at Glenmall since November 3. But the selfless act has been Read more
$1.3B laundered through NZ each year
Thursday, November 28th, 2019New Zealand is awash with dirty money but how much is anyone’s guess. A new report by the New Zealand Police Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) estimates domestic criminal activity is generating $1.35 billion for money laundering each year. Most of it comes from drug offending ($750m), fraud ($500m) and other offences such as burglary ($100m). Read more
Urgent reform of fishing industry need
Monday, November 25th, 2019
Cardinal Peter Turkson, is calling for significant improvements in working conditions for those work in the fishing industry. Turkson, who heads the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development, says working in the fishing industry is one of the most perilous jobs in the world. And, each year 32,000 people lose their lives working Read more