St Joseph’s School in Balclutha has launched a smartphone app to stay in touch with parents. Teacher Danique Richards said she was contacted by the app’s developer, Snapp Mobile, at the end of last year to see if the school might be interested. She was hooked almost instantly and took the idea to the board Read more
New Zealand
The Imam and the Pastor – see it 12 February
Tuesday, February 9th, 2016In collaboration with the Initiatives of Change NZ and the Wellington Islamic Centre, there will be a special screening of two short films, The Imam and the Pastor and An African Answer. In the 1990s, Pastor James Wuye and Imam Muhammad Ashafa led opposing, armed militias, dedicated to defending their respective communities as violence broke Read more
NZ Muslims say they haven’t experienced backlash
Friday, February 5th, 2016
Last weekend the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in South Auckland used its annual convention to distance itself from Islamic State (IS). They chose Khilafat (Caliphate) as the theme for their convention to promote the true Islamic Caliphate as a divine guidance for peace and unification, not a Caliphate of destruction and terror. The National President of the Ahmadiyya Read more
Ratana Church shows how to protest with dignity
Friday, February 5th, 2016
Long-serving organiser of the annual Waitangi Festival, Pita Paraone, says Ratana leaders have shown it is possible to hold a dignified pōwhiri for the Crown while still making a strong protest against the TPP, and Waitangi elders should follow suit. Fears of a sizeable protest from anti-TPPA protesters at the annual Ratana Church celebrations in Read more
Accommodation to open, says Hato Petera’s trust board
Friday, February 5th, 2016Hato Petera College’s governing body hopes the Auckland school’s accommodation facilities will be open this year, despite an earlier announcement of its closure. On 28 January Vice Chairman Rudy Taylor said the renovated boarding hostel was ready for the arrival of this year’s group of students. He’s proud of all those who have worked hard Read more
New Catholic primary school planned for Papamoa
Friday, February 5th, 2016A planned new Catholic primary school in Papamoa East will help soak up growing pressure on the Ministry of Education to add a fifth state school to the rapidly growing Tauranga suburb. The Catholic Diocese was talking with Ministry officials on its plans that would likely result in a new school being built within the Read more
Waitangi Day Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral
Friday, February 5th, 2016St Mary of the Angels, Ngākau Tapu (personal parish to Māori) and Te Kainga Marae are hosting a Waitangi Day Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral on Saturday 6 February 2016 at 9am. There is choir practice the night before at 7.30pm at Sacred Heart Cathedral. It’s a great time, under the direction of Robert Oliver Read more
NZ Bishops – what would a more merciful community look like?
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2016
“What might a more merciful family or school or parish or workplace or diocese look like?” This is the question posed by the New Zealand Catholic Bishops in their recent Pastoral Letter. “We are not here to give answers but let us all look to the example the Holy Father, Pope Francis, is giving us.” “The Read more
New CEO for Catholic Education Office
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2016
The New Zealand Catholic Education Office (NZCEO) has announced that that Paul Ferris is its new CEO. He replaces Brother Sir Patrick Lynch who announced his retirement last year. Ferris took up his position on February 1. He has come from a strong background in school leadership in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. Ferris was Read more
Ecumenical advisory council opposes physician assisted suicide
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2016
An ecumenical body comprising the Anglican, Methodist and Presbyterian churches of New Zealand is stressing its opposition to the introduction of “physician assisted suicide.” The ecumenical body advises the churches on the “spiritual, ethical and cultural issues connected to biotechnology and related issues”. In making its submission to the Health Select Committee, the InterChurch Bioethics Council (ICBC), accepted that Read more
- Press release from the InterChurch Bioethics Council (ICBC) regarding Euthanasia
- What's different about David Seymour's bill?
- The international context
- How you can engage
- Euthanasia debate: Jayne Malcolm's story, the flip side of assisted death
- Euthanasia debate: 'Why can't I have the option of assisted dying?'
- Euthanasia debate: Janina Dravitzki's story video