Archbishop David Moxon, director of the Anglican Centre in Rome, was invited to share the blessing with Pope Francis and Archbishop Gennadios of the Ecumenical Patriarchate during a service to mark the conclusion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Before taking up his present appointment Moxon was the Bishop of Waikato, The blessing Read more
New Zealand
Acclaimed movie about child abuse in Boston opens in NZ this week
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2016Journalism, the Catholic Church, and victims of sexual abuse will feature at this year’s Oscars, thanks to best film nominee Spotlight. It’s the story about the newspaper investigation that uncovered widespread child abuse within the Catholic Church opens in New Zealand on Thursday. Spotlight is the name of the Pulitzer Prize-winning team of journalists from the Boston Read more
NZ Children cheer up Sailor’s Christmas
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2016
International seafarers at the port of Auckland had some special Kiwi Christmas cheer last year thanks to four Catholic schools. The schools – St Leo’s, Devonport; St Joseph’s, Otahuhu; St Joseph’s, Orakei and St Mary’s, Ellerslie – made hundreds of hand-crafted Christmas cards for seafarers. These were given out on ships berthed in Auckland just Read more
Indian Orthodox Metropolitan visits NZ
Friday, December 18th, 2015
The prelate of the Indian Orthodox Church, Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan, His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Paulose II made his first visit to New Zealand last month. In Wellington he attended the Eucharist held at the Assyrian Church of St George. After the Eucharist there was a welcoming ceremony. Those attending included the Read more
Samoan choir singing in Marton on Sunday
Friday, December 18th, 2015
A Samoan choir will be singing at Mass in a village in New Zealand this Sunday. The parish of St Francis Xavier in Marton will be hosting a choir from the village of Vaiusu near Apia. Organiser Faio Iern, who conducts the choir at St Francis Xavier in Marton, said the choir from Vaiusu would also Read more
The Flying Spaghetti church approved to solemnise marriage
Friday, December 18th, 2015
A groundbreaking New Zealand decision has led to a few disturbances in the fabric of religious time and space. The registrar-general of births, deaths and marriages Jeff Montgomery has approved the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster as an organisation to solemnise marriages. Massey University professor of history Peter Lineham has questioned the decision by the registrar-general and Read more
59 % say Kiwi Christmas too commercial
Friday, December 18th, 2015According to Colmar Brunton’s annual Christmas survey, 59 out of 100 New Zealanders think the Kiwi Christmas is too commercial Colmar Brunton CEO Jacqueline Farman believes the findings are the result of consumers feeling bombarded with straight sales-driven messages that fail to capture the “true” spirit of festivities. Continue reading
Easter trading rules should be the same everywhere
Friday, December 18th, 2015The Government’s attempt to “pass the buck” over Easter trading hours has not gone down well with Wellington City Council. Parliament is currently considering legislation that would allow local councils to decide whether shops stay open on Easter Sunday within their boundaries or within smaller, specific areas. But at a meeting on Wednesday, many Wellington Read more
Ear-splitting church music destroying ears
Friday, December 18th, 2015When the noise is more painful than joyful, when the noise is an ear-splitting worship band and the decibels are raising the roof rather than the spirit, sensitive Christians are hurting and complaining. “People are asking if this is going to make us all deaf?” says Tauranga Hearing Association’s resource co-ordinator Jo Sykes told SunLive. Read more
All children deserve new presents on Christmas Day
Tuesday, December 15th, 2015
The Salvation Army toy appeal co-ordinator says all children deserve new presents on Christmas Day. This has drawn widespread condemnation from detractors shocked at the Salvation Army’s consumer-driven stance, with many saying they will not be supporting their appeal. The Salvation Army’s territorial social services secretary, Pam Waugh, said for many children this would be the Read more