Catholic boys’ school St Kevin’s College has pulled out of a respectful relationships project after parents and students objected to a survey that quizzed boys on issues including sexuality, how they treat girls, and what it takes to be a man. Boys in years 7 to 12 were sent an extended series of questions last Read more
Pope Francis called on Sunday for dialogue to end the conflict in Afghanistan so that its people can live in peace, security and reciprocal respect. Francis made the appeal in his noon address as Taliban insurgents entered the capital Kabul and the United States evacuated diplomats from its embassy by helicopter. “I join in the Read more
Sri Lanka has begun mass cremations to clear a backlog of bodies as Covid-19 cases surge across the island. Daily virus infections in the country have doubled in a month to more than 2,500 with nearly 100 deaths, putting huge strain on hospitals. Colombo Municipality began mass cremations on Aug. 8, disposing of 15 corpses Read more
A neo-Nazi group called Action Zealandia is attempting to recruit more members across Aotearoa. Critic Te Arohi’s undercover investigation into Action Zealandia, the largest white supremacist group in Aotearoa, revealed information including the organisation’s recent activities, internal membership structure, links to other neo-Nazi groups, and strategic plans for the future. The group has been active Read more
Catholic dioceses and parishes in Thailand, which continues to witness a surge in COVID-19 cases, have been converting church facilities into field hospitals and isolation centers. The Archdiocese of Bangkok in the financial capital of the Southeast Asian country has turned over to the government a Catholic school that has been converted into a 630-bed Read more
Small town New Zealand is suffering. The scarcity of mental health facilities, huge increases in house prices and a lack of infrastructure spending are taking the shine off living in small town New Zealand, the Salvation Army is reporting. The Army’s fourth State of Our Communities Report focuses on Invercargill, Carterton and Tokoroa; three very Read more
An eight-year-old Hindu boy is being held in protective police custody in east Pakistan after becoming the youngest person ever to be charged with blasphemy in the country. The boy’s family is in hiding and many of the Hindu community in the conservative district of Rahim Yar Khan, in Punjab, have fled their homes after Read more
An Australian outback diocese has announced what is believed to be the world’s first high school to be named after a teenage computer programmer beatified by Pope Francis last year. Blessed Carlo Acutis College will have a liberal arts focus, and Bishop Columba Macbeth-Green of the Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes hopes to build it in Moama, Read more
A weekly 30-minute Mass broadcast into people’s living rooms has become the longest-running program on Australian television. Celebrating its 50th year in early August, “Mass For You at Home” was originally aimed at those unable to attend their local parish due to illness, infirmity, being homebound or in prison, but today has attracted a new Read more
The Government considered immediately lifting benefits by $50, a benefit boost would have more than doubled the number of children pulled out of impoverished households. This would have also doubled the immediate cost of the benefit increase, pushing it above $1 billion. Ultimately the Government opted to spread the benefit increase over two Budgets, lifting Read more