Pacific churches have condemned the media blackout in West Papua, military crackdown in parts of the territory and the silencing of dissenting voices. They have also criticised the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) for “allowing Indonesia into their fold”. In a statement, the Suva-based Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) said it had noted with deepening concern Read more
The Catholic Bishops of England and Wales have appointed a former Chief Crown Prosecutor as the Chair of the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA). Nazir Afzal, a practicing Muslim, served as the Chief Crown Prosecutor for North West England from 2011-2015 and chief executive of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners from 2016-2017. Afzal Read more
Church leaders are calling on Manawatū District councillors to reconsider their “divisive” stance on Māori wards. Leaders from several of Feilding’s churches have signed an open letter that was sent to all councillors on May 17. It called on them to vote in favour of Māori wards at a meeting on Thursday, introducing a Māori Read more
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case involving a challenge to a Mississippi law prohibiting most abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy, a move that could weaken abortion rights nationwide. The case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, revolves around a Mississippi law passed in 2018 that bans all abortions after 15 weeks Read more
The parent body of Caritas NZ, Caritas Internationalis, is launching a special appeal to bring medical care to the population affected by the ongoing shelling in Gaza. Caritas Jerusalem is preparing to respond to the urgent needs of the thousands injured and the thousands of people forced to leave their homes either because they were Read more
The annual diocesan celebration of World Youth Day is an important event that emphasises the role young people play in the Catholic Church, the Vatican said. In a document published by the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life May 18, the Vatican issued a set of pastoral guidelines for local WYD celebrations “to ensure Read more
Australia’s modern slavery legislation is now translating into meaningful on-the-ground interventions in the high-risk construction sector, including an anonymous advice chat service for workers observing troubling behaviour. The app is part of a broader Building Links project initiated by the Australian Catholic Anti-slavery Network (ACAN). The project aims to increase the capacity of construction industry Read more
The Jesuit priest who oversaw President Biden’s inaugural Mass resigned from his post as president of Santa Clara University this week. The resignation came after an internal investigation found he engaged in behaviours that conflicted with the Jesuit order’s “protocols and boundaries,” according to a statement issued by the school Wednesday. The Rev. Kevin O’Brien, Read more
Catholic proponents of nuclear disarmament have joined scientists in calling on President Joe Biden to pursue an ambitious plan to end the threat nuclear weapons pose to the planet. In a statement to the White House, a group of 14 disarmament advocates – seven Catholics, including three bishops, and seven scientists – urged Biden to Read more
Honoured at the Te Kāhui Whaihanga Architecture Awards at the Embassy Theatre earlier this month, our Lady of Kāpiti Parish Church by DLA Architects was one of the winners in the Public Architecture category. The building collects and connects two Kāpiti parishes and three former churches under one roof with the design showing the parishes’ Read more