A Pleasant Point primary school has lodged an appeal against a decision to allow a new bottle store to open the small South Canterbury town. St Joseph’s School principal and board of trustees member Aroha Stewart confirmed an appeal had been made to the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority (ARLA) but would not comment further. Read more
The ultraconservative website LifeSiteNews has been removed from Facebook, with the tech giant accusing the group of violating policies regarding COVID-19. LifeSiteNews, an often faith-themed website that Snopes.com describes as “a known purveyor of misleading information,” announced the Facebook ban on its own website May 4. “Facebook has just permanently banned LifeSiteNews’ Facebook page,” the Read more
Three priests are among 12 people arrested for their possible involvement after the Italian-born bishop-designate of Rumbek, South Sudan, was shot and wounded on 26 April. Lay members of the local church community were also detained. Fr Christian Carlassare, a 43-year-old Comboni missionary, has forgiven his attackers, and said: “It is a very sad story, Read more
New administrative measures on religious staff, released by China’s State Administration for Religious Affairs in February 2021, will come into effect on 1 May amid concerns from some religious leaders about their restrictive nature. One human rights lawyer described the measures as “one more weapon in (the Chinese authorities’) arsenal to limit or further persecute Read more
The Greater Wellington Regional Council is investigating whether the 98 electric buses it is on the verge of leasing were made by forced Uyghur labour in China. The potential links highlight the challenges in buying goods made in China, where the supply chains are often opaque, and come amid a broader effort to ensure New Read more
The Catholic Church’s proclamation of new saints demonstrates that it is possible for men and women to live holy lives and that God is present and at work in the world, said the prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes. “It’s useful on earth, not for heaven,” said Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, the prefect, when asked, Read more
Porirua parent is “lost for words” after her 14-year-old was asked to participate in a colonial-style game which separated children into slaves, chiefs and aliens. Earlier today she said a Year 10 Aotea College class were instructed to do the activity, which involved selling slaves, land and commoners – for “10 pearls”. Documents show the Read more
The Vatican announced Monday that Pope Francis will open an event on Italy’s demographic decline as the country’s birth rate has hit a historic low. Pope Francis will give the opening remarks for the General States of Birth initiative on May 14 at the Auditorium della Conciliazione, just outside the walls of Vatican City State. Read more
The blood of St. Januarius, patron of the southern Italian city of Naples, liquefied on Sunday. Naples archdiocese announced that the miraculous event took place at 5:18 p.m. local time on May 2. A video posted to YouTube on May 3 showed a monsignor displaying the reliquary and turning it to demonstrate that the blood Read more
Pope Francis responded Wednesday to reports of poor governance, financial mismanagement and moral failings in the Ecuadorian diocese of Riobamba by not only accepting the resignation of the retiring bishop but that of his heir apparent as well. Francis on Wednesday accepted the resignations of Bishop Julio Parrilla Diaz, who turned 75 last month, and Read more