Pope Francis has seemed to back parents who smack their children, providing the child’s “dignity” is maintained. He made the remarks during his weekly general audience at the Vatican on February 4, which was devoted to the role of fathers in the family. The Pope outlined the traits of a good father, as someone who Read more
A New Zealander who advises Pope Francis on combating sexual abuse has criticised the pontiff’s support of smacking children. Dr Krysten Winter-Green, who is based in Boston and works with abused young people, said there was no type of corporal punishment for children that was acceptable. Dr Winter-Green has served in dioceses around the world Read more
The UN has declared the 19 November to be World Toilet day. This year Samoa has celebrated World Toilet day with great panache and a nod in the direction of the Old Testament. In the opening remarks of his spiritual message Reverend Aumua Seuga Aumua reminded everyone that even in the time of Moses, proper Read more
Pope Francis is demanding dignity, not charity, for the world’s poor and hungry. His comments came on Friday at a UN conference on nutrition hosted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation. The Pontiff condemned speculation in food commodities and greed, saying they undermined the global fight against poverty and hunger. “It is also painful to Read more
The Vatican has accused a United Nations committee of sowing confusion in its report on the Holy See’s record on child abuse. The Vatican released its formal response to a February report by the UN committee on the rights of the child. The committee concluded that the Vatican maintained a “code of silence” that enabled Read more
The Vatican’s Secretary of State has made an impassioned appeal to the international community to tackle global warming. Cardinal Pietro Parolin sent a message to a UN summit on climate change, which was delivered by the Holy See’s Permanent Observer at the United Nations, Archbishop Francis Chullikatt. The archbishop said that the evidence for global Read more
The United Nations Climate Change Summit began on Monday in New York. The Climate Change Summit is trying to find agreement on ways to limit further environmental damage. “The people most affected – at grass roots level and on the coastal edge – must be part of those discussions,” says Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand director Julianne Hickey. Read more
Former Israeli president Shimon Peres has asked Pope Francis to head a United Nations of religions to counter religious extremism. In an interview with Italian magazine Famiglia Cristiana, Mr Peres said religion is a predominant justification used for wars today, whereas in the past nationhood was the main motivation. So he proposed a “United Religions” Read more
A Tuvalu family has won an appeal to stay in New Zealand after they claimed they would be affected by climate change if they went home. This is the first successful application for residency on humanitarian grounds in New Zealand that has featured climate change. The Immigration and Protection Tribunal said the family has strong Read more
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is the largest private global development organisation in the world. In a SPIEGEL interview, Melinda Gates explains the couple’s start in philanthropy, the challenges of combatting disease in conflict zones and the unique responsibility of the wealthy. SPIEGEL: Mrs. Gates, how does it feel to be so rich that Read more