Three decades of service in Wanganui
by SUE SECONI
WANGANUI — All morning Masses across Wanganui were cancelled on
Sunday, March 30, enabling the whole Catholic community to gather for the 9am Mass to thank Esther and...
Holy Land collection has twofold purpose
by PETER GRACE
AUCKLAND — The Good Friday collections in New Zealand will, once
again, be used this year for their twofold Holy Land purpose.
The New Zealand commissary of the Holy...
Piece of cake spurs civic spirit
by ROWENA OREJANA
CHRISTCHURCH — As whole communities disappear and new ones spring up, neighbourhoods in Christchurch are slowly losing their human connections underthe stress of day-to-day living and recovery...
Many of today’s papal ‘traditions’ were Blessed John Paul’s innovations
By Cindy Wooden
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The first anniversary of Pope Francis' election brought stories highlighting the unique style he has brought to the papacy. Maybe people have forgotten...
Jokes, quips, wisecracks: John XXIII lived with keen sense of humor
By Emily Antenucci and Carol Glatz
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Blessed John XXIII, who will be made a saint April 27, is remembered by many for his warmth, simplicity, social...
Easter proclaims that love gives life, pope says; share it with...
By Cindy Wooden
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis urged Christians to remember how they first encountered Christ and to share his love and mercy with others, especially through acts...
$7 million college gymnasium opened
by PETER GRACE
AUCKLAND — A two-level gymnasium block with classrooms,
dance studio, viewing galleries, storage areas, staff room and
changing rooms was opened at St Mary’s College in Auckland on
March 15.
The...
eyespy: Kids interview Bishop Pat
AUCKLAND — Bishop Patrick Dunn of Auckland once thought that becoming a bishop “would be a nightmare”.
Bishop Dunn told three pupils of St Mary’s Northcote that he never
thought...
Picnic highlights inequality
by ROWENA OREJANA
WELLINGTON — Two hundred Catholics gathered at Parliament grounds on March 19 to hold a picnic with a message for Parliament.
The picnic at Parliament was organised by...
St Pat’s kauri doors to be restored
by ROWENA OREJANA
AUCKLAND — St Patrick’s Cathedral is embarking on a $67,000 project to restore its 100-year-old kauri doors to their former glory.
Dubbed the “doors of faith” by cathedral...
Eight new diocesan seminarians this year
by MICHAEL OTTO
Eight new first year seminarians at Holy Cross Seminary make for a
diverse group, reflecting the increasingly multi-cultural nature of the Church in New Zealand.
But although there might...
Pope: OK to fight with God, hold him to his promise,...
By Carol Glatz
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Don't hold back when praying to God -- tell him exactly what's wrong and insist on holding him to his promises, Pope Francis...
Pope, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth have informal meeting at Vatican
By Cindy Wooden
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In their first overseas trip in three years, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, met April...
NZ legionary priest sees hope for order
by ROWENA OREJANA
AUCKLAND — Scandal will always be part of the Legion of Christ, but its members have hope that the recently concluded general chapter meeting will be the...
Iconic churches included in two-year earthquake study
by ROWENA OREJANA
WELLINGTON — Iconic Catholic churches in New Zealand will be
included in a study funded by the Earthquake Commission to assess
their vulnerability to earthquakes.
The two-year study, headed by...
The singing Ursuline sister: “I have a gift to give”
by Carol Glatz
ROME — Pope Francis’ call for the church to “get out onto the streets” and evangelize helped inspire 25-year-old Ursuline Sister Cristina Scuccia to hit the...
Young St Peter’s student stops thief
by ROWENA OREJANA
The New Zealand Police have recognised the heroic efforts of St Peter’s College student Eamon McArdle for helping a younger St Peter’s boy recover his iPad from...
Vatican, Rome gear up for canonizations of John XXIII, John Paul...
By Cindy Wooden
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Just over five weeks before the canonizations of Blesseds John XXIII and John Paul II, Rome hotels are reporting they are almost fully...
Vatican online book marks first anniversary of Francis’ pontificate
VATICAN -- To mark the first anniversary of the election of Pope Francis, the Vatican internet office has produced an online book with photographs and phrases taken from his...
Fiso had big impact despite his short life
by PETER GRACE
AUCKLAND — In November 2012, Fiso Tanuvasa, a former prefect at Marcellin College in Auckland, was a 22-year-old man enjoying
life. He was the manager of a Barkers...
John Lennon and his family connections with Catholicism
by PAUL SANCHEZ
NEW YORK — On February 9, when the United States commemorated the 50th anniversary of The Beatles coming to America and performing on The Ed Sullivan Show,...
Winning the battle of the school lunchboxes
by MICHELLE VOLLEMAERE
Below is a selection of schoolkids' best ideas for their school lunches — here’s hoping some of them will work for you. (See also Michelle Vollemaere's Around...
Duck chooses a holy nesting spot
by PETER GRACE
AUCKLAND — A duck nesting close to heavy car and pedestrian traffic in Auckland must have felt safe next to a statue of Our Lady.
The duck nested...
Beloved New Zealand bishop dies
by NZ CATHOLIC staff
AUCKLAND — Bishop John Mackey, a man who was gifted with one of the best minds in the New Zealand Church, according to one historian, died...
18 pilgrims enjoy South Island Road Retreat
by JOY COWLEY
Put together 18 pilgrims, a bus brimming with laughter, sun-blessed scenery, prayer, Catholic history and the newness of God, and you have the fourth of annual Road...
Jewish Harvard professor heard Jesus Christ
by BILL MOORE
AUCKLAND — Not many Harvard professors give up their academic careers for faith. And perhaps only one — Dr Roy Schoeman — also converted from being an...
Fun family weekend held in Canterbury
by JOHN KENNEDY
CHRISTCHURCH — Catholic families from Christchurch diocese gathered at Waipara, North Canterbury, at the end of September for the second Catholic Family Camp.
Inspired by the Catholic Family...
NZ graduates speak of struggles to find work
by MARJORIE DAWSON
PALMERSTON NORTH — Young people shared their experience of unemployment and work search in a Social Justice Week seminar in Palmerston North on September 14.
Organised by the...
Random acts of kindness abound
by MICHAEL OTTO
AUCKLAND — If you are in east Auckland in the next few months, you might be the surprised recipient of a random act of kindness from a...
Catholic buildings get heritage status
by NZ CATHOLIC staff
AUCKLAND — The historic importance of two Auckland Catholic landmarks has been recognised.
The NZ Historic Places Trust recently registered Bishop’s House in Ponsonby, and St Benedict’s...