News

by NZ CATHOLIC staff DUNEDIN — Pope Benedict XVI has conferred the title of Chaplain of Honour on Fr John Harrison, meaning he will be known as “Monsignor”. Msgr Harrison, who...

by NZ CATHOLIC staff WAIRAKEI — At the Auckland Priest's Gathering at Wairakei in July, four priests celebrated birthdays. The gathering took place from July 14 to 18, and the...

by ROWENA OREJANA Around 260 mostly young people “walked through the Mass” with Auckland Bishop Patrick Dunn at the Christ the King Church in Owairaka on March 6. Young adult and...

by MICHAEL OTTO Msgr John “Jack” Lyons has been remembered as a self taught scholar, a contrarian, an outstanding pastor, and a man who had an encyclopaedic memory for people’s names. Fr...

Rotorua’s John Paul College is building relationships with Lasallian organisations in the Philippines to take part “in future outreach programmes to promote cross cultural interaction and support networks”. The college’s religious education teacher Owen Kowalewski and deputy...

by ROWENA OREJANA A Valentine’s Day concert spearheaded by St Joseph’s Takapuna assistant priest Fr Elric Jorquia raised $33,155 for the healthcare of priests in his provincial diocese of Malaybalay in the...

by Sr COLLEEN EDGECOMBE, RNDM On Wednesday, February 25, the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions celebrated the 150th anniversary of the arrival of their first sisters in New...

by NZ CATHOLIC staff If fundraising keeps going well, it is aimed to have St Mary of the Angels Church in central Wellington open again by Easter 2017. The church has been...

by THERESE ROUGHAN St Valentine’s Day, 2015, in Christchurch, was again an opportunity to celebrate God’s gift of love in marriage. Christchurch has been celebrating St Valentine’s Day with a liturgy,...

by SUE SECONI After 11 years as director of Hearts Aflame, Brendon Malone from Christchurch is resigning. Although sad to be leaving and unsure what lies ahead for him, he believes...

by NZ CATHOLIC staff St Mary’s, Mt Albert, parishioner Anne Nightingale carries out a list of parish tasks that might tire out those who merely read it. At the end of the...

by ROWENA OREJANA Newly appointed St Peter’s College principal James Bentley is intent on reaching new heights for the school following the path carved out by former principal Keiran Fouhy...

by NZ CATHOLIC staff PONSONBY — Warm winter PJs, rather than Easter eggs, were given to families in need by parishioners from Sacred Heart Parish, Ponsonby. Seventy-five pairs of new pyjamas were...

by ROWENA OREJANA St Peter’s College principal Kieran Fouhy, soon to be St Paul’s College principal, has said that although he will bring a lot of his experiences to the...

by NZ CATHOLIC staff Two former All Blacks are loyal and enthusiastic volunteers for the Burnside conference (branch) of St Vincent de Paul in Christchurch. Bill McCaw, the treasurer and longstanding...

The family of renowned New Zealand television producer Ross Jennings suffered a double loss on Good Friday, with two deaths within a few hours. Mr Jennings, 71, a former head of drama at TVNZ,...

by Fr KEVIN TOOMEY, OP Next year Dominicans worldwide celebrate 800 years since the establishment of the Order of Preachers by St Dominic de Guzmán. November 7 marked the beginning...

by JEFF DILLON A warm May evening in Dunedin was matched by the warmth of the reception from the congregation in St Bernadette’s Church, Forbury, Dunedin to witness a special...

by NZ CATHOLIC staff Room 5 children at St Joseph’s School in Grey Lynn raised $380 for Missionz before Christmas. Missionz is the Pontifical Mission Society of New Zealand. Under the eye...

by PETER GRACE Finding the site of a yet-to-be built primary school in a semi-rural area before dawn proves a challenge. A few figures in a driveway take some form in...

by KILIAN DE LACY PARAPARAUMU — Stepping into a L’Arche community is a special experience. There is a warmth, a simplicity and a kinship that attract the visitor. The spirit of...

by GILLIAN VINE St Mary’s Church, Mosgiel, overflowed on February 10 for the funeral Mass of Steven Anderton, one of New Zealand’s most respected thoroughbred trainers. Mr Anderton, 43, died on February...

by SUE SECONI The Associates of Suzanne Aubert-Te Hunga Whai i nga Akoranga a Suzanne visited her grave in Wellington at their new year gathering. Mother Aubert rests at the adminstration...

by MICHAEL OTTO CHRISTCHURCH — Secrets are possible even in enclosed religious communities, as Carmelite Sr Cushla Renton found out to her delight on December 29. Sr Cushla was called to...

by NZ CATHOLIC staff Last month, Whitianga’s priest-inresidence Fr Leo Doyle celebrated the 60th anniversary of his ordination to priesthood. A jubilee Mass at Our Lady of the Assumption Church in...

by ROWENA OREJANA HUNTLY — St Anthony’s Catholic School has kicked off its centennial celebrations this year with 100 cupcakes baked for students, parishioners and former students. representative Philippa Bredenbeck...

by Wiga Autet The missionary life and work of St Peter Chanel was a focus of a challenge at the National Shrine of St Peter Chanel at Russell on April 28.In his homily...

by PATRICIA BROOKS TAURANGA — Presbytery housekeepers are usually unsung heroes in parishes as they go about their duties quietly creating a home for parish priests, but Tauranga has honoured Sue...

On April 24, a good-sized crowd of present and former parishioners gathered to mark the end of more than four decades of worship at St Alphonsus Church in Waverley on the Otago Peninsula. Bishop Colin...

by KATHLEEN CASEY In recognition of more than 25 years of service to the Church, Liz Mulholland was awarded the papal medal, Cruce pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, at St Francis...