“Why should the Australian Government be frightened if New Zealand chooses to act with compassion?” The Catholic Diocese of Auckland Justice and Peace Commission ask the Australian Government to let New Zealand resettle asylum seekers on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea. Labelling the living conditions of the detainees a “violation… Read More »New Zealand’s Compassion for Manus Asylum Seekers
Bishop Patrick Dunn, President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, has welcomed an increase in New Zealand’s refugee intake, and the pilot of a community sponsorship program. He acknowledged that New Zealand’s contribution is modest and pointed to the need to address the causes of the refugee crisis, saying:… Read More »Community Sponsorship for Refugees in New Zealand
Cardinal John Dew will launch a Poverty and Justice Bible campaign in Wellington on 13 September 2015 to coincide with the start of Social Justice Week. Over 350 people are expected to attend the event. CathNews New Zealand reports that the campaign, jointly developed by the Bible Society New Zealand… Read More »Poverty and Justice Bible for New Zealand
A Constitutional Conversation is going on in the Pacific country of Aotearoa New Zealand. In their submission, the Catholic Bishops support moving to a written constitution and have proposed an Introduction for such a constitution. They explore the meaning of freedom, truth and responsibility. Read their submission here. Development agency… Read More »New Zealand Church calls for Written Constitution
Lost for Words When a compatriot of mine killed fifty people at worship in mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand on 15 March 2019, I had no words for the horror, the anger, the grief, the sadness. No words for the shame that one of us could do such a thing,… Read More »Violence Will Not Have the Last Word
A humanitarian crisis is unfolding on Manus Island following the closure of the Australian funded immigration detention centre on 31 October 2017. Bishop Vincent Long Van Nguyen is the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference spokesperson on asylum seekers and refugees. He made the following statement on 3 November. Bishop Long’s Statement… Read More »Manus Island Detainees Australia’s Responsibility says Bishop