CoveragePost
July 3, 2025
By Reinhard Minong in Port Moresby The Catholic Church has strongly warned against Papua New Guinea’s political rhetoric and push to declare the nation a Christian country, saying such a move threatens constitutional freedoms and risks dangerous implications for the country’s future. Speaking before the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Communication on Tuesday at Rapopo during ... <a title="Catholic Church warns against PNG declaring itself a ‘Christian country’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/07/03/catholic-church-warns-against-png-declaring-itself-a-christian-country/" aria-label="Read more about Catholic Church warns against PNG declaring itself a ‘Christian country’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 10, 2025
By Christina Persico, RNZ Pacific bulletin editor The leader of the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) has reacted to the election of the new pope. Pope Leo XIV was elected by his fellow cardinals in the Conclave on Thursday evening, Rome time. Leo, 69, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, is originally from Chicago, and has spent ... <a title="Pacific region hopes for ‘climate-conscious’ pope, says PCC leader" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/05/10/pacific-region-hopes-for-climate-conscious-pope-says-pcc-leader/" aria-label="Read more about Pacific region hopes for ‘climate-conscious’ pope, says PCC leader">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
April 26, 2025
By Susana Suisuiki, RNZ Pacific presenter The doors of St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican have now been closed and the coffin sealed, ahead of preparations for tonight’s funeral of Pope Francis. The Vatican says a quarter of a million people have paid respects to Pope Francis in the last three days. Sister Susana Vaifale ... <a title="Samoan nun tells of ‘like a blur’ awesome meeting with Pope Francis" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/04/26/samoan-nun-tells-of-like-a-blur-awesome-meeting-with-pope-francis/" aria-label="Read more about Samoan nun tells of ‘like a blur’ awesome meeting with Pope Francis">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
September 15, 2024
COMMENTARY: By Laurens Ikinia in Jakarta Pope Francis has completed his historic first visit to Southeast Asian and Pacific nations. The papal apostolic visit covered Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore and Timor-Leste. This visit is furst to the region after he was elected as the leader of the Catholic Church based in Rome and also ... <a title="Pope Francis – a message of peace and real change in Pacific political struggles" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/09/15/pope-francis-a-message-of-peace-and-real-change-in-pacific-political-struggles/" aria-label="Read more about Pope Francis – a message of peace and real change in Pacific political struggles">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
September 10, 2024
ANALYSIS: By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk Another church has been set alight in New Caledonia, confirming a trend of arson which has already destroyed five Catholic churches and missions over the past two months. The latest fire took place on Sunday evening at the iconic Saint Denis Church of Balade, in ... <a title="New Caledonia crisis: Another church burns, spate of attacks continues" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/09/10/new-caledonia-crisis-another-church-burns-spate-of-attacks-continues/" aria-label="Read more about New Caledonia crisis: Another church burns, spate of attacks continues">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
July 22, 2024
PNG Post-Courier Papua New Guinea’s Chuave District Development Authority is condemning an attack on a priest and his team in Chimbu province. Father Ryszard Wajda (SVD), three nurses, two doctors from Mingende hospital, and two Catholic education officers returned on a four-day foot patrol to Kiari in Nomane sub-district when they were attacked at Dulai ... <a title="PNG villagers attack priest, nurses and doctors while on Chimbu foot patrol" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/07/22/png-villagers-attack-priest-nurses-and-doctors-while-on-chimbu-foot-patrol/" aria-label="Read more about PNG villagers attack priest, nurses and doctors while on Chimbu foot patrol">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
March 8, 2023
Asia Pacific Report A group of “pink shoes” women in Aotearoa New Zealand campaigning for gender equality in the Catholic Church took their message with a display of well-worn shoes to St Patrick’s Cathedral plaza in Auckland today on International Women’s Day. It was part of a national and global “Pink Shoes into the Vatican” ... <a title="International Women’s Day – ‘Pink Shoes into the Vatican’ campaign" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/03/08/international-womens-day-pink-shoes-into-the-vatican-campaign/" aria-label="Read more about International Women’s Day – ‘Pink Shoes into the Vatican’ campaign">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
July 24, 2022
Pacific Media Watch newsdesk Anything concerning the Catholic Church is extremely sensitive in Timor-Leste, as Raimundos Oki, the editor of The Oekusi Post website can confirm, reports the Paris-based global media freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders. Oki is facing a possible six-year jail sentence under article 291 of the penal code after being questioned about ... <a title="RSF criticises charges against Timor-Leste reporter over revealing minors given virginity tests" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/07/24/rsf-criticises-charges-against-timor-leste-reporter-over-revealing-minors-given-virginity-tests/" aria-label="Read more about RSF criticises charges against Timor-Leste reporter over revealing minors given virginity tests">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
October 24, 2021
Kaniva Tonga Cardinal Soane Patita Mafi has a message for the politicians who will soon gather for next month’s COP 26 conference, regarded by many as the last chance to avoid the worst that climate change has to offer. The Tongan-based prelate’s message is simple: Listen. “We want those big nations to really see and ... <a title="Cardinal’s message for COP26 climate conference: ‘Listen to the Pacific’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/10/24/cardinals-message-for-cop26-climate-conference-listen-to-the-pacific/" aria-label="Read more about Cardinal’s message for COP26 climate conference: ‘Listen to the Pacific’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 27, 2021
ANALYSIS: By Sara Niner Xanana Gusmao’s recent contrived jovial participation in the birthday celebrations of “self-professed” paedophile and defrocked foreign priest Richard Daschbach has shocked many of his supporters, not least his Australian former wife and three Timorese-Australian sons who have publicly condemned the visit and written apologetic letters to the young women who were due ... <a title="Timor-Leste: Political leadership, patriarchal relationships, and the paedophile ex-priest" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/02/27/timor-leste-political-leadership-patriarchal-relationships-and-the-paedophile-ex-priest/" aria-label="Read more about Timor-Leste: Political leadership, patriarchal relationships, and the paedophile ex-priest">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 23, 2021
By António Sampaio in Pante Macassar, Timor-Leste The fear that has led for years to silence dozens of children, allegedly victims of sexual abuse by a former priest who begins trial today in Timor-Leste’s western enclave, still shrouds the case. Witnesses, victims and others who knew about the abuse – including people involved in the ... <a title="Fear still marks the trial of a former priest in Timor-Leste enclave" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/02/23/fear-still-marks-the-trial-of-a-former-priest-in-timor-leste-enclave/" aria-label="Read more about Fear still marks the trial of a former priest in Timor-Leste enclave">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 6, 2021
By Lusa News in Dili The Timorese Press Council today asked journalists to avoid being “messenger boys”, referring to the publication of a statement about former Timor-Leste president Xanana Gusmão’s controversial visit to a former priest accused of child abuse without identifying the source. “Journalists are urged to reflect on their role in society and ... <a title="Timorese Press Council criticises media coverage of Xanana’s controversial visit to defrocked priest" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/02/06/timorese-press-council-criticises-media-coverage-of-xananas-controversial-visit-to-defrocked-priest/" aria-label="Read more about Timorese Press Council criticises media coverage of Xanana’s controversial visit to defrocked priest">Read more</a>
