A former Catholic brother will be extradited to Australia to face 252 sexual abuse charges alleged to have been made against 35 complainants, a judge ruled today.

Peers from all parties have warned the House of Lords it would exceed its powers if it derailed plans to legalise gay marriage.

Of all European countries, you might have thought, France would have taken gay marriage in its stride.

The Anglican Church breached the Human Rights Act by stopping a homosexual man from entering a priesthood training programme, says his lawyer.

The Anglican Bishop of Auckland says he was following church rules when he turned Eugene Sisneros down for priest training because he was in a same-sex relationship.

Auckland's Rudolf Steiner schools could lose their only religious instruction teacher because of an Immigration New Zealand decision not to recognise her as a religious worker.

Eugene Sisneros has described his hurt and humiliation after allegedly being rejected for a priest training programme because he was in a same-sex relationship.

A homosexual man is taking the Anglican Bishop of Auckland to the Human Rights Tribunal after being rejected for training as a priest.

The Boston bombings are tragic on a number of levels, it is tragic for those who have lost their lives, it is tragic for the families of the lost ones, and it is tragic for those who bore witness to the carnage.

The received wisdom is that the Tsarnaev brothers began their attack on the Boston Marathon to advance the cause of their fellow Chechens, writes Pete Lentini.

Gay marriage has been legalised by Parliament - but it is still banned by most of New Zealand's 10 main religions, a new Herald survey shows.

Gay marriage law author Louisa Wall won't be able to marry her same-sex partner in her own Ratana Church.

A month after his election as leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics, Pope Francis I is riding a wave of popularity that would leave many politicians drooling.

A church in central Auckland is auctioning one of its controversial 'Jesus coming out' billboards on Trade Me.

Thrill-seekers at the long-running Auckland Easter Show have been left disappointed after its main ride provider set up a rival event, breaking a 60-year tradition.

The part that finished me for Sunday School was when the minister said the torture and death of Jesus proved how much he loved us. Rodney Hide hated it.

Hindus in India celebrated the festival of Holi by painting each other in bright colors, distributing sweets and squirting water at fellow festival-goers. The holiday begins each year with a bonfire, followed the next day by paint throwing to celebrate the arrival of spring and the victory of good over evil.

While opposition to same-sex marriage appears to be growing in NZ, several surveys in the United States show public opinion is surprisingly heading in the other direction.

Public opposition to same-sex marriage has grown significantly since a law change to legalise it came before Parliament, a HeraldDigiPoll survey shows.