Sian Owen rsj and Cecily McNeill3 May 2011 The right to die with dignity – an increasingly common call from the pro-euthanasia lobby – was upended when a leading ethicist told a euthanasia conference last month being allowed to die naturally is dying with dignity. ‘They haven’t lost [human dignity] because they remain human.’ Professor […]
Regina Daly PBVM5 June 2011 Voices of the children from St Michael’s School, Taita filled the Church in Stokes Valley on May 14 when many gathered to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the first New Zealand-born Presentation Sister – Mary Tait. Sixty years ago in 1951 Archbishop McKeefry invited the Presentation Sisters from Ireland to […]
Trish McBride6 June 2011 People from seven world faith traditions gathered at the Home of Compassion in Island Bay for an unusual and inspiring retreat at the end of April. In this ‘inter-spirituality’ experience participants aimed to share with each other, at a deeper level than ‘inter-faith’, contemplative/meditative practices related to compassion − the common […]
Seasons for Growth honoured Cecily McNeill7 June 2011 Esther Saldanha of Archdiocesan Pastoral Services has won a top award for her programme, Seasons for Growth, that helps people cope with change, loss and grief. Esther ran the programme in Enliven Presbyterian Support Services’ Rita Angus home for the elderly in Kilbirnie. During the second session […]
Sue Jury7 June 2011 At a recent Catholic principals and directors of religious studies conference Archbishop John Dew shared his dream for stewardship across the archdiocese. He reminded us that in baptism we were called to be intentional and to make a disciples’ response daily. We ask ourselves: • Do we live the life of […]
Mika Teofilo2 August 2011 For the first time in Wellington, the three Pacific Island chaplaincies, Cook Islands, Tokelaus and Samoans brought their catechists together for a combined retreat on the last weekend in June. Also in attendance were Frs Penehe Patelehio and Petelo Mauga. This significant and important time in the formation of the catechists […]
Phil Cody sm10 June 2011 The 1500 people who gathered for the Māori Catholic Easter celebration, the Hui Aranga (‘The Gathering of the Resurrection’) this year gasped as the actor who played Jesus during the play of the passion and death gave such a good performance that he and the cross crashed to the floor. […]
Joan McFetridge3 August 2011 On Saturday, June 18, Archbishop John Dew commissioned Sharon Penny as the lay pastoral leader in the seaside parish of Eastbourne, witnessed by a packed church. Frs Michael Stieller, Linh Nguyen, and Mgr Charles Cooper assisted. Cushla Quigan, who had been the lay pastoral leader in Eastbourne welcomed Sharon at the […]
Cecily McNeill5 August 2011 Catholic Social Services in Wellington threw a party last month to celebrate the 80th birthday of one of its longest-serving staff, Fr Petelo Mauga. In 1972 Fr Petelo left the Marist priesthood and, after a time, started work with the Justice Department. Two years later he was married and raised a […]
Civil action in the High Court in Wellington on August 8 Cecily McNeill 10 August 2011 The Waihopai three spent the first week of August fasting and praying in preparation for a civil action in the High Court in Wellington on August 8. The three, Dominican Fr Peter Murnane, Adrian Leason and Sam Land, were […]