A passionate and knowledgeable facilitator, Robert created a comfortable learning environment in which we covered cultural identity, honouring our stories, origins of New Zealand settlement, pre-treaty New Zealand history, the Treaty of Waitangi, post-treaty legislation, Parihaka, assimilation, consequences of colonisation, sovereignty debate/self-determination, Waitangi Tribunal claims settlements and current treaty issues and implications for the future.
There has been a worshipping community in the district for more than 150 years served initially by Marist priests from Otaki.
When any new Catholic newspaper is established, it is a hope that it might tap into the faith enshrined in the lives of Christian people down the ages, speak about the hope that was theirs and is ours, and stimulate all of us in the ways of truth and love, justice and integrity, mercy and reconciliation.
It was an historic assembly of priests that launched the first issue of Wel-com in September 1984 and the National Assembly of Priests again features in this 250th issue nearly 24 years later. Then the newspaper was just eight pages moving to 12 the following year.
The national WYD committee has been running the competitions to give pilgrims a chance to share something of their journey to WYD and to win some great prizes.
From July 7 to 14 some 400 pilgrims will touch down in the dioceses of Palmerston North and Wellington for a cultural, social and faith-filled exchange’”spending time in our parishes, experiencing life in a Kiwi household, praying, eating and walking with us as pilgrims to WYD in Sydney.
Connect.org.nz aims ‘to be an online infrastructure that assists young Catholic Kiwis to live fully and be connected to Christ, the church and each other’.
Our group’”Wellington East Pastoral Area WYD group’”has a great team of leaders who happily welcomed us all to share the journey together. The group ranges from families to college and university students.
The World Youth Day 2008 theme, received from the Holy Father, is ‘You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses’ [Acts 1:8]. Explain the relevance of the theme in our lives today, and outline ways by which you can be a witness to Jesus Christ.
Chris Willcock’s latest album of songs, Who Did You See, contains the song which will be sung as the gathering song for the papal Mass at World Youth Day.