WelCom June/July 2021 The UN Day of the Seafarer is 25 June and the Church’s Sea Sunday, Day of Prayer for Seafarers, is 11 July. Fr Jeff Drane sm Stella Maris New Zealand began establishing Port Welfare Committees this year by building relationships with everyone involved in seafarer welfare – faith-based groups, national maritime authorities, […]
WelCom June/July 2021 Modern slavery encompasses practices including forced labour, debt bondage, forced marriage, human trafficking and other slavery and slavery-like practices. Engagement Manager at Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand Roger Ellis says 40 million people are living in slavery. ‘It is estimated around $3.1 billion worth of goods imported into New Zealand every year are […]
WelCom June/July 2021 The New Zealand Catholic Bishops ask us to mark a Day of Prayer for Refugees and Migrants on 20 June 2021. This date is celebrated as World Refugee Day around the world. For the Catholic Church in New Zealand, a Day of Prayer for Refugees and Migrants is set aside each year […]
WelCom June/July 2021 Te Kupenga – Catholic Theological College in collaboration with the National Office of Professional Standards have developed an online Safeguarding course for all people working in Catholic ministry. The New Zealand Catholic Bishops are committed to fostering a culture of safeguarding in the Church. As a Catholic community, we each have a […]
WelCom June/July 2021 The NZCBC has made a significant change to the proposal to renew the country’s dedication to Our Lady Assumed into Heaven. The proposed hīkoi of a special artwork around Aotearoa New Zealand, in the three months leading to the Feast of the Assumption on 15 August, has been postponed. The bishops decided […]
WelCom June/July 2021 From 20 May, 2021 until the end of July 2022, the Society of Jesus will celebrate ‘The Ignatian Year’ to remember the life of St Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits. The year commenced on the 500th anniversary of St Ignatius’ injury during the Battle of Pamplona on May 20, 1521. […]
WelCom June/July 2021 Over 50 years ago, a young lad from a sheep farm in Colyton – in the Manawatū-Whanganui region – who had been a student at Francis Douglas Memorial College, was captivated by the life of a sixteenth century Spanish saint named Ignatius Loyola. As a result, he flew to Melbourne to begin […]
WelCom June/July 2021 Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Bombay, the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), has pledged the support of the Church’s social and health resources to help with India’s COVID-19 crisis. After a meeting with Caritas India, he said, ‘We are preparing ourselves to help people, nationally, for relief in different […]
WelCom June/July 2021 Pope Francis has offered his support for waiving coronavirus vaccine patents to boost supply to poorer countries. In a video message released as part of the Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World broadcast, organised by anti-poverty group Global Citizen, the Pope repeated his call for global equity regarding COVID-19 vaccines, […]
WelCom June/July 2021 Pope Francis has formally instituted the ministry of catechist for lay people who have a particular call to serve the Church as a teacher of the faith. Teaching about the new role is contained in Pope Francis’ apostolic letter Antiquum Ministerium (Ancient Ministry), released last month. While millions of lay people around […]