July 2015 Opinion Raised awareness of assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia and the Church’s contrasting teachings brings our attention to palliative care, allowing people to die with dignity and free of pain. Dr Sinéad Donnelly, a palliative-medicine specialist, who says euthanasia ‘puts the soul of medicine on trial’, explains palliative care practice in this country. […]
June 2015 Schools For the third time in a row, St Catherine’s College Kilbirnie, one of Wellington’s smallest high schools, has won the O’Shea Shield public speaking and drama competition. Over the weekend of 1–3 May 2015, 17 Catholic colleges from the Archdiocese of Wellington and the Diocese of Palmerston North competed in eight public […]
June 2015 News Kathleen Field It is God that has chosen you, Bishop Charles Drennan reminded Deacon Nathaniel Tat Brazil at his ordination to the priesthood, Saturday 16 May, in St Peter Chanel Church, Hastings. Bishop Charles explained that in priesthood, God has chosen Nathaniel to lay down his life to take up a new […]
June 2015 Opinion Lisa Beech, Caritas Caritas has welcomed the Budget announcement, on 21 May, of an increase in base rates for beneficiaries with children. It is a long overdue step towards addressing poverty experienced by too many Kiwi families. For vulnerable families on the lowest incomes, $25 a week will make a significant difference. […]
June 2015 Opinion Cardinal John Dew The late Brother Roger, of the ecumenical Taizé Community, once said ‘mercy is the only climate in which we meet God’. Analysts say the word ‘mercy’ is the word Pope Francis uses the most; and he has now announced the Year of Mercy, 8 December 2015 through to 20 […]
June 2015 News Deb Lucy Earlier this year the Tongan community of New Zealand rejoiced at the news Pope Francis had elected a Tongan cardinal for the first time. At 53 years of age, Cardinal Soane Patita Paini Mafi is the youngest member of the College of Cardinals. The excitement was relived in the Palmerston […]
June 2015 World The United Nations World Refugee Day is observed annually on 20 June. It honours the spirit and courage of millions of refugees worldwide and recognises their contribution to their new communities. Since the outbreak of conflict and civil war in Syria in 2011, millions of Syrians have been displaced, many crossing the […]
June 2015 Feature Respect for life Msgr Gerard Burns The Church’s respect life stance is based on its faith in God as a creator and a wonder and awe at the beauty and mystery of creation. The first statement of the creed – and in fact in the sign of the cross we use so […]
June 2015 Feature Sr Anne Burke RSJ The Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart were founded by Mary MacKillop – now St Mary of the Cross MacKillop – and Fr Julian Tenison Woods, in Penola South Australia in I866. This was in response to the need for education and care for children in […]
June 2015 Feature The United Nations’ World Refugee Day, observed on June 20 each year, honours the spirit and courage of millions of refugees worldwide and recognises their contributions to new communities. Wel-Com has invited a number people who came to New Zealand as refugees, and are now settled in Wellington and Palmerston North, to […]