After 12 years of celebrating the third rite of reconciliation with up to 600 people attending the ceremony every Advent and Lent, St Joseph’s Parish, New Plymouth, has had its permission for this practice withdrawn. The parish is now appealing to the church to have permission to hold this rite reinstated.
In the light of the direct non-violent action of Wellington Archdiocesan vicar-general Fr Gerard Burns in confronting the Israeli war on Gaza, many may ask, ‘did he go too far? Is destruction of property ever justified?’ The gospels help provide an answer.
Members of the archdiocesan Justice, Peace and Development Commission visited a people’s market in Wellington’s Newtown suburb last month as an awareness-raising exercise.
Some horrors have been perpetrated in the name of Christianity’the Crusades of the Middle Ages spring to mind’and Christianity has had a significant impact on our society.
Together we can ‘ provide support for those New Zealanders most affected by the global economic crisis. This is the conviction and the invitation of the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS) as we face the effects of the recession. The Catholic Church works alongside Anglican, Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian churches and the Salvation Army in this response.
The goodwill and skills of two Marlborough tradesmen have restored a statue destroyed at St Joseph’s School in Kaikoura by ‘mindless vandals’ in January.
It seems that we naturally seek to be affirmed in what we already believe instead of really trusting God to be where we don’t expect him.
Fr Rob then told them, ‘We will dictate how much water, electricity and medical supplies you can have and who can visit or go out. A few of you will find work. You might find it crowded’sorry.
Former spiritual directors at Frederic Wallis House will be back in the Hutt to launch the restored former retreat house’s labyrinth pathway into a new era when it is officially reopened on its new Hutt Hospital site on Sunday March 1.