WelCom November 2016: Youth, Schools, Education Frances O’Leary and Barbara Caygill The faith community at St Francis of Assisi Church in Stoke celebrated the feast day of its patron saint, St Francis – also patron saint of ecology and peace, as reflected in the Mass and prayers of the faithful themes. Parishioners were invited to bring […]
WelCom November 2016: Te Tau Tapu o te Atawhai – He Tirotiro i te Hunga Mauhere ‘I was in prison and you came to me.’ Mt. 25:36 Pope Francis has made a point of visiting prisons or detention centres in almost all of his foreign trips. In the weeks leading up to closing his Jubilee Holy […]
WelCom November 2016: International News Australia’s Catholic Bishops released a statement on 13 October backing calls for asylum seekers detained on Nauru and Manus Island to have their claims assessed instead in Australia. President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Archbishop Denis Hart said all Catholics have a moral obligation to welcome vulnerable people forced from […]
WelCom November 2016: News Simone Olsen, NZCBC Pope Francis has announced the appointment of 17 new cardinals to the College of Cardinals, with 11 coming from places never before included. Archbishop Sir John Ribat, aged 59, of Port Moresby Diocese in Papua New Guinea was named among them. By naming a cardinal to PNG Francis has reached […]
WelCom November 2016: A Meditation – He Whakaaroaro ADVENT means ‘approaching’ – something is coming! It is traditionally a four-week season in preparation for Christmas, but the first two weeks focus on the ‘second coming’ of Christ; the time when all will be brought to completion. They follow the feast of Christ the King and conclude the […]
WelCom November 2016: News Monsignor Gerard Burns Much admired and determined union leader, Helen Kelly, aged 52, died last month following a battle with lung cancer. More than 1500 people gathered at the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington on Friday 28 October to farewell the former Council of Trade Union president. I met Helen a couple […]
WelCom November 2016: Features The South Pacific faces enormous challenges resulting from climate change over the next half century and beyond according to Jonathan Boston, Professor of Public Policy at Victoria University. Professor Boston strongly welcomed the Caritas State of the Environment Report for Oceania 2016, and commended Caritas on their excellent research and presentation. We […]
WelCom November 2016: Features Dr John Kleinsman, Director, the NZ Catholic Bioethics Centre The Health Select Committee Inquiry into Ending One’s Life in New Zealand continues with the presentation of oral submissions. An analysis of the more than 75 per cent of submitters who are opposed, shows a number of key themes emerging. 1. We should not […]
WelCom November 2016: Diocesan News Pleroma Social Services and Pleroma Christian Supplies co-founder, Shirley Duthie, was awarded the Central Hawke’s Bay District Civic Award for 2016 by CHB Mayor, Peter Butler. The award recognises Shirley’s dedicated voluntary community service to the district. Shirley received the award on 8 September for over 40 years of service to […]
WelCom November 2016: Diocesan News Diocese of Palmerston North staff For over 25 years dating back to his ‘OE’ Bishop Charles has been volunteering in India during his holidays. His base is a community for special-needs children and adults, people with leprosy, children of leprous parents, and there is also a much in demand TB hospital. […]