September 2016 Reflections WelCom has invited a series of Gospel reflections – with a rural perspective – from Tom Gibson a retired dairy farmer who lives in Stratford and is a parishioner of the Immaculate Conception Parish. (Luke 14:25-33) The Demands of Revolution: Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem and – as we see […]
September 2016 Te Tau Tapu o te Atawahi – He hoatu inu ki te hunga hia-inu ‘…but no one who drinks the water that I shall give will ever be thirsty again: the water that I shall give will become a spring of water within, welling up for eternal life.’ John 4: 14 ‘As the […]
‘The horrifying attack on Fr Jacques Hamel and parishioners in a parish church near Rouen has a very personal connection. In 2009 when we went to France to commemorate Bishop Viard’s 200th anniversary, I celebrated Mass at the birthplace of St Marcellin Champagnat with Archbishop Dominique Lebrun, in whose diocese the attack took place. It […]
August 2016 News Simone Olsen, NZ Catholic Bishops A new Rite of Blessing for expectant parents and their child in the womb has been created in both Māori and English. The New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference are offering a new publication Ko Te Ritenga Whakapai I Ngā Mātua Me Tā Rāua Tamaiti Kei Roto Tonu I […]
August 2016 News From Missionaries of the Charity Sisters, Porirua The little community of four sisters of the Missionaries in Porirua are overjoyed at the news that their Foundress and Mother, Teresa of Calcutta, will be canonised in Rome on September 4 this year, by His Holiness, Pope Francis. It was the Holy Father’s desire […]
August 2016 Diocesan News Monsignor Gerard Burns They say humans are the only animals that can make promises. I think that’s true: promises to keep a secret, marriage vows, religious vows, baptismal promises, legal contracts, and so on. The Marist family has just been celebrating 200 years since a small group in Lyon made a […]
August 2016 Diocesan News Annette Scullion Maureen Phillips, St Paul’s Catholic School Principal After five stimulating years as Religious Education Adviser for primary schools in the Wellington Archdiocese, Maureen Phillips is returning ‘home’ to Nelson as principal for St Paul’s Catholic School in Richmond. She says she has been greatly looking forward to taking up […]
August 2016 Diocesan News ‘Many are finding it difficult to access the assistance available to them at Work and Income,’ Wellington Catholic Social Services Director Lesley Hooper recently told a Select Committee considering the Social Security Legislation Rewrite Bill. ‘In all the decisions you are making about this legislation, we ask that you consider: Is […]
August 2016 Diocesan News Shane Olsen ‘Jesus came into the world homeless and poor. The Church wants to embrace everyone, and say that everyone has a right to have a roof over them.’ —Pope Francis For the past 18 months, the Wellington Justice, Peace and Development (JPD) Commission have been advocating for better housing throughout […]
August 2016 Diocesan News Merle Nowland, Nelson Parish Several Western countries have changed their laws to legalise assisted suicide and euthanasia in varying circumstances. Four speakers at a forum in May, organised by Nelson’s Parish of the Holy Family, were united in the view that for New Zealand to go down such a path would be […]