WelCom is the monthly newspaper of the Archdiocese of Wellington. Print copies of the eight-page newsletter are free and available in parishes, and sent to parishes and schools in PDF form. The archive contains WelCom stories published from 2007 to 2026 (May).
The first World Youth Day to be hosted in a country where Christians are a minority will seek to instil young people with the courage to share the Gospel while fostering inter-religious dialogue. World Youth Day 2027 is to be hosted in Seoul, South Korea.
The body of St Teresa of Ávila, a doctor of the Church, remains incorrupt after her death more than 400 years ago on 4 October, 1582. The postulator general of the Discalced Carmelite Order, Fr Marco Chiesa said, ‘today the tomb of St Teresa was opened and we have verified that it is in the same condition as when it was last opened in 1914.’ The remains of the revered Spanish saint rest at the Carmelite Monastery of Alba de Tormes.
The Vatican has announced that Sydney will host the 54th International Eucharistic Congress in 2028. Held every four years, the congress is expected to draw tens of thousands of faithful Catholics from across the globe. Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher op said that this will be the largest gathering held on Australian shores since World Youth Day 2008.
As preparations ramp up for the highly anticipated Jubilee Year 2025, the first 26 major events have been revealed on the official Jubilee website iubilaeum2025.va/en.html. The Jubilee’s central theme is one of unity, renewal, and spiritual reflection, offering pilgrims worldwide the opportunity to deepen their faith through a series of carefully curated events.
Priestly vocations in Ireland are experiencing a modest yet significant development, with a slight uptick in the number of men answering the call to priesthood.
A study group has been set up to evaluate the functioning and role of Apostolic Nuncios, the papal Representatives in the Church worldwide.
Next May, Pope Francis will undertake a significant trip to Turkey, an event that promises to be both ecumenical as well as politically relevant. This journey, announced by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I, will commemorate the 1700 years of the first Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, held in 325 in present-day Iznik, Turkey.
On Sunday 15 September 2024, Catholic Māori from around Te Whanganui-a-Tara met with Archbishop Paul Martin sm to discuss a range of issues relevant to whaanau and faith. Archbishop Paul was seeking counsel on a variety of matters including the relaunching of Te Kahu o Te Rangi and the care of tamariki and rangatahi Māori in our Catholic schools.
Thousands of people from across the country gathered in Heretaunga Hastings over two days in August for Aotearoa’s first-ever festival – Toitū Te Reo – dedicated to celebrating te mana o te reo Māori, culture and the identity of Māori and wider New Zealand.
Sr Helena Fouhy csb was first professed as a Brigidine Sister on 8 September 1944 in the Randwick Novitiate, Sydney. So on 8 September 2024, the 80th anniversary of her profession, she was offered congratulations on her historic day.
It was a momentous occasion for Sr Helena as the first New Zealand Brigidine to reach 100 years of age and the first to celebrate 80 years of profession as a Brigidine.