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).
WelCom December 2019 A negligent and selfish culture of food waste is fuelling the global hunger crisis, damaging the lives of individuals and preventing the progress of all people, Pope Francis said in a message sent, on Monday 18 November, to David Beasley, executive director of the UN World Food Programme. ‘In many places, our […]
WelCom December 2019 Pope Francis arrived in Bangkok, on Wednesday 20 November where he was welcomed at the city’s International Airport by Thai authorities and bishops and was treated to full military honours. Arriving in Thailand for a two-day visit, Pope Francis was greeted by 11 children – one for each of the country’s dioceses […]
WelCom December 2019 Several hundred protesters against the End of Life Choice Bill gathered outside Parliament on the day of the third and final reading of the bill, 13 November 2019. The member’s bill, in the name of ACT leader David Seymour, that would allow terminally ill adults, to request a medically-assisted death, cleared its […]
WelCom December 2019 The timeline has been set for Cardinal George Pell’s Australia High Court appeal with dates set for written submissions by Pell’s lawyers to be submitted by early in the new year. Indicative dates published on the High Court’s website shows that the applicant (Pell) has until January 8, 2020, to file a […]
WelCom December 2019 Jean Sloan The annual Cardinal’s Care Appeal this year will continue to raise funds for those on the peripheries of society in accord with the Archdiocesan Synod in 2017. Last year’s appeal raised funding largely directed to refugee support. Since 2016, the Church has welcomed almost 700 refugees into homes in New […]
WelCom December 2019 Professor Thomas O’Loughlin, Professor of Historical Theology at the University of Nottingham, UK, and a priest of the Archdiocese of Arundel and Brighton on England’s south coast, continues his six-part series. Asking two theological questions What is God? Should we bother about our religious language? It is significant that while many are […]
WelCom December 2019 The Maxwell Fernie Organ at St Mary of the Angels Maxwell Fernie OBE (1910–1999) was a renowned New Zealand organist, teacher and conductor. Based in Wellington, Max was an authority on Gregorian chant, sixteenth century polyphony, organ construction and tonal design. A new book entitled The Perfection of Sound tells the story […]
WelCom December 2019 Dealing with a cancer diagnosis was the catalyst for a new book of poems from Wellington poet and publisher Michael Fitzsimons, with the arresting title of Michael I thought you were dead. ‘The book is an honest and searching account of what it feels like to confront one’s mortality and find spiritual […]
WelCom December 2019 Anne Phibbs csb Sr Helena Fouhy csb, who turned 96 on November 23, has celebrated 75 years of professed life as a Brigidine Sister this year. On September 8, following a Mass at St Brigid’s Church, Pahiatua, around 100 of Sr Helena’s family and friends joined the Brigidine Sisters for a celebratory […]
WelCom December 2019 Elizabeth Minato In Westport, St Canice Parish’s Rosary Crusade has just finished for 2019. Some years ago, the Filipino community decided to start a rosary crusade based on the ‘Block Rosary’ from their homeland. A beautiful statue of Our Lady travels to a house where the household pray the rosary each day. […]