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).
Cardinal Thomas Stafford Williams, ONZ, Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Wellington has died, aged 93. He passed away peacefully on 22 December 2023 at Charles Fleming Retirement Village, Waikanae, north of Wellington. Cardinal Tom lived in Waikanae since his retirement in 2005.
Br Peter Bray fsc, a De La Salle Brother originally from Taranaki, was the vice-chancellor of Bethlehem University until the end of last year. Bethlehem University is a Catholic university located in the city of Bethlehem, in the West Bank; it is the first higher education institution founded in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The synodal process offers religious orders a powerful tool to be less hierarchical and more transparent in the way they operate, says Sr Margaret Anne Mills, Congregational Leader of the Sisters of Compassion.
Bishop of Christchurch Michael Gielen says it is a great privilege to be representing New Zealand’s Catholic bishops at a major Anglican-Roman Catholic gathering underway in Rome and then moving to Canterbury, UK.
Greetings to you as we begin a New Year. I hope that the holiday period has been an enjoyable one for you all and you have had some time for rest and relaxation. For those of you who have worked over the holidays so that others may rest, thank you.
New Zealand’s Catholic bishops say a rise in abortion numbers since a 2020 law change is a tragedy and they want the new coalition Government to promote policies that reduce stresses that can lead to mothers opting for abortion.
Young Catholic adults from all over the country attended the 31st Hearts Aflame Summer School at Ngā Tawa Diocesan School, Marton, 29 December–7 January. They came for 10 days of prayer, formation, learning and sharing the joyful experience of a community of faith. This year’s theme was ‘Behold I make all things new’ – Rev 21:5.
Archbishop Paul Martin sm and Bishop John Adams announced in December the following clergy shifts and appointments for the Archdiocese of Wellington and the Diocese of Palmerston North for 2024.
Signature Choir, an ecumenical Christian choir, performed with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra at a one-off concert at Spark Arena in Auckland, last November. The choir sang folk songs in six different Pasifika languages from the islands of Tokelau, Samoa, Niue, Cook Islands, Fiji and the Kingdom of Tonga.
Fr Michael Pui – parish priest of Good Shepherd Parish Hurunui in North Canterbury – has been appointed National Director of MissioNZ, the local face of the Pontifical Mission Societies.