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).
Pope Francis has given King Charles III a relic of the True Cross of Jesus as a personal gift ahead of the King’s coronation this month.
The relic has been incorporated into the Cross of Wales, a new processional cross presented by the King as a centenary gift to the Church in Wales
Pope Francis has called for a ‘new revolution’ in today’s way of thinking human sexuality, by refocusing on its connection with the fundamental vocation of each person, which is the ‘gift of self’.
Tactile maps and illustrative panels in braille are planned to be installed in several churches in Rome, for which short videos translated into LIS (Italian Sign Language) will also be available.
The leader of the Irish Church has said more must be done on reconciliation in Northern Ireland and Church leaders must bring people together. In an interview with The Irish Times, the Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin spoke about growing up in Derry during the Troubles and the challenges for the Catholic Church around Republican funerals.
Robert F Kennedy Jr has become the fourth member of his family to run for the Democrat presidential nomination, launching his campaign in Boston to loud cheers from Democrats gathered.
Two of the oldest parishes in the archdiocese are amalgamating. Sacred Heart parish, founded 1874 and based in Reefton, and St Canice’s parish, founded 1867 and based in Westport, are to become the ‘Catholic Parish of Buller and Inangahua.’
During Holy Week at special Chrism Masses in diocesan cathedrals and churches around the globe, oils to be used in the Sacramental life of the Church, are blessed and distributed to representatives to take back to their parishes and faith communities.
Waipatu Māori Catholic Club,are a local group, generally based out at Waipatu Marae, north of Hastings, and we are about to celebrate our 75th birthday. We too are the organisers for our annual hui aranga for 2024 to be held here in Heretaunga or Napier. We are currently looking to secure a venue.
The Young Christian Mothers group was formed in the Sacred Heart Parish of Hastings in 1974 with the help and support of Fr Paul Shannahan sm. Although the group was Catholic based, they opted to use the word Christian rather than Catholic to reflect their wish to be inclusive, particularly for non-Catholic women who had Catholic husbands.
Over the last couple of years the Archdiocese of Wellington has been talking with Ngāti Kapumanawawhiti (Ngāti Kapu), whose ancestors made land available at Pukekaraka, Ōtaki, for the Catholic Mission in 1851.