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FROM THE SECULAR PRESS
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Sexual abuse scandals
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Toll-free telephone line The New Zealand Catholic Church has set-up a toll-free telephone line for people to call after this week's spate of sexual abuse claims. Catholic Church community director Lyndsay Freer said the line was set-up for people to call with concerns, questions or complaints. "It is a help-line which will direct people to the right place to call," Mrs Freer said.
The toll-free number is 0800 111 515. The number of St John of God Order's toll-free hotline is 0800 888 463 and the Society of Mary's is 0800 764 357.
"Complaints against ex-priest mount " NZ Herald 06.07.2002 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=2050583&thesection=news&thesu\ bsection=general Telephone lines set up by Catholic orders to take sexual abuse complaints against priests and clergy are running hot since an apology last week by bishops for abuse committed by men in the church's ranks. Nearly 40 calls related to people outside the Catholic Church and these have been formally reported to appropriate agencies...
"Group action on abuse considered " Otago Daily Times Friday, 5-July 2002 http://www.odt.co.nz/cgi-bin/search-display-story-online-new?date=05Jul2002&obje\ ct=0704448342&type=html&WORDS=catholic&DB=Editorial Victims of alleged abuse at a Catholic boarding school in Christchurch are considering taking group legal action, as complaints against members of religious orders flood in. Former boarders at Marylands - the St John of God Order's former residential school - and their families, who will meet for the first time today, will be presented with a legal opinion by Christchurch lawyer Grant Cameron....
'Dunedin victim says church failed to deal with abuse " Otago Daily Times Thursday, 4-July 2002 http://www.odt.co.nz/cgi-bin/search-display-story-online-new?date=04Jul2002&obje\ ct=J3A30H5590IP&type=html&WORDS=catholic&DB=Editorial Patrick was 10 years old when a Catholic priest crept into his bedroom and sexually abused him for the first time in his own bed, as his parents sat unaware in a room elsewhere in the house.... [Article includes graphic account of abuse]
"Church Head To Visit" Xtra/MSN - IRN News 04/07/2002 (full text) The Australasian head of the Order of St John of God is to visit Christchurch next week to discuss sexual abuse claims. The visit comes in the wake of the allegations against the Catholic Church order which first came to light just over two weeks ago. Brother Peter Burke's office has confirmed he will be meeting with students of the former Marylands School who claim to have suffered sexual and physical abuse. Meanwhile a meeting organised by Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse is being held tomorrow to allow victims and their families to discuss the recent events.
"Police look at case for extraditing ex-priest " NZ Herald 02.07.2002 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?thesection=news&thesubsection=&storyI\ D=2049761 Police are reconsidering whether to extradite from England a former Catholic priest accused of abusing teenage boys, as the number of complaints about the clergy mounts. The decision follows revelations that Marist priest Alan Woodcock, a music teacher at St Patrick's College, Silverstream, in the 1980s, allegedly sexually abused four boys before being removed from the school...
"Apology too late, victim says" ODT Monday, 1-July 2002 http://www.odt.co.nz/cgi-bin/search-display-story-online-new?date=01Jul2002&obje\ ct=0630024299&type=html&WORDS=catholic&DB=Editorial Christchurch: A Christchurch man who received a secret $30,000 payout from a Catholic religious order after alleging sexual abuse has spurned an apology from church leaders. "The damage is done," said the man, who asked to be called Patrick....
"A cross to bear " The Press (Christchurch) 29 June 2002 http://www.stuff.co.nz/inl/index/0,1008,1252260a1936,FF.html The nightmare of sexual abuse scandals is unfolding in the Catholic Church in New Zealand. Geoff Collett asks how the Church is going to confront it.... (Article includes comments by Catholic Communications Directory Lyndsay Freer, and Cardinal Tom Williams)
"White-collar crime " (photo) The Press (Chch) 29 June 2002 http://www.stuff.co.nz/inl/index/0,1008,1252243a1936,FF.html An image of trust hides a tale of abuse. In a special report, The Press continues its scrutiny of the Catholic Church's handling of abuse by its clergy in New Zealand.... (Article refers chiefly to events at the St John of God boarding school in Halswell, Christchurch, and the story of Brother Bernard McGrath who served prison sentences here and in Australia for indecent assaults on children in the 1970's (Australia) and 1980's (NZ).
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"Heaven's ad-man " NZ Herald 06.07.2002 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?thesection=news&thesubsection=&storyI\ D=2050053 On a chilly Monday evening around 80 people are gathered in a church hall at the Greyfriars Presbyterian Church in Mt Eden. In this long, bare room they are watching this video of people watching the man whose name is Nicky Gumbel. Over the past month, the New Zealand branch of Alpha has spent $100,000 on an advertising campaign aimed at enticing people into churches to break bread and hear Gumbel's message....
"Funding for link group withdrawn Family support project " Otago Daily Times Saturday, 6-July 2002 http://www.odt.co.nz/cgi-bin/search-display-story-online-new?date=06Jul2002&obje\ ct=J2B0881605LS&type=html&WORDS=catholic&DB=Editorial The Otago District Health Board has stopped funding the Family Link Service; a move which social agencies say will leave some Dunedin families without crucial support. Family Link Service is a joint project with Plunket, Anglican Methodist Care and Catholic Social Services. It was established in 1995 with funding from the then Southern Regional Health Authority and was primarily a home visiting service....
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CATHOLIC WEB TV
Catholictv.net (Wellington Archdiocesan Media Office) http://catholictv.net Theme of the month: "Faith in Adversity" This week's interviews: Jeff Rahari talks about living in the Solomon Islands and surviving the worst of the racial hostilities there. Interview in two parts.
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EDUCATION
NZ Catholic Education Office Newsletter "Lighting New Fires" Issue No.3 June 2002 http://catholic.org.nz/nzceo/lnfjune02.htm Summary: Editorial: Nurturing emotional intelligence ... Protocol between the Ministry of Education and the Assocation of Proprietors of Integrated Schools ... Teacher Education Forum of Aotearoa New Zealand Conference 28-31 August 2002 ... Minolta products price reduction ... ERO's Friend of the School Initiative ... Publication of 'A Fair and Just Solution'? - A History of the Integration of Private Schools in New Zealand ... Achievements of Integrated Schools, region by region ... Principals' Website Launched ... Education Ministry's paper on allocating resources.. Living Values resource materials ... The Code of Practice for International Students ... 'Duty of Care, A Certificate Course in Residential Care' for operators of boarding houses and hostels ... School Hostel reporting priorities ... Protocol on Integrated Schools which are deemed at risk ... Interesting Websites ... Maori Population Statistics ... Books in Homes programme ... Extension for Gifted Students
Lighting New Fires: Catholic Schools' Supplement http://catholic.org.nz/nzceo/files/june02LNFsup.pdf Summary: Editorial ... Catholic Schools' Day and National Convention, August 2003... Work in Progress (forthcoming developments in Catholic education)... Draft document on the national process of review and development of Catholic Special Character ... Values-Based Education appreciated by non-Catholic parents ... List of graduates in Catechetical Studies who are available to teach ... Appeal for educational project in Bougainville ... Achievements of Catholic schools around New Zealand ... Personal Reference Booklet for teachers and other staff in New Zealand Catholic Schools ... Census figures for populations of Catholic, Pakeha, Maori, Pacific and Asian young people, by individual school district ... Valuable reading
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SPIRITUALITY
"Medjugorje News " Issue 26 May 2002 http://www.medjugorjenews-nz.org/Summary: The Medjugorje Story .....Our Lady's Messages ... From the Editor ... Excerpts from Medjugorje Bulletins ... Excerpts from Children of Medjugorje ...Wellington Eucharistic Convention 2002 ...Wellington (i.e. Auckland) Eucharistic Convention 2002 ... Medjugorje Parish Staff ... My Journey of Fear ... Catechism on the Priesthood ... Good Advice from Kids ... I See Our Lady ... Interview With Msgr.Silas S. Njiru ...There are no obstacles when you pray ... Miraculous Cure Recalled ... A Touch From Heaven ... My Journey Without Leaving ... A Special Kind of Madness ...The Door To Door Salesman ...The Secret of the Rosary ...The Holy Eucharist As Explained to a Muslim ... Gifts To Enrich Your Spiritual Life ***********************************
EMPLOYMENT
(Teaching vacancies in New Zealand Catholic schools are advertised in the Education Gazette: http://www.edgazette.govt.nz/vacancies )
(Vacancies in Catholic Youth Ministry are advertised on the Job Bank page of the National Council for Young Catholics: http://ncyc.org.nz )
** Presenters for 'NZ Catholic' Newspaper **
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"If you live in Northland, Auckland, Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Nelson-Marlborough, West Coast, Otago or Southland, and would like weekend work assisting us to gain subscribers, and have the necessary background and speaking skills, we would like to hear from you.
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