Dear friends,
This is the last edition of News and Notes for 2002. I will start it up again in early-to-mid January.
Special thanks first of all to our regular contributors of reflections on the Scriptures, Pauline and more recently Dominic, who provide the "Kiwicath' forum with its principal spiritual content. Many thanks also to the volunteers who keep an eye on the newsletter and magazine Websites to tell me when new content comes up. I am very grateful for your help.
Thank you also to the 108 current members of the Kiwicath forum and to the members of its little brother "Kiwicath News & Notes" on MSN Communities for supporting the two services by sticking with us. Members of Kiwicath no doubt ask themselves sometimes where's the distinctive New Zealand content on this "forum on Catholic life in New Zealand?". Well, it crops up from time to time. I have learned to be patient and take the long view. I think that the mere fact that such a forum exists is a good thing, even if it's not constantly boiling with life, because you never know when it might be needed.
One thing's for sure, there will be plenty to discuss in the next year or two. Preparations are well advanced in several New Zealand dioceses for the biggest change in the NZ Catholic Church since the reforms of Vatican II, namely the withdrawal of many resident parish priests to district centres and the appointment of trained lay people as full-time parish administrators. If that doesn't spark some discussion, I don't know what would!! Also I predict the probable war in Iraq next year will be a hot topic. And there will very likely be a new Pope at some point in the next few years, followed by more upheavals.
With many people heading off to vacations, the old problem of a backlog of e-mails inspires some people to quit Kiwicath altogether at this time of the year. You don't have to go that far however. You can change your settings for our forum to "No e-mail", and change them back again when you return. To do this, just send me a note at leon@xtra.co.nz or ...
* Open the 'Kiwicath' home page at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kiwicath/and click on "Edit My Membership" in the right-hand column
* On the Membership page, scroll down to "Message Delivery".
* Click the circle for "No email".
* Go down to the bottom of the page and click the "Save Changes" button.
To quit 'kiwicath' altogether send a message to: kiwicath-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
Every best wish and all God's blessings for Christmas and the new year.
Mike Leon 'kiwicath' forum manager
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CHRISTMAS 2002
"Practical tips for the festive season " Catholic Weekly (Sydney) 22 December 2002 http://www.catholicweekly.com.au/02/dec/22/17.html
For nearly three weeks at Christmas the Church focuses on its extraordinary claim of faith: that God has entered human history and brought salvation to the world. So, while our surrounding culture has all but forgotten Christmas, how can Christians keep the spirit of this sacred season alive? Here are five practical avenues to consider ....
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FROM THE SECULAR PRESS
John Roughan: "Not enough faith and hope, far too much charity " NZ Herald 21.12.2002 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?thesection=news&thesubsection=&storyI\ D=3048200 God, I love Christmas. From the first carol on the radio, I'm hooked. By Tuesday evening I'll be looking for a midnight carol service. Every year, looking around, I see many like me - casual attenders who are there to recapture a little of their childhood and maybe, just maybe, to get the gift of faith again. Why, you probably wonder, if you haven't known the enormous comfort of knowing your place and purpose in some eternal benign design....
"No comments on fell swoop" Otago Daily Times 20 December 2002 (full text) Catholic Property Services has declined to comment on allegations it felled a "significant" yew tree near St Joseph's Cathedral without approval. In a statement to the Otago Daily Times yesterday, Catholic Property Services property manager Bill Haydon said the matter of beautification of the cathedral site was under discussion between the church and the Dunedin City Council. "Until that discussion has concluded, it is inappropriate for me to comment on what trees are affected by the developments and what landscaping will eventuate." On Wednesday, council enforcement monitoring officer Ian McCabe said the church was likely to receive a $300 instant fine. Related article: "Tree cut down accidentally, church property manager says " (photo) Otago Daily Times 20 December 2002 http://www.odt.co.nz/cgi-bin/search-display-story-online-new?date=19Dec2002&obje\ ct=OIG58M3590IR&type=html&WORDS=catholic&DB=Editorial
"Low Income Leads To Poverty Trap" (press release) NZ Council of Christian Social Services 17 December 2002 http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0212/S00141.htm Poverty is trapping many people in a downward spiral of debt, according to a report released today by the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services. The latest results from the Poverty Indicator Report show that many of the people using foodbank services are in debt. At some participating foodbanks, debt is reported by up to 90% of the applicants. Owing money to Work and Income is the most common debt reported, although a significant proportion of applicants are in arrears on utility or electricity bills....
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EVENTS
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January 3-12, 2003 Hearts Aflame Catholic Summer School. "Where Faith and Knowledge Meet" St Joseph's Maori School for Girls, 25 Osier Rd, Taradale, Napier http://www.catholic.org/newzealand/heartsaflame
The Hearts Aflame Catholic Summer School for young Catholic adults (18-35) offers ... * An opportunity to deepen your spiritual life through personal, communal and liturgical prayer and through celebration of the sacraments * A discovery of the richness of Catholic spirituality and tradition. * An experience of living a common life of prayer, service and recreation * An introduction to theology and scripture * An examination of some of the many issues facing the Church
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24-27 Jan. 2003 Parachute Music Festival, Totara Springs Christian Camp, Matamata
Catholics@Parachute: http://www.parachute.ecatholic.net.nz Parachute Music Festival Website: http://websites.parachutemusic.com Parachute Music New Zealand: http://www.parachutemusic.com Parachute 2002 Photo Gallery ... http://www.parachute.co.nz/festival/gallery/index.shtml... including "Catholic service in the Cage" (photo by Hamish Ferguson) ... http://www.parachute.co.nz/festival/gallery/pages/catholic%20service_hamish%20fe\ rguson.htm
The annual Parachute Music Festival Extreme is the biggest Christian music festival in the Southern Hemisphere, with audiences of over twenty thousand mainly young Kiwis.
Parachute Music, the Festival's sponsor, works to develop NZ Christian music, to market it internationally and to make Christian musicians and performers a major influence in mainstream Kiwi culture. Catholics@Parachute is organising a group booking for Kiwi Catholics so as to a get a reserved campsite (tent city) for their group. The idea is to make attending Parachute Festival easier and more appealing, to encourage fellowship among young Kiwi Catholics and introduce them to Parachute Music's mission. Catholics@Parachute also hope to organise a public Mass on one of the stages, which will be the first Catholic Mass most of those at the Festival will have ever witnessed.
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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
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The Catholic Network of Marriage Educators. National Co-ordinator Part-time position, involves some travelling. Further details in 'NZ Catholic' Dec 1 2002 p.21 and from CNME Trust Board Chairperson, PO Box 1937, Wellington. Applications close 31 January 2003.
Catholic Marriage Educators' National Co-ordinator Further details in 'Wel-com' December 2002 p.23, and from CNME Trust board, PO Box 1937, Wellington 6015. Applications close 31 January 2003
