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FROM THE CATHOLIC PRESS
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'NZ Catholic' No 169, August 24 - September 6, 2003 http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz
PAPER WINS! NZ Catholic has for the third time been judged the best Catholic newspaper in Australasia. The paper was described as "an impressive winner" of the Bishop Philip Kennedy Memorial Prize at the Australasian Catholic Press Association's conference in Canberra on August 14. NZ Catholic also received three other prizes at this conference and that of the Australasian Religious Press Association.
Formation of the Person is Teachers' Key Task WELLINGTON - The biggest concern of the Catholic teacher is the formation of the person, Cardinal Tom Williams said in his speech at the Catholic Schools Convention on August 14. The formation of the person is more important for the Catholic teacher than the transmission of facts, he said. ...
Parishes oppose GMO release WELLINGTON - While media reports indicate Vatican support for genetic modification, several New Zealand Catholic parishes are voicing their opposition to the Government lifting its moratorium in October on the release of genetically modified organisms....
Bishop speaks in support of good man held in prison AUCKLAND - The Government is holding a good man in jail, says Bishop Robin Leamy, SM, of Auckland. ...
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The Far East (St Columban's Missionary Society) August 2003 http://www.columban.org.au/tfe/tfe_current.htm
Editorial: "... Pope John Paul II’s letter, Peace with God the Creator, Peace with all of Creation gave a wake up call to Catholics about the ecological crisis affecting our world. It seems that if we want to survive, or allow the environment to flourish, then we need to change our perception of ourselves in relation to our world and its environs....
From the Director: We are called to a life of interconnectedness "The Pope and the Bishops of Australia are calling us to an ecological conversion. Many of the mission stories in this issue of The Far East are about people who have made this change. We used to talk about conversion as moving from one religion to another. Today it refers more to a change of mind and heart. We are challenged to think and feel differently about our environment. We are called to interact in new ways with the world around us...."
Symbol of God, by Peter Woodruff "When Fr Paul Prendergast first came to Peru in 1966 he worked in the parish of San Mateo in the district of San Martin de Porres, Lima. He began to organise groups of people from his parish to go as missionaries to mountain villages, where religious practice had fallen away, due to the lack of priests and catechists...."
Catholic Faith and Ecology , by Charles Rue Fr Rue speaks about how his faith deepened as his insights into ecology developed and how St Columban's Mission Society is working to make environmental issues mainstream...
Capital Investment, by Maree Nutt "... From this modest beginning in 1976, Professor Yunus started the Grameen Bank which now employs 12,000 staff, works in more than 40,000 villages of Bangladesh and extends four million microcredit loans a year. With loan repayments exceeding 98%, it outperforms all other banks in Bangladesh and most banks around the world. The Grameen Bank model of microcredit has now been replicated in over 60 countries....
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FROM THE SECULAR PRESS
Work for Catholic education honoured (photo) The Daily News (New Plymouth) 29 August 2003 http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/dailynews/0,2106,2642238a6554,00.html A New Plymouth man who has devoted his life to developing Catholic education in New Zealand has received a prestigious award. Michael Finnigan's contribution was recognised at the New Zealand Catholic Schools' (NCEO) Convention in Wellington last week....
Priest had great empathy for people facing personal struggles Otago Daily Times Saturday, 23-August 2003 http://tinyurl.com/lofj Dunedin Roman Catholic priest Father Vincent Flaherty, who died last month at the age of 84, had a tremendous ability to reach out to people facing turbulent times. He spent the majority of his priesthood serving Otago communities....
'God's team sport' hits the right notes NZ Herald 25.08.2003 http://tinyurl.com/lofl The Catholic girls' school that gave the world divas such as Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Dame Malvina Major is switching the emphasis of its musical education to orchestral instruments. The 150-year-old St Mary's College in Ponsonby retains the strong vocal tradition established by famed teacher Dame Sister Mary Leo, but the focus shifted six years ago when orchestral tuition became compulsory for all Year 7 and Year 8 (form one and two) students....
Parishioners oppose GM NZ Herald 28.08.2003 http://tinyurl.com/lofm Catholic parishioners have formed a group to oppose the commercial release of genetically modified organisms, despite the Vatican's contrary view. Parishioners from St Matthew's in Hamilton and St Patrick's in Oamaru formed Corpus Christi (Body of Christ) to fight the lifting of the GM moratorium....
Agency warns of backlash over birth controversy NZPA 28 August 2003 http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2641930a10,00.html A social services agency is warning publicity over foreign women travelling to New Zealand to give birth could lead to a backlash against children legitimately born here to non-resident parents. Catholic Agency for Justice Peace and Development (Caritas) spokesman Lisa Beech said the Immigration Service should decline visitors' visas to women if the primary reason for the visit was to give birth....
Congregations grow as Catholic priests retire http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2637581a11,00.html Fairfax NZ National News 25 August 2003 The Auckland diocese of the Catholic Church is facing bigger congregations – mostly thanks to immigration – just when it is short of priests. The Bishop of Auckland, Patrick Dunn, is asking parishioners to consider moving towards larger regional centres to pool resources....
New head for Christian party NZ Herald 25.08.2003 http://tinyurl.com/lofn An Auckland project manager has been chosen to head Christian Heritage after a convention in Nelson which discussed the party's future direction. Ewen McQueen, 38, a trained economist, was chosen by delegates on Saturday to replace the Rev Graham Capill, who is resigning after almost 14 years leading the party....
Paedophile priest 'a very sick man' Fairfax NZ National News 30 August 2003 http://www.stuff.co.nz/otago/0,2106,2643247a6017,00.html A Roman Catholic priest convicted of sexual abuse yesterday is a very sick man who got great satisfaction from abusing little boys, one of his victims says. Former Dunedin priest Father Magnus William Murray pleaded guilty to 10 indecency charges dating from the 1950s and 1960s. He will be sentenced next month....
Consedine resigns http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2640869a11,00.html Fairfax NZ National News 28 August 2003 The Lyttelton Catholic priest accused of sexual misconduct has officially resigned from his Canterbury parish. Father Jim Consedine is reportedly back in Canterbury after attending a Sydney programme specialising in treating clergy for violation of professional boundaries, sexual disorders, and abuse....
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CATHOLIC WEB TV
Wellington Archdiocesan Media Centre: Catholictv.net http://www.catholictv.net
Cardinal Williams explains the background to "Steadfast in Hope" by Fr Michael O'Meegan, the latest book covering the 150-year history of Wellington archdiocese.
in his monthly education report, Br Pat Lynch (NZ Catholic Education Office) reports on the National Catholic Schools Convention attended by MPs John Tamihere and Trevor Mallard, and Dr Louis Gatta.
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EDUCATION
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New Zealand Catholic Schools Convention August 2003
http://www.catholic.org.nz/nzceo/convention/index.shtml
Keynote Speaker Addresses by ... Cardinal Thomas Williams ... Karen Sewell ... Br Pat Lynch ... Dr Louis A. Gatta (USA) "Spirituality at the heart of the school" ... Dr Ann Gilroy: "Navigating our future" ... Howard Fancy ... Hon. John Tamihere ... Workgroup presentation by Sr Elizabeth Julian; plus Laureate Awards 2003 for outstanding contributions to Catholic education in New Zealand.
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NZ Catholic Education Office Newsletter 'Lighting New Fires' Issue no.4 July 2003 http://nzceo.catholic.org.nz/lightingnewfires.shtml
In the main Newsletter ...
Editorial: Professional development and student achievement, by Pat Lynch ... Furniture and Equipment Policy Enrolment Schemes ... Education Review Office Evaluation Indicators ... Licensing and Regulations for Boarding Schools and Hostels ... School Planning and Reporting – a Reminder ... Furniture and Equipment Policy ... Enrolment Schemes ... Celebrating pople and events: Achivements of Catholic schools throughout New Zealand ... Guidelines for Boards of Trustees on Managing Principal Appraisal ... New Chair of the New Zealand Teachers Council ... Improving the Achievement Levels of Maori Students: Waikato University Research Findings ... Education Review Office Evaluation Indicators ... University of Auckland Principals’ Centre Courses ... Resources for Schools and Early Childhood Centres in Pasifika Languages ... Use of the Export Education Levy ... Schools’ Peace Week 4-10 August 2003 ... Garin College Student Help Desk ... Useful Websites
In LNF's Catholic Schools' supplement ... Editorial: Special Character ... Progress on the Review and Development of Catholic Special Character in Schools ... Preference of Enrolment Criteria ... NZ Catholic School Rolls Continue to Rise ... An Introduction to Christianity for International Students ... The Religious Dimension of Education in a Catholic School ... Principal sought for St Mary’s School, Gore ... Reclaiming Charisma in Catholic Schools ... Interesting Reading: ‘Unsettled Hope – Unaccompanied Minors in Ireland, from Understanding to Response’ ... Education Review Office Report on Catholic Schools in New Zealand
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EVENTS
September 2003
'NZ Catholic' newspaper's National Art and Faith Competition Closing date: September 19 2003; works to be in by September 30; exhibition opens October 3. For paintings of a spiritual nature demonstrating the vitality, joy and hope found in Christian beliefs. Three categories, including one for works relating to Mary the mother of Jesus, and one for icons. Prizes to the value of $4,750 Entry forms from "Art Competition", NZ Catholic, PO Box 147-000, Ponsonby, Auckland 1034. Tel: (09) 360 3069; E-mail: catholic@iconz.co.nz
Related Website: NZ Art Monthly: 'Art and Faith' Competition http://www.nzartmonthly.co.nz/draper_002.html Background to the competition and a selection of entries from 2001
