Sunday, November 30, 2003

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CATHOLIC COMMUNICATIONS NZ

http://www.cathcom.org.nz

MEDIA RELEASES ** NZ Catholic Church establishes a "news" website ** Beatification process underway for Pope’s predecessor ** "Cafeteria Catholics" : The New Zealand Catholic Bishops have recently revised their Preference of Enrolment Criteria for those Catholic parents who wish to enrol their children in the nation’s 241 Catholic Schools...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS ** Nuncio's message to focus on essentials of the faith ** The Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Francesco Canalini yesterday urged Australia's bishops to focus on the essentials of the faith as they go forth in unity to meet the challenges posed by an often fragmented modern society...

** Ratzinger criticises Islam for mixing politics, religion ** Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has criticised what he sees as a tendency among Islamic leaders to identify politics and religion, insisting on the importance of respect for religious freedom...

** Georgian Catholics prayed for peaceful change during protests ** The Catholic minority of the former Soviet republic of Georgia prayed for a peaceful change of government during the so-called velvet revolution at the weekend...

** MacKillop saintmaker calls doctor miracle denial "unscientific" ** The procurator for the cause of Blessed Mary MacKillop - Australia's first saint - has criticised the attitiude of doctors who deny the possibility of a miracle because they fear professional embarrassment...

** Parishioners request bishop to discuss priest's removal ** The faithful at Our Lady's Parish at Wangaratta in north-east Victoria, Australia have requested a visit from Sandhurst Diocese Bishop Joe Grech to discuss the planned removal of their parish priest.

** Gibson film moves Billy Graham to tears ** Mel Gibson has given veteran Christian evangelist Billy Graham a personal preview of his film The Passion of the Christ.

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FROM THE CATHOLIC PRESS & NEWS AGENCIES

Igniting faith renewal (photo) Catholic Leader, Brisbane 23.11.2003 http://www.catholicleader.com.au/prinfriendly.php?num=1631 More than 200 young adults from across throughout Australia and New Zealand, including 30 primary school students, took part each day in Emmanuel Youth Outreach's third Ignite youth conference, 'Metamorphosis'....

On the Tridentine Mass, Liturgical Dance and Vocations Cardinal Danneels in a Wide-Ranging Interview http://zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=45312 Rome, Nov. 27, 2003 (Zenit.org).- Cardinal Godfried Danneels of Brussels recently appeared as a speaker at a conference on St. Thérèse of Lisieux. But he didn't limit himself to expounding on the Little Flower. I had an opportunity to sit down with the cardinal for an interview during the conference at the Gregorian University. Cardinal Danneels is a former professor of liturgy at the University of Louvain in Belgium, and I began by asking his views on discussions about a rumored Vatican directive encouraging the return of the Tridentine Mass....

Holy Land – pilgrims build bridges for Christians from East and West; Holy Land hopes for more visitors for Christmas 2003 and in the New Year http://www.fides.org/eng/news/2003/0311/27_1278.html Vatican City (Fides Service ) – A pilgrimage to the Holy Land is a way to respond to Pope John Paul II’s urgent call on Sunday 16 November to build “bridges not walls” in the Holy Land. A pilgrimage is a bridge of solidarity and witness. It unites Christians in the West with those who suffer from poverty and war in the Middle East. In fact as Christmas approaches Christians always look to those Holy Places and take new courage to plan a visit despite the danger....

Christians in Egypt - a country of tolerance - are a bridge between two faiths and two cultures http://www.fides.org/eng/news/2003/0311/21_1238.html Alexandria, Egypt (Fides Service)- “This cannot be labelled as religious Muslim terrorism since its victims are also Muslims” Bishop Giuseppe Bausardo, Apostolic Vicar of Alexandria of Egypt told Fides with regard to recent bomb explosions in Turkey. “Here in Egypt, despite international tension because of the latest terrorist attacks, the situation is apparently calm. Egypt is a country with a long tradition of religious tolerance and harmony among different faiths and this is undoubtedly a decisive factor in difficult times such as these”....

Vatican plays down pope's meeting with Dalai Lama to avoid hurting China relations CBS New York November 27, 2003 http://cbsnewyork.com/international/Vatican-DalaiLama-ai/resources_news_html Vatican City (AP) Pope John Paul II received the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, in an audience Thursday that the Vatican kept extremely low-key to avoid a further chill in its icy relations with China...

Soldiers or pilgrims?, by John Wilkins The Tablet (UK) 22 November 2003 http://www.thetablet.co.uk/cgi-bin/archive_db.cgi?tablet-00826 There is deep debate between Catholics on the right way to relate to the modern world. The editor of The Tablet looks at the arguments ...

Baghdad: US forces sack Coptic church Independent Catholic News 27 November 2003 http://www.indcatholicnews.com/bahdcop.html Christian Peacekeepers in Baghdad, issued a report today, documenting damage at the Holy Mary Orthodox Egyptian Coptic Church caused by US soldiers this summer. The church was built in 1668 and is located Baghdad's Old City. Members of the CPT team visited the church with a human rights worker and recorded the following interview with the priests's assistant, which has been slightly edited....

US Caritas calls Govt funding for aid agencies 'double-edged sword' http://www.cathnews.com/news/311/134.php When Catholic aid organisations operate with government funding in places like Iraq, they must take pains not to be identified with military operations, the head of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in the US told a Vatican meeting....

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FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

Contrasting ceremonies (photo) Otago Daily Times 24 November 2003 http://tinyurl.com/wyat In Clyde, a crowd of more than 120 was at the Mass conducted by Fr Brendan Ward as St Dunstan's Catholic Church celebrated 100 years on its site on the corner of Fraser and Sunderland Sts... [The article notes that Clyde had a Catholic church as far back as 1870, but wind blew it over in 1874. And they call Wellington windy! The fact is, I've never heard of a building blown over in Wellington. People maybe, but not buildings. ML]

Celebration of Polish heritage and culture (photo) ODT 24-November 2003 http://tinyurl.com/wyaw When bells rang out at Mary Queen of Peace Church yesterday, they celebrated the end of a curious historical journey and the continued blossoming of Polish culture in Dunedin. The building, believed to be the world's most southerly historic Polish church, was also the first church built by Polish immigrants in Waihola more than a century ago...

No days off in service of God ODT 22-November 2003 http://tinyurl.com/wyay In delivering the homily for Monsignor Peter Mee, who has died aged 78, Father John Mullin recalled many years ago meeting his fellow priest in the street and inquiring if he was having a day off. "I will never forget his answer - `There is no day off in the service of God'....

Catholic brothers face sex charges TVNZ Nov 28, 2003 http://onenews.nzoom.com/onenews_detail/0,1227,239297-1-7,00.html The police in Christchurch have laid 47 sex abuse charges against three brothers from the Catholic order St John of God, who are now living in Australia....

Government agencies add to poverty problem NZ Herald 27.11.2003 http://tinyurl.com/wyb4 Poor families who seek help from foodbanks are often struggling under the added burden of debt to Government agencies, a study shows...

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CATHOLIC WEB TV

http://www.catholictv.net

"How to celebrate Christmas without spending a cent" (Plays automatically when you open the home page)

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EVENTS

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"Hearts Aflame" Catholic Summer School 2-11 January 2004 Website: http://heartsaflame.catholic.org.nz NB: The Website has not yet been updated with details of the 2004 School

The Hearts Aflame Catholic Summer School offers young adults (18-35 years old) an opportunity to learn more about the teachings of the Church, through: 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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"Pompallier: Te Hokinga Mai": The Journey home of Bishop Pompallier Auckland Museum 18 October 2003 to 18 January 2004. Website: http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/web/content.cfm?Id=565 An exhibition of over 100 photographs supplemented by a number of Pompallier's personal effects including his travelling altar and cope.

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Catholic Festival: A Celebration of the Catholic Faith Auckland Town Hall, Friday 27 - Sunday 29 February 2004 Website: http://www.catholicfestival.org "The Catholic Festival is a celebration of our faith that will be joyful, prayerful, reflective, informative and educational. We hope that it will be inspiring and life-changing for all who participate... We seek to provide the opportunity for anyone to display the gifts that God has given them... We also wish to celebrate our cultural diversity and to grow together in unity. From the centre of Auckland, we also have the opportunity to witness to our faith and help others to see its richness and beauty. Finally, there is the opportunity for the many groups and religious communities to promote their apostolates and seek members and vocations."

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Parachute Music Festival, Mystery Creek, Hamilton, 23-26 January 2004 Website: http://p04.parachutemusic.com/frameset.asp

The annual Christian music festival. Every year a Catholic "tent city" is set up at the Festival, and an all-comers Mass is celebrated, undoubtedly the first experience of a Catholic liturgy for most Festival-goers. Co-ordinator: Jamie Cox. E-mail: jamiec@cdh.org.nz

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EMPLOYMENT

[Teaching vacancies in New Zealand Catholic schools are advertised in the Education Gazette: http://www.edgazette.govt.nz/vacancies ]

St Vincent de Paul Society - National Council office, Wellington Part-time personal assistant Details in 'NZ Catholic' Nov 30-Dec 13 2003 p. 22 and from: svdp.national@xtra.co.nz Applications close 13 December 2003

'NZ Catholic' - Presenters 'NZ Catholic' newspaper wishes to employ skilled communicators with a firm belief in the Catholic press to act as presenters for the paper at parish Masses in: Northland, Auckland, Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Nelson-Marlborough, West Coast, Otago and Southland. Details in 'NZ Catholic' Nov 30 - Dec 13 2003 p. 22 and from Dennis Augustine, Advertising and Promotions Manager, NZ Catholic, PO Box 147-ooo, Ponsonby, Auckland 1034