Sunday, May 23, 2004

Father, all powerful and ever-loving God, We do well always and everywhere to give you thanks.

Today the Lord Jesus, the king of glory, the conqueror of sin and death, ascended to heaven while the angels sang his praises.

Christ, the mediator between God and man, judge of the world and Lord of all, has passed beyond our sight, not to abandon us, but to be our hope. Christ is the beginning, the head of the Church; where he has gone, we hope to follow.

The joy of the resurrection and ascension renews the whole world, while the choirs of heaven sing forever to your glory.

(Preface of the Ascension of the Lord)

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'NZ CATHOLIC'

http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz

From issue No 187, May 16-29, 2004

PM and bishop open new Auckland college AUCKLAND - Prime Minister Helen Clark shared the honour with Bishop Patrick Dunn of unveiling the commemorative stone at the opening and blessing of Sancta Maria College, Botany South, on May 2....

Relics of St Therese to come to NZ next year HAMILTON - The relics of St Therese of Lisieux should be in New Zealand for a pilgrimage late next year...

Bid to restore Catholic culture of Marist rugby AUCKLAND - Despite its name, there are few religious brothers in the Auckland Marist Brothers Old Boys Rugby Football Club. But Bob Clarke is out to change that...

Also in the print edition ... Reinstated priest looks back on "mystery of life"; NZ bishops comment on liturgy instruction; Pyjama vow turned out to be a fundraiser; Tariana Turia on the foreshore; UK blamed by Irish archbishop; Pilgrimage to Monte Cassino.

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CATHOLIC COMMUNICATIONS NZ

http://www.cathcom.org.nz

MEDIA RELEASES "On being counter-cultural": A theological reflection by Bishop Peter Cullinane 21 May 2004 "... So, what about people in de facto relationships and same-sex relationships? To some of them the Church’s position seems intolerant, unaccepting of people’s choices, and discriminatory. Yet we, too, reject intolerance, prejudice and all forms of unjust discrimination. We have no desire to hurt anyone, especially people who might have suffered much already. So why does the Church’s teaching sometimes appear in that light? There are two very specific reasons for this, and they both imply that at times, as Catholics, we have to accept being counter-cultural .... "

INTERNATIONAL NEWS Christian Brothers leader writes to PM on Timor Sea oil Visiting ethicist says religious 'censored' by secular state Swiss bishops denounce calls for papal retirement Catholic leaders say Sonia Gandhi made 'a very Christian decision' Philippine Govt censure prompts Archbishop's free speech call Bishop says abuse of prisoners undermines war on terrorism

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MONTE CASSINO COMMEMORATION

Veterans give back booty to Italian monastery http://www.breakingnews.ie/2004/05/22/story148779.html New Zealand veterans gave back battlefield booty looted from the Benedictine abbey of Monte Cassino during the Second World War, including a metal chalice and fragments of wooden sculptures. The objects were returned yesterday during a ceremony attended by the abbot of Monte Cassino, Bernardo D’Onorio, New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark and 60 New Zealand veterans ...

War trophy returned (photo) Waikato Times 22 May 2004 http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2916215a10,00.html Earle Crutchley is pictured with a pewter chalice he returned to Monte Cassino yesterday – 60 years after it was taken from the ruins of the now rebuilt monastery ...

Ex padre 'bloody glad' abbey was bombed NZPA 22 May 2004 http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2916204a11,00.html Cassino: At 91, former Anglican padre Pat Gourdie, stood at the foot of the imposing Benedictine monastery on top of Monte Cassino in Italy today and said he "bloody glad" it was blown to bits by the Allies in World War 2 ...

Photo Essay: Monte Cassino Abbey An Icon For Peace, by Selwyn Manning Scoop 23 May 2004 http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0405/S00228.htm (The page includes fifteen photographs of interior and exterior scenes of the Abbey, including one of Helen Clark with the abbot.)

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FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

Helen Clark gifts Pope with NZ bowl during meeting (photo) NZ Herald 22.05.2004 http://tinyurl.com/3acmk Rome - Prime Minister Helen Clark has left a piece of New Zealand with the Pope after a 15-minute audience at the Vatican last night. Helen Clark and her husband, Professor Peter Davis, met John Paul II in his private library, where she presented him with a small bowl with a mother-of-pearl inlay...

Sex abuser's sisters bring him home to face justice NZ Herald 22.05.2004 http://tinyurl.com/26u2r In the middle of a summer's night in Greece, the law caught up with Alan Woodcock. For years, the former Catholic priest had avoided facing justice for the sexual abuse of a string of boys. Now there was no escaping. His sisters, members of the Sisters of St Joseph of Nazareth religious order, had helped police to track him down to Greece, where he was taking some time out...

Abuse by priest a shock to college http://tinyurl.com/332vs The Catholic Church and St John's College in Hastings only found out on last night's television news that one of the charges against paedophile priest Alan Woodcock related to his time in Hawke's Bay...

Church will inform police of sex abuse claims after Woodcock NZPA 18.05.2004 http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2911270a11,00.html The Catholic Church today vowed to pass all allegations of sex abuse against children by members straight to police following the conviction of paedophile priest Alan Woodcock yesterday. "We learn by our mistakes and they were very grievous mistakes," the head of Woodcock's order, Father Denis O'Hagan said...

Netball: Hands-on approach wins (photo) http://tinyurl.com/3hmdc NZ Herald 21.05.2004 Auckland Diamond Krystal Feterika-Opetaia was last week named in the New Zealand A side to play the Silver Ferns and Australia next month. Born in Auckland, Feterika-Opetaia started her career at St Josephs Primary School in Otahuhu. She got "serious" about netball when she was selected for the Auckland Catholic girls under-17 side and then the Auckland under-19s...

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FROM THE OVERSEAS CATHOLIC PRESS & AGENCIES

Happy Birthday, Your Holiness! Pope’s new book, “Get up, let’s go!” released on his birthday http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=807 Vatican City (AsiaNews) – Today John Paul II turns 84. Among his birthday “presents” is today’s release of John Paul II’s latest literary work "Alzatevi, andiamo!" (“Get up, let’s go!”), a book about his episcopal ministry containing the thoughts and teachings that accompanied him during his twenty years (1958-78) spent as bishop of Krakow. The book also contains some references to the events of his current pontificate...

Pope celebrates his 84th birthday http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3724305.stm Pope John Paul II is marking his 84th birthday with a cake baked by his cook, Sister Germana, and the publication of a new autobiography. Vatican officials said the Pope's best birthday present would be a visit to the Swiss capital Bern at the beginning of June, when he will meet thousands of young Roman Catholics...

An Old Papal Corps and Its Modern Challenges, by Elizabeth Lev http://zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=53993 Rome, May 20, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Chivalry is not dead. Earlier this month, 33 new Swiss Guards stepped forward to swear their fealty to the Pope in Paul VI Hall. The Guard is the corps that protects the Pope and the College of Cardinals. They were founded by Pope Julius II in 1506 and are preparing to celebrate their 500th anniversary in two years time...

Husband attends wife's canonization Mass Independent Catholic News (UK) http://www.indcatholicnews.com/pietro.html Pietro Molla, the 92 year-old husband of Gianna Beretta Molla, together with several members of his family were present at her canonisation ceremony in Rome yesterday. Gianna Beretta Molla was one of six Blesseds to be made Saints by Pope John Paul II during the Mass in St Peter's Square that was celebrated in the presence of more than 50,00 people...

Catholic leaders say Sonia Gandhi refusal is “a very Christian decision” http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=823 Mumbai (AsiaNews) – Catholic leaders are speaking out on the heroism of Sonia Gandhi’s surprise decision to refuse the Prime Minister position, declaring her move not to accept the glory as a “very Christian” decision ...

Islam for abuse fighting Islam for peace, as Iraq struggles to stay on the road to democracy http://www.fides.org/eng/news/2004/0405/18_2398.html Baghdad (Fides Service)- “ It is time to stop abuse and torture whoever the perpetrators” Father Nizar Semaan, an Iraqi Catholic priest in Mosul, told Fides with regard to torture inflicted on Iraqi prisoners by US troops. “We are indignant as persons and as Christians...

Christians not persecuted, but hearts filled with fear, Bishop Warduni says http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=817 Baghdad (AsiaNews) – “Today’s circumstances instill fear in people and their future is unknown. But everything is in the Lord’s hands and we trust him with our country’s future," said Shlimon Warduni, bishop of the Catholic Chaldean Church of Baghdad when interviewed by AsiaNews today...

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"THE WORD FROM ROME"

http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/word/

A weekly column in the National Catholic Reporter by the paper's full-time Vatican correspondent John L. Allen

Summary of the column for May 21, 2004: John Paul's level of activity declines; on reading "Get Up, Let Us Go!"; Lineamenta on Eucharist for bishops synod released; Priests for Life in Rome; Arinze addresses interreligious dialogue; Iraqi prisoner abuse reactions

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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 ]

Chaplain, Sacred Heart College for Girls, Napier http://www.sacredheartnapier.school.nz and St John's College for Boys, Hastings http://www.stjohns.school.nz Details in 'NZ Catholic', April 18-May 1 2004 p.19, and from The Principal, Sacred Heart College, Convent Road, Napier. Tel: (06) 8353 761; E-mail: pr.sec@sacredheartnapier.school.nz Applications close 28 May 2004

Chaplain, St Bede's College, Christchurch http://www.chch.school.nz/saintbedes/Details in 'NZ Catholic' May 16-29 p.23 and from The Rector, St Bede's College, PO Box 5380, Christchurch. Tel: (03) 354 1871. E-mail: rector@stbedescollege.school.nz Applications close 28 May 2004.

Executive Officer, NZ Catholic Bishops' Conference. Details in 'Wel-com' May 2004 p.17 and from NZCBC Office, PO Box 1937, Wellington 6015. E-mail: j.dew@wn.catholic.org.nz

General Manager, Catholic Caring Foundation, Auckland http://www.catholic.org.nz/auckland/caring.htm Details in 'NZ Catholic' May 16-29 p.23 and from Neil Barr, Catholic Caring foundation, Private Bag 47904, Auckland 1034

Presenters, 'NZ Catholic' newspaper 'NZC' wishes to employ good communicators in Northland, Auckland, Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Nelson-Marlborough, West Coast, Otago and Southland. Details in 'NZ Catholic' May 2-15 p.23 and from Dennis Augustine, NZ Catholic, PO Box 147-000, Ponsonby, Auckland 1034 Tel. (09) 360 3049

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