Sunday, February 13, 2005

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LENT 2005

Message of His Holiness John Paul II for Lent 2005 "Loving the Lord.means life to you, and length of days." http://tinyurl.com/3kadv

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POPE JOHN PAUL

Pope: Suffering Of Sick Is 'Never Useless' John Paul Sends Message On World Day Of The Sick [Full text] Vatican City -- After a bout with the flu that sent him to the hospital, Pope John Paul II said Friday that he feels especially close to the sick. He sent a message of support to the sick for the Roman Catholic Church's World Day of the Sick. John Paul had planned to attend the Mass at St. Peter's Basilica, but that was before he fell ill last week. In his letter, the pontiff said he feels "particularly close" to the ailing, whose suffering he said is "never useless." He said pain is important because it is "a mysterious link" to Christ's suffering on the cross. The pope also appealed for prayers for him and his mission as "universal shepherd of the Christian people." John Paul, who is 84, was released from the hospital Thursday. He watched the Mass on television.

Convalescent pope faces Angelus test before weeklong Lenten retreat http://www.turkishpress.com/world/news.asp?id=050212152912.qfw2y5zw.xml Pope John Paul II, who has signalled his determination to continue his mission despite his diminishing health, is expected to appear for the weekly Angelus on Sunday before withdrawing for the Vatican's weeklong Lenten retreat....

Pope says 'not quite!' yet again Pronounced 'cured,' resilient John Paul II leaves hospital http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6914138/

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FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

Families oppose compensation http://tinyurl.com/6g4pq Catholic aid agency Caritas told the parliamentary committee hearing submissions on the Prisoners and Victims Claims Bill that the Government was obliged to meet its international and local human rights obligations. Chief executive Michael Smith said prisoners should not be abused and victims should get compensation but the Bill would provide neither....

New sins deadlier than the old ones http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/thepress/0,2106,3182802a6009,00.html Feel like a spot of sloth? Love a little lust? Care to indulge in some gluttony? If so, you may be committing some of the seven deadly sins. Or not. Most respondents in a new BBC survey said they believed the traditional "seven deadly sins", as enumerated by St Thomas Aquinas eight centuries ago, were out of date...

That man deserves a medal http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/thepress/0,2106,3181549a6535,00.html If there's a man who deserves a medal for sheer gutsy bravery it must be Don Whelan, organist and musical director of Christchurch's Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, writes Christopher Moore....

New Plymouth identity's life revolved around stars and science (obituary) http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/dailynews/0,2106,3180651a6554,00.html Stars and the science surrounding them dominated Des Whelan's life and, in 87 years worth of travels, he saw many of them....

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(The following items are not available on the newspapers' free Web sites. They can be read at the public library, and via the 'Newztext' service provided free to their borrowers by the libraries)

"Catholic pair fundraise for world day trip", by Kim Schwieters The Daily News (Taranaki), 11 Feb 2005, Edition 1, Page 2. [Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Inglewood, is organising a garden tour fundraiser to send 19-year-old Ellen Hall and Father Simon Story to World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany, in August.]

Believer offenders have more victims The Dominion Post - News - 10 Feb 2005 - Page 8 [Sex offenders with strong religious beliefs have more and younger victims than atheists, according to research. They also have more opportunities for unsupervised access to vulnerable people, Australian researcher Donna Eshuys told a criminology conference at Victoria University in Wellington.]

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FROM THE OVERSEAS CATHOLIC PRESS & NEWS AGENCIES

The pope's faithful servant and secretary, archbishop is a power behind the scenes http://cbsnewyork.com/international/Pope-FaithfulServant-ai/resources_news_html Vatican City (Ap) He's Pope John Paul II's faithful servant, his confidant, his gatekeeper. There's probably no one as sensitive about the pope's image and health problems or to suggestions that he might resign as Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, John Paul's longtime personal secretary....

Year of the Eucharist - 1. A multitude of meanings, by Eamon Duffy http://www.thetablet.co.uk/cgi-bin/archive_db.cgi/tablet-00980 The Mass today is both fundamentally the same yet radically different from the celebrations of our forefathers. In the first of a new series, a distinguished historian examines changes to the liturgy and to ritual, and how these affect the beliefs at the core of Catholic faith...

When Ash Wednesday and New Year overlap . . . http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=2537 Today is the first day of the new lunar year, a day of feasting, but also Ash Wednesday, a day of fasting and abstinence. Chinese dioceses try to cope with the faithful's contradictory needs....

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CATHOLIC COMMUNICATIONS NZ

http://www.cathcom.org.nz

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Church call for scrutiny of plight of all detainees Following the recent revelation of the detention of psychiatric patient Cornelia Rau, the Church?s peak migration and justice organisations have joined forces to call on the Federal Government to ensure an adequate process of inquiry.

Pell push for ban on use of leftover embryos Sydney's Cardinal George Pell has said the the Church will renew its lobbying efforts to secure a ban on the use of leftover embryos created during fertility treatment, as part of an effort to convince the community of the sanctity of embryonic life.

Pope out of hospital Pope John Paul II left his Rome hospital in his white popemobile around 5:30 am this morning Sydney time, 10 days after suffering breathing spasms that left him bedridden and rekindled debate about his ability to continue leading the Church.

Cameroon hosting today's World Day of the Sick Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry, has opened the traditional meetings for the World Day of the Sick, which will be celebrated today - the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes - in the Cameroon capital of Yaounde.

NSW Govt "backflip" on hospital chaplaincies The Civil Chaplaincies Advisory Committee (CCAC), the state's peak chaplaincy body representing nine major Christian churches and three other faiths, yesterday expressed strong concern about the Carr Government's $4.5m "backflip" on hospital chaplaincy services.

Cardinal says Charles-Camilla marriage inflames sectarian wounds While wishing the soon to be married Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles future happiness, the head of the Catholic Church in Scotland Cardinal Keith O'Brien has regretted that the announcement focuses attention on "existing blatant anti-Catholic legislation.

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CARITAS AOTEAROA NZ

http://www.caritas.org.nz

NEWSROOM Deprive prisoners of liberty not dignity 9 February , 2005: Caritas believes that the Prisoners' and Victims' Claims Bill will reduce the ability of prisoners to hold the State accountable for their treatment in prisons. Abuse of prisoners by the State should not be happening and victims of crime should be given adequate support to deal with the effects of the crime. This should not be viewed solely in terms of monetary compensation....

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CATHOLICTV.NET

Wellington Archdiocesan Media Centre

http://www.catholictv.net

** Caritas has raised over $1.2m for tsunami victims in Asia. Now it's time for their Lent appeal. an interview with Caritas' Director, Mike Smith ...

** Another parliamentary year has begun. Hear what first-time MP Gordon Copeland expects from it ...

** Archbishop John Dew calls for an Archdiocesan Synod to be held in 2006, setting directions for the future...

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TUI MOTU INTERISLANDS

http://www.tuimotu.org

From the February 2005 issue ...

Editorial (full text): "The mad freedom of the gospel" "At times many of us feel we are victims. But we must move beyond victimhood. At the Last Supper Jesus demonstrates to us a liberating, contagious freedom... What the world is ripe for, right now, is this mad freedom of the gospel...."

Also in the print edition ... Guest editorial - "T is for Tragic", by Glynn Cardy God as love in the wake of the tsunami

"Religious terrorism", by Chris Marshall Part one: The mindset and motivation of the religious terrorist

"Genetic engineering and the Catholic bishops' statement", by Pat McMullan Pat looks at the Catholic Church's teaching on Genetic Engineering (GE) and suggests we are not offering an adequate critique.

"Troubadour of God": Interview with Timothy Radcliffe, OP Views on the future of religious life from Fr Radcliffe's, former Master General of the Dominicans and guest speaker at the "On the Edge" conference of NZ Catholic religious orders in January.

Love letters: Thich Nhat Hanh Nowadays, people, lovers, don't write letters to each other any more. They just pick up a cell and text. We must learn to write love letters again, to your father, your son you daughter, mother, sister ...

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"THE WORD FROM ROME"

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

A weekly column by the National Catholic Reporter's full-time correspondent in Rome, John L. Allen Jr.

Summary of the column for Feb. 11 2005 : The pope's prognosis; Would he, could he resign?; The annulment instruction; Condi Rice at the Vatican; Jesuit Fr. Roger Haight barred from teaching Catholic theology; United States' Vatican ambassador returns home

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EVENTS

The Eucharistic Convention, Auckland, New Zealand Friday April 1st to Sunday April 3rd 2005 http://www.eucharistic-convention.com The Eucharistic Convention is an annual event organised by lay people of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Auckland, New Zealand. The Convention's Website is regularly updated with fresh information about the event.

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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 ]

Pastoral Development Co-ordinator, Hibiscus Coast Catholic Parish (St Francis, Manly; St John the Evangelist, Orewa) http://www.hbcparish.org.nz Further details in 'NZ Catholic' Jan 30 - Feb 12 2005 p. 19, and from The Secretary, Staffing Committee, St John's Parish, 180 Centreway Road, Orewa. E-mail: Jamarell@xtra.co.nz

Assistant Editor, 'NZ Catholic' newspaper. Details in 'NZ Catholic' no. 205, Feb.13-28 p.22, and from Pat McCarthy, PO Box 147-000, Ponsonby, Auckland, Tel: (09) 360 3069; e-mail: catholic@iconz.co.nz

Manager/Chaplain. Catholic Tertiary Chaplaincy, Wellington http://www3.vuw.ac.nz/chaplains/kohanga.html Details in 'Wel-com' January 2005 p.14, and from Fr Kevin Connors, tel: (04) 472 3325; e-mail: catholic@vuw.ac.nz Applications close 18 February 2005

Programmes Officer, Asia/Pacific, Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand. http://www.caritas.org.nz Details in 'NZ Catholic' no. 205, Feb.13-28 p.23, and from Claire Beaumont, tel: (04) 496 1742; e-mail: claire@caritas.org.nz Applications close 25 February 2005

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