Sunday, March 27, 2005

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EASTER 2005
A time to celebrate
Otago Daily Times
http://www.odt.co.nz/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=T0RULzIwMDUvMDMvMjMjQXIwMjEwMA==&Mode\ =HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom
Most Poles are Catholic and on Good Friday processions would be held at each church to take the statue of Jesus from the altar and place it in a tomb. The church would be in darkness until the service early on Sunday morning when the statue would be brought back from the tomb and placed on the altar. After Mass, everyone would spread the good news, telling everyone they met "He is risen" ....
Fasting, prayer, then big umu (photo) Otago Daily Times http://www.odt.co.nz/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=T0RULzIwMDUvMDMvMjMjQXIwMTkwMQ==&Mode\ =HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom There are many different churches in Samoa and each celebrates Easter in its own way. Mikaele Laufiso, secretary of the Samoan Advisory Council of Chiefs, is Catholic and the 40 days of Lent which lead up to Easter are days of fasting and prayer, especially on Fridays. Then, after church on Easter Sunday, the family or a church group will get together for a feast....
Churches ready to be of service http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/waikatotimes/0,2106,3227663a6579,00.html While many people will be content with scoffing chocolate eggs and hot cross buns the Easter, Hamilton churches will be celebrating one of the most important dates on the Christian calendar....
Easter in New Zealand http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/southlandtimes/0,2106,3225544a6566,00.html Statistics, bless them, offer a distorted window into the religious character of New Zealand, writes The Southland Times in an editorial. Particularly if we distinguish, as we should, between what we might choose to profess when we are presented with a stickybeak census form, and how we really do live our lives....
To most of us Easter means an extra long weekend, chocolate eggs and rabbits, but its roots go back a long way. Charmian Smith looks at the ancient origins of this festival. http://www.odt.co.nz/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=T0RULzIwMDUvMDMvMjMjQXIwMTkwMA==&Mode\ =HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom
Easter Church-going in decline http://tvnz.co.nz/view/news_national_story_skin/481595%3fformat=html Related video report: http://xtramsn.co.nz/news/0,,11964-4229342-300,00.html
Garth George: A time, perhaps, for Christians to contemplate disunity http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?ObjectID=10116847
Christians of Mosul, the light of the Resurrection in the Calvary of war http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=2846
From Jesus to Christ How did a Jewish prophet come to be seen as the Christian savior? The epic story of the empty tomb, the early battles and the making of a great faith. By Jon Meacham (6 pages) Newsweek March 28 2005 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7244999/site/newsweek/
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POPE JOHN PAUL
The Holy See has an e-mail address for those wishing to send a message of support to John Paul II: john_paul_ii@vatican.va
News of the Pope from the secular press, constantly updated: Google News (US): http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=pope&ie=UTF-8&scoring=d News Now (UK): http://www.newsnow.co.uk/newsfeed/?search=pope&x=7&y=5&name=
Pope Has Day Of Rest Ahead Of Easter Blessing http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=518&ncid=732&e=1&u=/ap/20050326/\ ap_on_re_eu/pope Vatican City -- Ailing Pope John Paul II had a day of rest before Easter, when he is expected to bless crowds in St. Peter's Square -- the only public commitment on the pontiff's Holy Week schedule, drastically reduced by poor health....
Cardinals take over Easter for the Passion of the silent Pope http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1542147,00.html With the fast-declining Pope absent from Holy Week ceremonies for the first time in his 26-year reign, this Easter is being billed in the Vatican as not only the Passion of Christ, but also the Passion of John Paul II. Tomorrow, Italian state television is to broadcast a Vatican-approved documentary entitled John Paul II: The Untold Story, summing up the Pope's extraordinary career almost in obituary style...
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'NZ CATHOLIC'
http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz
No. 208, March 27-April 9, 2005
Narrow escape for school as tornado strikes GREYMOUTH - With 130 children under their desks, teachers and students at St Patrick's School in Greymouth held their breath as a tornado approached on March 10. Some could see iron being flung around as the twister struck the town.....
Priest will help introduce Alpha to the Philippines AUCKLAND - A New Zealand Catholic priest has been invited to the Philippines in April to help introduce Alpha courses to the mainly Catholic population there....
Marilyn Pryor dies after life devoted to "culture of life" WELLINGTON - Marilyn Pryor, a tireless pro-life champion, dynamic director of the archdiocesan pastoral office for many years and editor of Wel-com newspaper, died on March 15....
Also In Issue 208:
NATIONAL Pakistan's Christians have tense life ... Student finds school harder in Japan ... NCW opposes single benefit ... ERO File
FEATURES Billy Bowden looks to God as the game's "third umpire" ... Teacher of meditation to visit NZ ... TV production explores Joseph the enigma ... Oldest Maori sister dies at age of 86 ... Five days' of activities for youth... Balloons and parades for schools day ... New King James version ... Baradene rowers do well ... Equipping youth ministry in the "pearl" of Africa ... Suzanne Aubert wrote letters that were full of spirit ... School creates new chapel out of old classroom ... Lower Hutt CWL marks milestones... Conference for couples worshipping in two churches ... Ambitious production for Rotorua college ... Investigation into Timor deaths
OPINION Ronald Rolheiser: Daily resurrection ... Parish Diary: More positive promises ... Tony Brown: Waitangi Day is a reminder to paddle together ... Editorial: The Church, like Christ, always rises ... Letters ... Malcolm Evans
INTERNATIONAL Mass must be valid but can be creative ... Vatican delegate says status of women should be raised ... From Jerusalem to Bethany is now a long way ... Holy See calls for more aid for poor ... Mail pours in for Pope ... Pope regrets death of Italian agent ... Bishops praise Lebanese protests ... The Pope: "Sincerest wish" for students ... Failure to help Sudan "historic" mistake ... Serious sin a barrier to Communion ... Ethical investing "a duty" ... Women hit "stained glass" ceiling ... Intercommunion seen as way to hinder unity ... UN's cloning decision may not be honoured ... Infant euthanasia more widespread ... Appeal for woman ... Helping hand for Irish abroad ... In Brief
REGULAR FEATURES Think Page, Books, Monitor, Tape Deck, Net Scene, Clips, Scripture, God in the Garden, The Doolans, Family Talk, Cryptic Crossword, Caption Contest, Who Said?, 40 Years Ago, Dio. Diary, Photo Prayer, That Word!, Holy Lives, Kit's Corner, Wit's End.
ADVERTISING FEATURES Divine Mercy ... Eucharistic Convention ... Catholic Festival
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FROM THE SECULAR PRESS
[The following story is not available on the newspaper's free Websites. It can read at the public library and via the library's free 'Newztext' service.]
Committed anti-abortion activist (obituary) The Dominion Post, 24 Mar 2005, Edition 2, Page 7. By: Hank Schouten Marilyn Valeria Pryor (nee Lobb), Papal Dame of the order of St Gregory the Great, anti-abortion campaigner. B Wellington, September 8, 1936; m Geoff Pryor, 1958 (3s 1d); national exec Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child 1975-82, national pres 1978-81, helped found Pregnancy Help, director pastoral office for Cardinal Tom Williams; d Paremata, March 15, 2005....
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Archbishop promises vigilance on morality http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?ObjectID=10117139 The new head of the Catholic Church in New Zealand says he will be just as trenchant in taking on the Government over moral issues as his predecessor. Archbishop John Dew succeeds Cardinal Tom Williams as Catholic Archbishop of Wellington. Cardinal Williams, known for his outspoken views on moral issues, once described New Zealand as a "moral wasteland" and politicians as "modern barbarians"....
Items sought for centennial http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/southlandtimes/0,2106,3227992a6565,00.html Over 100 years, thousands of people have been baptised, wed or buried from Invercargill's iconic Catholic basilica, St Mary's Basilica in Tyne St. As the centennial celebrations of the copper-topped dome approach - May 6 and 7 - the hunt is on for material to be incorporated into commemorative CDs, DVDs and the like...
Speaking again after stem-cell transplant (photo) http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?ObjectID=10116758 Willie Terpstra was able to speak again yesterday following a controversial stem-cell transplant in China on Monday. The source of the stem cells and the manner in which they were obtained posed a number of ethical issues, said John Kleinsman, a spokesman for the Wellington-based Catholic bioethics Nathaniel Centre....
Australia scientists grow adult stem cells from nose http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3227910a10,00.html Sydney: With the help of the Catholic Church, Australian researchers have successfully grown adult stem cells harvested from the human nose, avoiding the ethical and legal problems associated with embryonic stem cells....
Basilica trust needs $530,000 Otago Daily Times http://www.odt.co.nz/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=T0RULzIwMDUvMDMvMjEjQXIwMTUwMg==&Mode\ =HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom A $530,000 fundraising project to restore St Patrick's Basilica in Waimate is under way. The church, one of the town's landmark buildings, is rated a category 1 historic place by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust....
Slumming it (photo): http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/southlandtimes/0,2106,3223069a6568,00.html Invercargill Verdon College pupil Danielle Howden demonstrating living in a cardboard box for her fellow ``slum dwellers''. Dena said they were slumming it to raise money for Catholic aid and development agency Caritas....
Kerre Woodham: Attack boosts sales http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?ObjectID=10116211 I bet Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone wishes he had a nice, robust piece of hate legislation with which he could tie Dan Brown in knots. Dan Brown is, of course, the bestselling author of The Da Vinci Code, and it's this novel that's giving the cardinal conniptions....
Florida Case Lamented by Vatican Newspaper Parents Appeal U.S. Judge's Refusal to Reinsert Feeding Tube http://zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=68198 Vatican City, March 22, 2005 (Zenit.org).- The legal complexities of Terri Schiavo's case may obscure the fact that a person is being condemned to die of hunger and thirst, warns the Vatican's semiofficial newspaper....
'No Moral Sense' (2 pages) Newsweek http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7276850/site/newsweek/A Jesuit bioethicist believes the religious right is exploiting Terri Schiavo and that there is no moral or legal obligation to keep her alive....
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CATHOLIC COMMUNICATIONS NZ
MEDIA RELEASES
http://www.cathcom.org.nz/media.php
Resignation of Cardinal Williams as Archbishop of Wellington (22 Mar 2005) Cardinal Thomas Williams, who has been Archbishop of Wellington for the past 25 years, today announced that his resignation has been accepted by Pope John Paul. The retirement age for diocesan bishops is 75, and the Cardinal celebrated his 75th birthday last Sunday....
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
http://www.cathcom.org.nz
Palm Sunday pilgrims retrace Jesus' trip to Jerusalem Pope tells priests to live what they pray Christian convert detainees may be allowed to stay Cardinal Pell affirms ban on women priests Brazilian papal candidate outlines social justice vision
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CARITAS AOTEAROA NZ http://www.caritas.org.nz
NEWSROOM Plan Spells More Mutton Flaps and Conflict for Pacific (22 March, 2005) The push for free trade in the Pacific contained in the Draft Plan of the Pacific Islands Forum risks exacerbating poverty, inequality, and conflict in the Pacific....
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WORLD YOUTH DAY, COLOGNE, GERMANY 16-21 August 2005
Official site of the New Zealand National Pilgrimage to WYD, Cologne http://www.worldyouthday.org.nz En route to World Youth Day, our representatives will follow the path of St Paul to the sites of the early Christian communities in Greece and Turkey, as well as a visit to Gallipoli and Anzac Cove. Then its off to Cologne, Germany for World Youth Day 2005. The Catholic Church's mega event -hundreds of thousands of young people from all over the world coming together, united around Pope John Paul, listening to the Word of God, assisting at celebrations and participating in a festival of joy... See the NZ World Youth Day Website for further info., or write to: Bill Dysart, C-58 Osier Road, Greenmeadows, Napier. Email: ymachb@clear.net.nz
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Other WYD links:
The official international WYD Site: http://www.wjt2005.de/index.php?id=6&si=1
The Vatican's WYD Website: http://www.vatican.va/gmg/documents/gmg_2005_en.html
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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 March 25, 2005: The rumors were exaggerated; A talk with experts in Parkinson's disease; Long Island Voice of the Faithful: "keep the faith, change the Church"; The retired Melkite archbishop of Galilee and Arab Christians; A short note on Terri Schiavo
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EVENTS
The Eucharistic Convention, Auckland Friday April 1st to Sunday 3 April 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.
Catholic Festival, Auckland St Patrick's Cathedral and vicinity, Saturday 9 April 2005. Opening Mass 11 am. http://www.catholicfestival.org The Catholic Festival is a celebration of our faith that will be joyful, prayerful, reflective, informative and educational. The Festival is an opportunity for all Catholics to display the gifts that God has given them, thereby stengthening their faith and Catholic identity, to celebrate our rich cultural diversity and to grow together in unity. The Festival is also an opportunity for the many groups and religious communities to promote their apostolates and seek members and vocations...
DAYS 05: The National Youth Event of the National Council for Young Catholics (for Years 12 and 13) Auckland, 17th - 21st April 2005 http://www.ncyc.org.nz/?sid=11 DAYS will take place in several regions across the Auckland Diocese allowing participants to experience the unique atmosphere of each of the regions. Each day will feature a regional youth activity, catechesis workshop and a celebration of faith, friendship and fun!
Mariapolis 2005 Feilding Agricultural High School, North Street, Feilding. Wednesday 20 - Sunday 24 April 2005 The Mariapolis is the annual gathering of the New Zealand members and friends of the international Focolare Movement - http://www.focolare.org/en/It's a time to relax, and refresh the spirit in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, and an opportunity to focus on the importance of Gospel values. The Mariapolis is for everyone - all ages, all cultures, single people, couples and families. Further details from: Focolare Centre, PO Box 11-826, Wellington. E-mail: focolare@paradise.net.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 ]
[Vacancies in Catholic Youth Ministry are advertised on the Job Bank page of the National Council for Young Catholics: http://ncyc.org.nz ]
Credit Controller, Catholic Schools Board Limited, Archdiocese of Wellington, Diocese of Palmerston North http://www.catholicschools.co.nz Details in 'Wel-com' March 2005 p.4, and from Kay Hahn, Catholic Schools Board Limited, 22-30 Hill Street, PO Box 12-341, Wellington. Tel.: (04) 499 0184; fax: (04) 499 4804; e-mail: kay@catholicschools.co.nz Applications close 31 March 2005
Director, Catholic Social Services, Otago-Southland Details in 'NZ Catholic' Mar.27-Apr 9 2005, p. 22, and from: Office Administrator, Catholic Social Services, PO Box 2763, Dunedin. Tel: (03) 477 3403; fax: (03) 477 3298; e-mail: catholicsocialservices@clear.net.nz Applications close 15 April 2005.
Co-ordinator of Education for Pastoral Ministry, Catholic Diocese of Dunedin http://www.dn.catholic.org.nz Details in 'NZ Catholic' Mar.27-Apr 9 2005, p. 23, and from: Bishop's Secretary, Private Bag 1941, Dunedin. Applications close 5 April 2005.