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NEWS & NOTES - 23 August 2009

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NZ CATHOLIC BISHOPS' CONFERENCE

http://www.cathcom.org.nz

'Catholic Bishops say children entitled to a mother’s and father’s love' (August 20, 2009)

The New Zealand Catholic bishops are concerned that the current debate about whether the law should change to allow homosexual and de-facto couples to adopt children, focuses only on the rights of adults, with almost no reference to the rights of children.

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'NZ CATHOLIC' - Aug. 23 - Sept. 5 2009 , no. 323

http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz

In the current issue:
City eyes Church rest home property ... School fights proposed move ... Scientist to meet abortion supervisors ... Buddhism's slide a worry in Japan .. It's better that we support our priests than attack them ... Lukewarm now the new devout? ... The passing of the celibate culture ... Advertisement: NZ Forum on the Family: 'Family Matters 2009'

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FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

Church consecrated after half a decade (photo)
http://www.times.co.nz/cms/news/2009/08/church_consecrated_after_half_a_decade.php
After hosting Masses for close to 50 years, Howick's Star of the Sea Church has finally been consecrated.

Call to widen adoption rules
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/2770562/Call-to-widen-adoption-rules
Catholic Bishops in New Zealand have spoken out against a proposed law change allowing same-sex adoption, saying children are entitled to the love of both a mother and a father.

Gay adoption ban "positive discrimination"
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/5838929/gay-adoption-ban-positive-discrimination/
A Catholic organisation says stopping gay and lesbian couples from adopting children is a form of positive discrimination.

Pleasing Pacifically performers (photos)
Upper Hutt Leader
http://tinyurl.com/lrxxns
The 40-strong Poly group of St Patrick's College, Silverstream, participated in the Pacifically Wellington cultural festival.

Charity shop stunned as vandals smash window (photo)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/papakura-courier/2764185/Charity-shop-stunned-as-vandals-smash-window
Just two weeks after opening, Papakura's St Vincent De Paul shop has been hit by vandals.

Funky support for global issues (photo)
The Hutt News
http://tinyurl.com/nvyh6l
For the fifth year running, Volunteer Services Abroad is running the Project Friendship campaign with pupils from local schools such as San Antonio and Sts Peter and Paul.

Story told in artwork (photo)
http://www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz/local/news/story-told-in-artwork/3902897/
The project began in art teacher Janine Goldsmith's classes earlier this year when children were asked which symbols of their faith and their school were important to them.

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INSPIRATIONAL TV - http://inspirationaltv.net

** To whom shall we go? **
A reading and commentary on John 6:60-69 with Rev. Ellie Sanderson and Rev. Jennie Wilkens at St Paul's Cathedral, Wellington.

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'BEING FRANK' - http://www.beingfrank.co.nz

New Zealand Catholic Blogs. Some current topics ...

The upside of suffering?! ** In the words of the not so great Richard Prebble, I’ve been thinking…(on rejecting and commodifying children) ** A dose of the swine flu and some time on the naughty chair (swine flu precautions and the smacking debate) ** Honour well deserved! (Mary, the constant disciple) ** Greater diversity of people, yet greater unity of belief desired? (Catholic vocations in the US)

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ALL THINGS CATHOLIC, by John L. Allen, Jr.

http://ncronline.org/blogs/all-things-catholic

A few slices of Catholic life

The past week has been one of those periods when there isn't a single dominant Catholic story, but rather plenty of interesting nuggets. The following, therefore, represent a few slices of Catholic life in mid-August...

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WORLD NEWS OF THE CHURCH

http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz

http://www.romereports.com (video)

http://www.youtube.com/vatican (news of Pope Benedict - video)

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EVENTS

Diocese of Palmerston North Youth Festival. 'Real life! Real Power!
Saturday 5 September 2009 10:00 am - 4 pm, Convention Centre, 354 Main Street, Palmerston North. Details in 'Wel-com' August 2009 p.20 and from Paul Skippen, tel: (06) 354 1780 ext 844; Mobile: 021 976 483; e-mail: pskippen@pndiocese.org.nz

2009 International Conference: Life, Faith and Family
October 2-4, Bruce Mason Centre, Takapuna, Auckland
Details in 'NZ Catholic' July 26 - Aug. 8 2009 p.8, from Family Life International, tel (09) 279 2413, fax (09) 279 2418; e-mail: life@fli.org.nz; and on http://www.fli.org.nz

Joshua Catholic Men's Fellowship. Men's Retreats
2-4 October 2009, St Patrick's College, Silverstream, Upper Hutt
16-18 October 2009 Willow Park, Eastern Beach, Auckland
Details on http://www.joshua.org.nz and from John Kinney tel. (04) 475 5541

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EMPLOYMENT

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

[Vacancies for Catholic youth workers are advertised on the Vacancies page of Connect.org.nz: http://www.connect.org.nz ]

New Zealand Bible Society. Chief Executive
http://www.biblesociety.org.nz
Details in 'NZ Catholic' Aug. 23 - Sept. 5 2009 p.23, and on the Society's Website. Applications close 25 September 2009.

Parish Presenters, 'NZ Catholic' newspaper
Details in 'NZ Catholic' Aug. 23 - Sept. 5 2009 p.19, and from Dennis Augustine, Promotions and Advertising Manager, 'NZ Catholic', PO Box 147-000, Ponsonby, Auckland 1144; tel: (09) 360 3049; e-mail: advertising@nzcatholic.org.nz