Sunday, September 11, 2011

News and Notes - 11 September 2011

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Dear readers,
I'm sorry to say I haven't been able to include the usual summary of the contents of 'NZ Catholic' newspaper because of a problem with NZ Post over our new address. I hope to have it sorted out in the coming days.
God bless,
Mike Leon
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SOCIAL JUSTICE WEEK 2011
Social Justice Week promotes action and reflection on social issues of the day in light of the Gospel and Catholic social teaching. It occurs each year in mid-September.
Social Justice Week 2011 (11-18 September) focuses on fair play and the common good. It uses the sporting metaphor 'on a level playing field' as a vision for a fair society.
The core resource booklet 'On a level playing field: fair play and the common good' examines inequality, fairness and the common good in New Zealand society – in the light of Catholic social teaching. Additional resources have been prepared for parishes and schools.
New Zealand Catholic bishops initiated Social Justice Week in 1997, with Caritas responsible for promoting it to the Catholic community and beyond.
The core resource each year is the Social Justice Series booklet, which began with 'A Fresh Start: The Eradication of Poverty' in 1997. Booklets in the series are available from the Caritas office, or downloadable from the Social Justice Week website (at the link above)
Catholic parishes and groups are organising special Social Justice Week events. Details are also available on the Caritas site.
Also ...
'Pep talk' from Archbishop kick-offs Social Justice Week (photo)
Archbishop of Wellington John Dew launched Caritas' Social Justice Week 2011 (11-18 September) on Wednesday with a pep talk to Catholic secondary students in a Wellington school gymnasium. Archbishop Dew addressed the group of 20 students from St Patrick's and St Catherine's Colleges, Kilbirnie on the Social Justice Week theme 'On a level playing field: fair play and the common good.'
'The Diary'
The Dominion Post
The Catholic Church is using the Rugby World Cup to spread its message of equality for all men. Positive values on the sporting field – fairness, an equal chance of success, unbiased refereeing – are equally important in society, says Catholic Archbishop John Dew in ''kicking off'' the church's annual Social Justice Week.
Fair play makes Japan a World Cup winner
Japan would win the Rugby World Cup if the trophy were awarded on the basis of fairness, says the Catholic Church's social justice arm, Caritas. The agency launches a slightly tongue-in-cheek World Cup blog today on its website socialjusticeweek.org.nz drawing attention to the theme of the church's annual Social Justice Week which kicks off on Sunday, "On a level playing field".
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FROM THE SECULAR PRESS
Coming home with renewed faith (photo)
Catholic Sentinel (Portland, Oregon)
Kyle Nielson recently arrived at home to his parish, Immaculate Conception Church, after attending a five-month School of Mission coordinated by by ICPE Institute for World Evangelization at St. Gerard's Monastery in Wellington, New Zealand.
Probe goes to police
The Marlborough Express
Police have been brought in to investigate a Christchurch Catholic priest who has been stood down by the church for ''financial irregularities''. Sacred Heart, Addington, parish priest Father John Fitzmaurice – who also ministers to the Carmelite Monastery in Hoon Hay – was suspended from priestly duties at the end of last month. Catholic Bishop of Christchurch Barry Jones said in a letter to worshippers attending masses at the weekend it was with ''great sadness'' that he had placed the matter with police.
Artefacts catalogued (photo)
The first steps are being made to preserve the thousands of artefacts uncovered during the restoration of St Patrick's Cathedral.
Quake shocker for churches
Parishioners at Ashburton's four large historic town-centre churches face huge insurance hikes following the Canterbury earthquakes.
Play just what the doctor ordered
There's a lot more to Shortland Street's Dr Chris Warner than meets the eye. Michael Galvin, who plays The Street's "Dr Love", is also a Bruce Mason Award-winning playwright and is bringing his latest show Station to Station to Nelson for performances at the Theatre Royal on Monday, September 12, and Tuesday, September 13.
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News of the Schools
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Bishop Viard College, Porirua: Committed to global cause (photo) http://tinyurl.com/3odsx6y Garin college, Nelson: The Peasants to get advice from top bands http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/5572309/The-Peasants-to-get-advice-from-top-bands
Marian School, Hamilton: Local boy to lead the All Blacks (photo) http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/5591807/Local-boy-to-lead-the-All-Blacks
McAuley High School, Otahuhu: Schoolgirl dies after flu (photo) http://www.nzherald.co.nz/education/news/article.cfm?c_id=35&objectid=10750879
Pompallier Catholic College, Whangarei: Youngsters thrilled to fly flag (photo) http://www.northernadvocate.co.nz/news/youngsters-thrilled-to-fly-flag/1098892/
Roncalli College, Timaru: Sky is the limit for young pilot (photo) http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/5569222/Sky-is-the-limit-for-young-pilot
Roncalli College, Timaru: Young film-makers on hunt for cast (photo) http://tinyurl.com/3dklp3m
Sacred Heart College, Auckland: Sacred Heart triumph in Knockout Cup (photo) http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10749866
Sacred Heart, Christchurch: Sacred Heart team jumps to the top of primary contest http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/sport/5576479/Sacred-Heart-team-jumps-to-the-top-of-primary-contest
St Bede's College, Christchurch: Rangiora loss to favourites (photo) http://tinyurl.com/3kckfmf
St Joseph's, Queenstown: St Joseph's wants input on strategy http://www.odt.co.nz/your-town/queenstown/176500/st-josephs-wants-input-strategy
St Joseph's, Te Aroha: Valuable acts explored (photo) http://tinyurl.com/3cao8a8
St Peter's College, Palmerston North: Team tastes sweet success (photo) http://tinyurl.com/3oplbk3
St Teresa's, Wellington: School closed after virus outbreak http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/school-closed-after-virus-outbreak-4394485
St Thomas Aquinas School, Winton: Dairy boom boosted by Filipinos (photo) http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/5569199/Dairy-boom-boosted-by-Filipinos
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INSPIRATIONAL TV
What we learn: Forgiveness
Matthew 18:21-35, a reading and reflection with John Teariki and Sr Stephanie Kitching
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'BEING FRANK' - New Zealand Catholic blogs
** "To you I give all the seed-bearing plants everywhere on the surface of the earth ..." (lessons from the Hobbits)
** "You know what? We don't need him, or his trophy!..." (Rugby World Cup. Anniversary of 9/11)
** Christian hope means to live suffering as a victory (examples from art)
** Scarlet Letters and England's reviving Catholicism (on reading Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel)
** To make ourselves lowly, even for just a few moments… (receiving Communion on the tongue)
** O Hail Fathers! (Happy Father's Day)
See also Gavin Abraham's blog 'The Catholic Soapbox:
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ALL THINGS CATHOLIC, by John L. Allen Jr
The Policy Myth versus 'Accountability with Teeth'
Mythology is not only loads of fun, but often highly profitable. For proof, look no further than this: Dan Brown has written a book about the Vatican, which was pure fantasy; I've also written a book about the Vatican, which, if I do say so myself, has a fairly decent grasp of the basic realities. Care to guess which one sold better? Yet mythology is also dangerous, never more so than when it fosters misleading diagnoses of serious problems. We've seen two good examples recently vis-à-vis the Vatican, both involving the sexual abuse crisis...
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NEW ZEALAND COMMENTARIES ON THE SUNDAY READINGS
Living the Word - Fr Frank Bird sm http://livingtheword.org.nz
Reflect - Veronica Lawson rsm http://www.welcom.org.nz/?sid=394
Daily Reflections (right-hand column) http://www.maristmessenger.co.nz
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FACEBOOK
Pompallier's People: The Catholic Church in Aotearoa New Zealand
Facebook:
Bishop Patrick Dunn
Catholic Discipleship College
'The Fifteenth Station'
SMNZ Marists - the Society of Mary in New Zealand
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NEWS OF THE CHURCH IN NZ AND THE WORLD
http://www.youtube.com/vatican (video news of Pope Benedict)
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EMPLOYMENT
[Teaching vacancies in New Zealand Catholic schools are advertised on the Website the Education Gazette: http://www.edgazette.govt.nz ]