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LENT 2012
http://www.caritas.org.nz/take-action/events/lent-2012
Lent 2012 began on Ash Wednesday 22 February and ends with Easter on 8 April. Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand's theme for Lent 2012 is "Called by faith to act with generous hearts". This theme was inspired by the words of Pope Benedict XVI addressed to the Caritas Internationalis General Assembly for 2011.
The Lenten theme is being promoted in schools as "Hearts filled with hope" – recognising that good people everywhere have hopeful hearts. Our schools resource was sent to all Catholic schools in early December and is also downloadable from the Website. Parish Lenten resources are available from the same page and visitors may donate to the Caritas Lent Appeal there.
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FROM THE SECULAR PRESS
Blown away by the kindness of Kiwis (photo)
The Dominion Post
http://tinyurl.com/6vo2uto
Even after 17 years working in the not-for-profit sector, Michael Smith is constantly amazed at the generosity of New Zealanders. Mr Smith has recently been appointed chief executive of the Cancer Society Wellington, after a seven-year stint as chief executive of the Catholic overseas aid and social justice agency Caritas.
Street in fresh bid for right-to-die law
http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/6554876/Street-in-fresh-bid-for-right-to-die-law
Nelson-based Labour list MP Maryan Street plans to introduce an "end of life choice" private member's bill to Parliament in about a month's time.
St George's Centenary (full text)
Waikato Times
St George's Catholic Church, in Te Kuiti, is celebrating its centenary on Saturday, with a 10am mass celebrated by Waikato diocesan bishop Dennis Browne. Former Prime Minister Jim Bolger will also speak at the event, in his home town.
Anglican and Catholic Bishops offer advice and help for ports dispute
http://auckland.scoop.co.nz/2012/03/church-leaders-offer-leadership-in-ports-of-auckland-dispute/
Anglican and Roman Catholic bishops in Auckland are offering their leadership in the Ports of Auckland dispute. Anglican Bishops Ross Bay and Kito Pikaahu, along with Roman Catholic Bishop Patrick Dunn, believe that it is vital for the parties to continue to maintain a dialogue in an effort to resolve the current dispute.
Peter Lyons: Lessons from my Father
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10790691
My father is in the end zone and it is difficult to watch. He is now almost blind. This is a genetic condition we share, courtesy of Darwin's lottery. He has had heart attacks, skin cancer, a stroke and has lost his beloved wife of 50 years. Throughout this he has fought bravely to maintain his positivity and zest for life. This is now ebbing. Old age is not for the weak.
Church celebrates 50 years: Bishop leads service for Tokoroa Catholics (photos)
South Waikato News
http://tinyurl.com/7o9444u
Fifty years on and Tokoroa's St Pius X Catholic Church still stands tall on the corner of State Highway 1 and Mossop Rd.
Brian Rudman: Cathedrals should rise again as one
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10790265
At the centre of the Christchurch CBD sits a wrecked Anglican cathedral and a Bishop with a $50 million to $100 million shortfall in rebuilding money. Down the road, her Catholic cousin in God faces the same crisis. To a heathen outsider, the solution seems blindingly obvious.
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Obituaries
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Wheeler-dealer and a hard-case too (photo)
The Dominion Post
http://tinyurl.com/6ue34st
Nelson Francis Joseph Nunns: b Wellington, July 13, 1928; m Veronica Gregan, 4s, 4d; d Wellington, February 29, 2012, aged 83.
Lawyer made notable contribution to public trustee office and as an authority on trust law
Noel Cameron Kelly, lawyer and Public Trustee: b Auckland, December 23, 1922; m Mary Joan Mccabe, 5s, 1d; died Upper Hutt, February 7, 2012, aged 89.
The Dominion Post
http://tinyurl.com/6ue34st (bottom left)
Exceptional hard-working businessman (photo)
The Press
http://tinyurl.com/74hmftk
Peter William Leeming, born Christchurch, October 5, 1939; died Christchurch, February 11, 2012. Survived by wife Suzanne, daughters Dominique and Daniele, and son Jeremy.
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News of the Schools
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Kavanagh College, Dunedin: Speedminton: New sport for school http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/other-sport/200653/speedminton-new-sport-school
Roncalli College, Timaru: Roncalli has master plan (photo) 20 staff have children at the school http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/6547443/Roncalli-has-master-plan
St Joseph's, Orakei: Tireless worker (photo) East and Bays Courier http://tinyurl.com/74pl33j
St Joseph's, Pukekohe: Transplant recipient grateful (photo) Franklin County News http://tinyurl.com/6w6rmg5
St Patrick's College, Wellington: St Pat's Town win McEvedy Shield (photo) http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/college-sport/6531229/St-Pats-Town-win-McEvedy-Shield
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INSPIRATIONAL TV
"Be ready": John 2:13-25, a reading and commentary with Very Rev. Frank Nelson and Rev. Canon Jenny Wilkens at St Paul's Cathedral, Wellington.
Also: 'Be open': Valuing difference - a reflection by Sr Mary Scanlon
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NEW ZEALAND CATHOLIC PODCASTS
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THE VIEW FROM DOWN HERE
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March 6, 2012: On the eve of Super Tuesday, the three self-proclaimed experts on American politics and culture break down the current state of play in the Republican primary contest as Mitt Romney looks to continue the momentum he gained in a series of victories from Michigan to Arizona to Washington last week. Will he be able to do so? Or will Rick Santorum bounce back? What about Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul? The panel also discusses the way Catholics have voted in the primaries thus far, Rick Santorum's criticism of JFK, a group declaring war on the US Government and a new movie assessing if America is broken and, if so, how to fix it. Just another week in The View from Down Here.
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LIGHT OF THE WORLD - Otago Catholic Access Radio
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http://www.accessradio.org/public/programme.php?uid=1218074856-834
2012-03-04 – Surrender! The life-changing power of doing God's will: Fr Larry Richards outlines concrete steps we can take to gain peace.
[Choose the "Click to download" link. The sound quality of the other one is terrible - ml]
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'BEING FRANK' - New Zealand Catholic blogs
** Parish Missions
** "Heh heh heh, so long, suckers!" (what to do with the Ash Wednesday ashes, and farewell)
** It's twelve o'clock: Angelus time!
** I just thought you ought to know (excerpts from prayer books of long ago)
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NEW ZEALAND CATHOLIC PERIODICALS & NEWSLETTERS
Catholic Diocese of Christchurch. 'Inform' http://www.chch.catholic.org.nz/?sid=25
Catholic Diocese of Dunedin. 'The Tablet' http://www.cdd.org.nz/the-tablet
NZ Catholic Education Office. 'Lighting New Fires' http://www.nzceo.catholic.org.nz/pages/resources/resources_lighting_new_fires.html
NZ Catholic Education Office. 'Good News and the News' http://www.nzceo.catholic.org.nz/pages/resources/resources_good_news.html
Society of Mary. 'Marist Messenger' http://www.maristmessenger.co.nz
The Nathaniel Centre. The New Zealand Catholic Bioethics Centre. 'The Nathaniel Report' http://www.nathaniel.org.nz/?sid=5
St Columban's Mission Society. 'The Far East' http://www.columban.org.au/?MID=200510192652
'Tui Motu Interislands'. An independent Catholic magazine. http://www.tuimotu.org/articles
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ALL THINGS CATHOLIC, by John L. Allen Jr
http://ncronline.org/blogs/all-things-catholic
Jewish/Catholic ties and thoughts on Pius XII
http://ncronline.org/blogs/all-things-catholic/jewishcatholic-ties-and-thoughts-pius-xii
I was in Chicago earlier this week to present the 17th annual Cardinal Joseph Bernardin lecture on Jewish/Catholic relations. Co-sponsored by the Chicago archdiocese and a variety of Jewish groups, the series commemorates a landmark speech delivered by the late Bernardin at Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1995. My topic was the future of Jewish/Catholic relations in the 21st century, and the following is a summary of what I tried to say...
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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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Pompallier's People: The Catholic Church in Aotearoa New Zealand
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Catholic-Church-in-Aotearoa-New-Zealand/149916141686808
Bishop Patrick Dunn
http://www.facebook.com/bishoppatrick?sk=wall
Catholic Discipleship College
http://www.facebook.com/cdcnz?sk=wall
SMNZ Marists - the Society of Mary in New Zealand
http://www.facebook.com/Marists
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NEWS OF THE CHURCH IN NZ AND THE WORLD
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/author/luke/page/14/
http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/homepage/
http://www.romereports.com (video)
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 of the Education Gazette: http://www.edgazette.govt.nz ]
