Sunday, December 23, 2018


Dear Readers,

This is the last News & Notes for 2018.  I'll restart the newsletter in January as soon as there is something to report.

A happy Christmas to you all, every best wish and all God's blessings.

Mike Leon

**********************************
FROM THE SECULAR PRESS 
***********************************

CHRISTMAS 2018

************

Caring cards flood in for the lonely
Eight hundred Christmas cards will be delivered to people in rest homes across Wairarapa this week as part of the nationwide Sending Love initiative. St Patrick's School was a major contributor ...

Bishop Charles Drennan: This Christmas, whatever your faith, let's be stirred into action by hope and goodness
"Faith shows us that beyond natural justice there is something more," says Bishop Drennan.

Auckland Churches' Christmas message: Waiting for Christmas 
The four weeks immediately preceding Christmas Day have for centuries been celebrated as Advent - a time of waiting in eager anticipation as we look forward to the day when we celebrate the birth of a baby: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, born into the world as one of us...

Prof. Tim Cooper: Society has lost sight of reason for the season 
Amid all the tinsel and wrapping paper, Christmas is also a religious festival, writes Tim Cooper. 

What's Christmas like for a single parent, a Buddhist or a parish priest? 
[The parish priest is Fr John Adams at St Joseph's in Christchurch]

Surviving Christmas: 'It doesn't have to be a stuff buying fest'
The New Plymouth Community Christmas Charitable Trust puts on a Christmas lunch for about 200 people at St Joseph's Church.

*********************

Sexual abuse survivor to visit Vatican
A Dunedin survivor of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church is heading to the Vatican in the hope of meeting the Pope, helped by the Catholic Bishop of Dunedin. Darryl Smith yesterday told ODT Insight he would fly to Rome in February to spend six days at the Vatican, coinciding with a gathering of the leaders of bishops' conferences from around the world.

Anniversary of architect's death commemorated
Australian choral and orchestral group Artes Christi performed in Dunedin yesterday to mark the anniversary of the death of one of New Zealand's great church architects. The Sydney-based ensemble performed at St Joseph's Cathedral, which was designed by Francis William Petre.

St Andrew's Catholic Church at Whangaehu, Rangitikei, moves to new site to protect against flooding (video of church speeding down the road)
St Andrews Catholic Church at Whangaehu is being relocated. It is currently in flood-prone area and is being moved next to the community hall.

People soar to new heights in support of Sacred Heart Basilica
Fundraising for the $3.9 million upgrade of Timaru's Sacred Heart Basilica got a boost on Saturday when people soared to great heights for charity.

At home with a 104-year-old (lots of interesting photos)
Christina Woollard has lived on her own in a studio apartment in Blockhouse Bay, Auckland for six-and-a-half years. Before that, she lived in Dunedin. She moved to New Zealand from Ireland [Britt thinks] with her husband in 1955. Lifewise support workers assist her with daily tasks. She is 104 years old. 

*******************
News of the Schools
*******************

St Bede's College: Christchurch Catholic school refuses to release details of sex abuse investigation

St Brigid's, Dunedin: Awards recognise pupils' harbour health efforts

St Joseph's Maori Girls' College students perform stunning kapa haka in Spain  (text and video, informal but first-class)

****************************************

INSPIRED WORD 

Luke 1:39-44 Mary visits Elizabeth
A reading and commentary by Sister Stephanie Kitching.

************************************

STATION XV


Episode 133 — Christ, Christmas; Jesus, Justice (December 17, 2018)

In our December episode, there's a little Christmas spirit, but there's a little bit of the Grinch as well. In New Zealand, new research has found that churches — Catholic and Protestant — aren't all that popular, but Jesus remains so. In the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte is trying to find out if suggesting people kill Catholic bishops is popular. But don't worry; it's just "hyperbole". On either side of the Tasman Sea, justice is being considered following an overturned conviction for an Australian Catholic bishop and in New Zealand on abortion laws. But, as Christmas approaches, shouldn't we all be worrying about whether Santa is real or not? Just another month — and another year — for The 15th Station.

******************************************

CRUX - Edited by John L. Allen Jr. and Inés San Martin


** Being holy is what brings joy, pope tells Vatican employee
This Christmas will people go to adore and be amazed by Jesus, or will they let themselves be detoured by distractions? Pope Francis asked.

** In spirit of Christmas giving, Pope opens medical clinic for the poor
In the spirit of Christmas giving, Pope Francis on Saturday opened a new medical center for the poor and homeless near the Vatican, offering emergency and first aid services to pilgrims and needy persons who find themselves in need of medical help.

******************************************************

NEW ZEALAND CATHOLIC PERIODICALS & NEWSLETTERS 

'NZ Catholic' is a national newspaper published by the Catholic Bishop of Auckland. http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz 

Catholic Diocese of Hamilton. 'Kete Korero'. https://issuu.com/search?q=%22kete+korero%22

Catholic Dioceses of Palmerston North and Wellington. 'Wel-com'  http://www.welcom.org.nz

Catholic Diocese of Christchurch. 'Inform' http://www.chch.catholic.org.nz/?sid=25

Catholic Diocese of Dunedin. 'The Tablet' https://catholic-diocese.squarespace.com/back-issues

The Nathaniel Centre. The New Zealand Catholic Bioethics Centre. 'The Nathaniel Report' http://www.nathaniel.org.nz/

NZ Catholic Education Office. School News Update  http://www.nzceo.org.nz/news/ 

Society of Mary. 'Marist Messenger' http://www.maristmessenger.co.nz


'Tui Motu Interislands'. An independent Catholic magazine. http://www.tuimotu.org/

*******************************************

NEW ZEALAND COMMENTARIES ON THE SUNDAY READINGS

Fr Frank Bird sm. Living the Word: Sundays of the Year: Discussion Guide - http://livingtheword.org.nz

Marist Messenger. Daily Reflections https://www.maristmessenger.co.nz/category/features/

********************************************

FACEBOOK

The Catholic Church in Aotearoa New Zealand

'NZ Catholic' newspaper

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand

Holy Cross Seminary

Marist Seminary, Auckland NZ

*****************************************

NEWS OF THE CHURCH IN NZ AND THE WORLD







*************************************************

EMPLOYMENT 

Teaching vacancies in New Zealand Catholic schools are advertised on the Website of the Education Gazette: http://www.edgazette.govt.nz

Vacancies in the Catholic Overseas Volunteer programme, contact: volunteers@caritas.org.nz 

Job vacancies in the Catholic dioceses of Auckland: http://www.aucklandcatholic.org.nz/category/vacancies/

Posted by at

1 comment:

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)