Dear 'kiwicatholics',

CATHOLIC PRESS

'Wel-com', the monthly newspaper of Wellington and Palmerston North dioceses, is published this weekend. It has a feature on the - no less than - twelve Catholic marae (Maori tribal or community centres) in the two dioceses. I have some fine colour photos to go with the text and this feature will (hopefully) go up on the Wel-com Web site in the coming week.

EDUCATION
The July 2000 issue of the newsletter "Good News & the News", published by our sponsor N.Z. Catholic Education Office, is on-site at: http://www.catholic.org/newzealand/nzceo/pubs/gnatn This special edition reviews the history, future plans and other issues affecting the New Zealand Catholic schools system.

NZCEO has also issued a media release this week: 'Integrated Schools oppose marijuana law change' http://www.catholic.org/newzealand/nzceo/media/M1.html

NATIONAL CATHOLIC DIRECTORY 2000
http://www.catholic.org/newzealand/cathcom/directory/direct1.html

I have added a new section to the online Directory for the Personal Prelature of Opus Dei; and the Ukrainian and Melkite Rite Eparchies for Australia and New Zealand. This week I start on the final - and largest -section of the Directory to be updated: 'National Organisations'.

'THE CHURCH ALIVE' CONFERENCE, HAMILTON Te Rapa Racecourse, Hamilton
http://www.catholic.org/newzealand/hamilton/news.htm
As Anthony mentioned yesterday, the Hamilton diocesan Web site has a News page for this weekend's national Jubilee conference (continuing as I type), examining the past, present and future of the Catholic Church in New Zealand.. If you are attending , please keep your 'kiwicatholic' forum in mind and send us a few lines about your impressions.

THE GREAT JUBILEE - NEWS & EVENTS
http://www.catholic.org/newzealand/cathcom/jubilee/news.html
Sunday 9 July (Monday our time) is the 'Jubilee of the Prisons', when Pope John Paul visits Rome's Regina Coeli prison, where the prisoners rioted only a week ago. Our Jubilee News page has a substantial number of links to reports about the Jubilee and background reports on prison conditions in several countries. Other "Jubilees in the Jubilee" linked on the page are those of doctors and motorcyclists, and the Jubilee Polish Pilgrimage.

A new section for the Jubilee of Young People and World Youth Day (15-20 August) has links to two reports on the event.

Finally, a Gay Pride Festival in Rome, scheduled to coincide with the mid-point of the Jubilee celebrations, is about to conclude. The event inspired a number of articles in the Catholic press and there are links to these also on the Jubilee News page.

And that's it for the moment. All God's blessings,
Mike Leon
'kiwicatholic' list manager