'JUBILEE NEWS AND EVENTS'
This page on the bishops' Web site -http://www.catholic.org/newzealand/cathcom/jubilee/news.html - is updated at least twice a week with fresh links. Under the heading 'March 12 - Day of Forgiveness' there are a couple of items about the forthcoming document 'Memory and Reconciliation: the Church and the Errors of the Past' (the English translation is due to be released on Ash Wednesday, our time). The second of these two links opens a really useful summary of the document. Other new features on the page are clearly marked.
CHURCH DIRECTORIES
Five of our six dioceses - all except Palmerston North - have full Web sites packed with useful information such as the addresses of all their parishes, schools and diocesan offices and Mass times for every parish. As well, a 'national organisations' directory is on the bishops' Web site. It lists contact information and brief descriptions for scores of Catholic religious orders chaplaincies, laypeople's organisations and publishers plus contact and biographical information about our bishops.
All this information is yours at the click of a mouse. I strongly recommend that you open the Catholic bishops' home page -http://www.catholic.org/newzealand - and click on Bookmarks/Add bookmark or Favorites/Add Favorite near the top of the screen so you can go straight to it whenever you need it. At the Catholic home page you see one button named 'National Directory' - which opens the 'national organisations' table of contents - and another marked 'Dioceses and Parishes' which opens a list of the six dioceses in the form of links to their home pages.
'GOD AND GOVERNMENT: THE NEW ZEALAND EXPERIENCE'
The book with this title has just been published by the University of Otago Press. You can read a detailed description of it plus ordering info. on two Web sites: http://www.newsroom.co.nz/Story.asp?S=15731 and http://www.scoop.co.nz/archive/scoop/stories/4d/49/200003020049.f66bc957.htm l
Topics written about include: whether and to what extent New Zealand is a secular society; religion in New Zealand history; government support for churches; immigration and religious pluralism; religious education (contributed by NZCEO's Brother Pat Lynch); and New Zealand's Christian political parties.
Until next post, every best wish and all God's blessings.
Mike Leon 'kiwicatholic' list manager
