Dear friends,

I was pleased to see the question in New Zealand's five-yearly Census form last week, about household Internet accounts. Managers and promoters of Catholic Web sites will find valuable support in the data from this question for the argument that through our Internet presence, hundreds of thousands of Kiwis can approach the Catholic Church who would never enter an actual church uninvited. They might visit our sites because of an interest in the big questions of life, or just out of curiosity, or even horrified fascination! But whatever the motive, to encourage them to open our pages - and to come back - we have to keep publishing fresh and interesting material.

From that point of view it's a rather grim week.

There's no "From the Catholic Press" in today's News & Notes. The stories from this weekend's 'NZ Catholic' newspaper are not yet on the paper's Web site. I hope and expect that they will appear there in the next two or three days, and as soon as they do I will write to 'kiwicath'.

The latest 'Caritas Update' has not gone up on Caritas' Web site. It's the issue with details (including pictures) of the communities which will benefit from our bishops' current Lent Appeal, and it's already the second sunday of Lent! There's no sign either of the Web version of 'Lighting New Fires' February 2001, NZ Catholic Education Office's chronicle of Catholic and other integrated schools and teaching resources. I have heard nothing at all about 'Tui Motu' magazine's Web site, which also went inactive last year. The New Zealand Catholic presence on the Internet seems very fragile and uncertain, this week anyway.

Another New Zealand Catholic newspaper is 'Wel-com', the monthly paper of the Archdiocese and diocese of Wellington and Palmerston North. It's Web site "went dead" about eight months ago, which is a great pity because it's a first-class newspaper, comparable in the quality of its articles to any Catholic paper overseas. However in the March issue of 'Wel-com' the Archdiocesan Media Centre invites people to get in touch with it who have skills in journalism, and broadcasting, drama (acting and production), graphic and Web design, radio and television (production and technical aspects) to the help with the Media Centre's projects. Hopefully one result of this call will be the revival of the newspaper's Web site.

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FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

[You can open links to world news of religion in the secular press on the bishops' News page at: http://www.catholic.org/newzealand/cathcom/news/frnews.html ]

[Please don't try to hand-copy newspaper Web addresses. Instead Select, Copy and Paste them into your browser's address line]

'Friends honour wheelie bin victim ' NZPA 9 March 2001 Rock music played quietly and candles flickered in the darkened Holy Name Catholic Church in Dunedin on Thursday night as up to 200 students remembered popular physical education student Ana North. Miss North, 19, died in Dunedin early last Thursday after she and a friend took a joyride in a wheelie bin down Baldwin St, believed to be the world's steepest street. Hundreds, including many Dunedin-based students, also attended her funeral in Blenheim on Monday. At the memorial service the mood was silent, sombre and reflective as row by row, Miss North's friends approached the altar to pay respect to a fun-loving woman described by friends as "larger than life". Miss North's family did not attend.

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EVENTS

30 April - 28 September 2001 (Sydney, Australia) Kerygma Teams Discipleship Training School, Sydney, Kerygma Teams is a branch of the interconfessional lay-missionary organization Youth With A Mission. It supports Catholic parishes, renewal movements, and groups active in evangelization, mercy ministries, training and cross-cultural missions projects. Its Discipleship Training School is a five month intensive course which helps students to cultivate a vibrant relationship with God, identify their unique gifts and visions, exercise their faith and grow in character. Full details at: http://www.kerygmateams.org/html/locations/australia/index.html

18-22 April 2001 'Jesus 4 Real' Youth Camps Jesus 4 Real Ministries is an independent voluntary group of adults bringing the reality of Jesus to Catholic teenagers, and training adult leaders for Catholic youth work, through camps and seminars in the Wellington Archdiocese. Web site: http://members.xoom.com/Jesus4Real Contact: (04) 904 7217 ; (04) 905 6636

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EMPLOYMENT

(Vacancies in New Zealand Catholic schools are advertised in the Education Gazette: http://www.edgazette.govt.nz/vacancies )

Deputy Executive Director, New Zealand Catholic Education Office, Wellington. Details in 'NZ Catholic' 11 March 2001, p.23 and 'Wel-com' March 2001 p.19; and from the Executive Director (Brother Pat Lynch) : nzceogs@xtra.co.nz Home page: http://catholic.org.nz/nzceo Applications close: 6 April 2001

Joint General Manager, Icthus Ltd and the Wellington Archdiocesan Development Fund. The ADF manages the Wellington Archdiocese's investment and loans. Icthus Ltd is a company owned by the Archdiocese which finances capital works at Catholic schools. Details in 'Wel-com' March 2001 p.19 and from Gordon Copeland, tel. 04 496 1750; e-mail: invest@adf.org.nz Home page: http://catholic.org.nz/wellington/Wellington/Administration/ADF.html Applications close 21 March 2001

Community Youth Worker, Eastbourne, Wellington A full-time position funded by the Eastbourne Youth Worker Trust, a joint Church/Community venture. (Eastbourne is a seaside village on the north-eastern shore of Wellington harbour). Details in 'Wel-com' March 2001 p.19; and from Ann Weaver, tel 562 0034; e-mail: a.weaver@clear.net.nz Home page: http://www.eastbourne.co.nz Applications close 21 March 2001

Office Assistant (Part-time), 'NZ Catholic' newspaper, Auckland Details in 'NZ Catholic' 11 March 2001, p.23 and from Dennis Augustine, tel: 09 360 3049

Team Leader, Firepower Catholic Youth Outreach, Wellington FCYO encourages young Catholics to deepen their relationship with Jesus and live a life of faith and service in the Catholic church. Details in 'NZ Catholic' 11 March 2001, p.23 and from Brendan Woodnutt tel: 04 939 9890 (day) or 04 380 8898 Home page: http://www.firepower.org.nz

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Every best wish and all God's blessings.

Mike Leon
'kiwicath' list manager