3 june 2001

3 June 2001 Posted By: leon@xtra.co.nz Sun Jun 3, 2001 10:10 am  | Options

(Adapted from the Solemn Blessing for Pentecost Sunday) This day the Father of light enlightened the minds of the disciples by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. May he bless us and give us the gifts of the Spirit for ever. May that fire which hovered over the disciples as tongues of flame burn out all evil from our hearts and make them glow with pure light. God inspired speech in different tongues to proclaim one faith. May he strengthen our faith and fulfil our hope to see him face to face. May almighty God bless us, the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Dear friends, Our bishops have published a pastoral letter on abortion and contraception - 'Giving Life, Giving Love' - which is on the Web site now, minus some footnotes which I hope to supply later. You can open it from the What's New page: http://catholic.org.nz/cathcom/frwhatsnew.html Happy Pentecost, Mike Leon 'kiwicath' forum manager ******************************** FROM THE CATHOLIC PRESS The following stories from this weekend's 'NZ Catholic' newspaper will appear on its Web site in the next day or two, at: http://catholic.org.nz/cathcom/press/nzc/front.html '$126,500 casino costs bill dropped' Bishops, pensioners and city councillors are relieved and happy that the Casino Control Authority is no longer seeking $126,500 court costs from them. The CCA reversed its decision last Monday, only weeks after it announced it would pursue the recovery of costs in respect of High Court and Court of Appeal hearings relating to Riverside Casino Ltd...... [Link to the Casino Control Authority] 'RCIA group "adopts" death-row prisoner' For six and a half years Sr Kathy Lynch RSM of Auckland has been corresponding with a prisoner on death row in the United States - who this past week became a Catholic. Steven Miller received a death sentence in 1991. According to Sr Kathy, he has consistently maintained his innocence. Appeals have been fruitless..... [Link to Steven Miller's Web page] 'Two schools to be run in partnership' Two Southland Catholic schools, 70km apart, have teamed up to share resources, ideas and management. At a Mass celebrating Mother's Day on May 13, the partnership was made between St Patrick's School in Nightcaps and St Joseph's School in Invercargill...... ******************************** CORRECTION VATICAN CITY, MAY 28, 2001 (Vatican Information Service) - In the May 25 article on the Pope's trip to Ukraine, it was inadvertently reported that there are 5 seminarians in Ukraine. Rather, there are 5 seminaries. ***************** FROM THE SECULAR PRESS 'Catholics object to pig's head on statue ' Otago Daily Times, Monday, 28-May 2001 http://www1.odt.co.nz/cgi-bin/search-display-story-online-new?PATH=29May2001/edi\ torial/content/GSH14L9726JC.html&WORDS=catholic&DB=Editorial Complaints have started to flow about the propriety of a concrete sculpture of a pig's head atop a former cemetery statue of the Virgin Mary. The sculpture by Otago Polytechnic first year fine arts student Don Hunter (32) was exhibited in the Dunedin Botanic Garden at the weekend..... (photo of Dunedin Diocesan administrator Mons. Vincent Walker) 'Drizzle after prayer service ' ODT Tuesday, 29-May 2001 There were a few spits of rain after the Prayers for Rain service at St Mary's Church in Timaru yesterday but organiser Terry Kennedy is hoping the Almighty will send down some more. The lunchtime service, conducted by South Canterbury Archdeacon Philip Robinson, Fr Matthew Cosgriff of Sacred Heart Parish, and Rev Peter Wishart, from Chalmers Church, attracted about 150 people including several other clergy, people from outlying areas and Timaru district councillors. Entitled The New Life from the Drought, the service began with the singing of Oh God, We Come to Honour You, a hymn about the drought written by St Andrew's Kathy Drinnan. Mr Kennedy said the prayers were not for a deluge or a flood, just a gentle rain. "The question now is whether the Almighty hears our prayers . . . it looks a bit threatening out there at the moment . . ." A light drizzle had set in last night. - NZPA 'Rival Catholic schools to vie for cup ' ODT 1 June 2001 http://www1.odt.co.nz/cgi-bin/search-display-story-online-new?PATH=01Jun2001/edi\ torial/content/GVH59G8636SM.html&WORDS=catholic&DB=Editorial Kavanagh College will need to make use of its home ground advantage when it meets Oamaru's St Kevins College in the annual Brother O'Connor Cup game at Kettle Park, Dunedin, tomorrow....... 'Order's reunion a family affair ' ODT 2 June 2001 (photo) http://www1.odt.co.nz/cgi-bin/search-display-story-online-new?PATH=02Jun2001/edi\ torial/content/H1J54J8646LG.html&WORDS=catholic&DB=Editorial The 125th anniversary of the Christian Brothers' arrival in New Zealand and the founding of their first Kiwi school, in Dunedin, is being celebrated in the city this weekend by about 400 people from around the country and Australia....... 'Win for Kavanagh' ODT Saturday, 2-June 2001 http://www1.odt.co.nz/cgi-bin/search-display-story-online-new?PATH=28May2001/edi\ torial/content/GRF15F6794ES.html&WORDS=catholic&DB=Editorial Politicians take note - the debaters of tomorrow are sharpening their skills and the prospects look encouraging. Four Catholic schools - Kavanagh College, St Kevins College, St Peters College and Verdon College - vied for provincial debating supremacy in Dunedin over the weekend.......... **************************************** EVENTS & COURSES 22-23 June Mercy Health Care Conference 2001, Waipuna Conference Centre, Auckland. The focus of the conference will be how Catholic health and aged care services can uphold the dignity of human life while setting realistic limits to the care provided. Details in 'NZ Catholic' 8 April 2001 p.19 and from the Conference Organiser, Te Tairere Oranga, PO Box 109 025 Newmarket, Auckland. Website: http://www.mercy.co.nz/ 29 June-1 July 6 July-8 July Discipleship Training Course, St Michael's Church, Ohaupo, Hamilton Cost $80, accommodation can be arranged. Details in 'NZ Catholic' 3 June 2001 p.23 and from Eleanor Ranum, PO Box 358, Putaruru. Tel: 07 883 3037 'Art and Faith' Competition for paintings of a spiritual nature sponsored by 'NZ Catholic' newspaper, Lillias McLean and Creative Communities [Auckland City] Committee. Details in 'NZ Catholic' May 20 2001 p.23 . Entry form from NZ Catholic, PO Box 147-000, Ponsonby, Auckland 1034. Email: catholic@iconz.co.nz or artel@xtra.co.nz. Fax: (09) 360 3065 or (09) 524 8322 Closing date: 31 August 2001 23-27 July 2001 Churches' Education Commission. State school chaplaincy training course, Auckland C.E.C. is the educational agency of the churches, established "to stimulate, service and co-ordinate the concerns of member denominations and related organisations for Christian and general education in New Zealand". Details in 'NZ Catholic' 3 June 2001 p.23 and from the Commission, PO Box 26-679 St Heliers Bay, Auckland 1005. Tel: 09 622 0664; in Wellington tel; 04 384 3587. Website: http://www.cec.org.nz/ Closing date for applications to enrol: 30 June 2001 ***************************** EMPLOYMENT (Vacancies in New Zealand Catholic schools are advertised in the Education Gazette: http://www.edgazette.govt.nz/vacancies ) Weekend Nurses, Vincentian Home and Hospital, Berhampore, Wellington Details in Wel-com May 2001 p.19 and form Alison Crowe, 2a Stanley Street, Berhampore, Wellington Tel: 04 380 0294 or 04 380 0581 Accounting Officer, Archdiocesan Development Fund, Wellington. Details in Wel-com May 2001 p.19 and from Chris King, Administration Manager, PO Box 12-407, Wellington. E-mail: invest@adf.org.nz Tertiary Education Chaplain, Palmerston North Diocese. Details in 'NZ Catholic' 22 April 2001 p.23, in 'Wel-com' May 2001 p.19 and from Bishop's Office, Private Bag 11012 Palmerston North, tel 06 357 1980. Applications close 12 June 2001. Executive Officer, Aotearoa New Zealand Catholic Healthcare. Details in 'NZ Catholic' 3 June 2001 p.23 and from John Topp. Wheeler Campbell Consulting Ltd, tel; 04 499 1500, fax: 04 499 1600 Chaplain, Mt Eden Prison Women's Division, and Auckland Central Remand Prison. Details in 'NZ Catholic' 3 June 2001 p.23 and from Sister Judith Leydon, Vicar for Religious, Tel 09 378 4380. Applications close 25 June 2001 ************************************************