" I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing
already ... Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on the earth?
No, I tell you, but rather division."
St Luke's Gospel 12: 49, 51

***********************
FROM THE CATHOLIC PRESS

'Caritas Update' Issue No. 26, Winter 2001
http://www.caritas.org.nz/Update/26%20winter%202001/index.htm
"In this Issue...
The world has been rocked by three major earthquakes - India, El
Salvador and Peru in the first half of 2001. In this issue we summarise
our partners' responses, and thank our donors for their generous giving.
But mostly we take time to focus on the constant all-important, but low
profile work that Caritas supports day in, day out throughout the year
such as the food security project in Cambodia, our next 'Social Justice
Week' focus "Paying the Piper" - The Ethics of Debt, and the work being
done to strengthen the efforts of justice, peace and development in the
Pacific. "

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

'NZ Catholic' No 119, August 12, 2001
http://catholic.org.nz/cathcom/press/nzc/front.html

'GM report's view reflects bishops' '
The proceed-with-caution approach recommended by the Royal Commission on
Genetic Modification is very much the view of the New Zealand bishops.
Several points made by the bishops appear in the commission's $6.2
million report to the Government......
Related Links:
The Nathaniel Catholic Bioethics Centre
Report of the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification

'Churches may lose tax-exempt status '
Churches could lose their tax-exempt status in a Government review of
tax and charities. A discussion document called Tax and Charities shows
the Government wishes to redefine charities, as it believes the present
definition may be too wide, and out-of-date.......
Related Link:
'Tax and Charities' (full text)

'Principal to coach Black Caps '
The principal of St Paul's School in Christchurch is the new coach of
the New Zealand cricket team. Denis Aberhart has been principal of the
Dallington primary school for 11 years, in which time he has also
coached the Canterbury cricket team, conference cricket and Otago.....
Related Link:
NZ Cricket Website

>From the NZ Catholic 'Think Page' for young adults:
So you scan through mags searching for the perfect outfit? So you're a
faithful follower of fashion? But when you go shopping all you ever seem
to find is short skirts, high slits and low necklines? It's true that
fashion often dictates a trend that makes the wearer feel uncomfortable
at the shortness of the skirt or tightness of the top. We are constantly
bombarded with images in the media of the rich and famous parading in
clothes which hardly cover their bodies. As young Catholics, where do we
draw the line between what is appropriate and what isn't?........

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

'Wel-com', the monthly newspaper of the Wellington Archdiocese and the
Diocese of Palmerston North.
Selected stories from No.176 July 2001
http://www.catholic.org/newzealand/wellington/Wellington/Pastoral/Communications\
/latest.html

[Because of technical difficulties, these stories form the July issue
weren't able to be uploaded until a few days ago. The problems have now
been overcome and these stories should be replaced by ones from the
August one in about a week's time.]

'Renew 2000 launched'
On June 10, Trinity Sunday, RENEW 2000 was launched throughout the
diocese. We are officially on the way! The ways of launching were as
many and as varied as our parishes, and that's as it should be.......
Related Link: RENEW International

'Eighteen years helping with the resettlement of refugees'
Margaret Warmington, has been actively involved with the resettlement of
refugees for eighteen years. In 1983, as a member of the St Vincent de
Paul Society at St Theresa's in Plimmerton, she had helped with the
settlement of five Vietnamese families and it has gone on from there.
When Bishop Owen Dolan shifted to the Palmerston North diocese, he
wanted someone from Wellington to replace him on the Commission for the
Refugee and Migrant Service (RMS). Because of her extensive experience,
Margaret was asked to accept this appointment.......

'Catholic healthcare services to collaborate '
The Aotearoa New Zealand Catholic Healthcare Ltd was launched on 22 June
2001 during the Sisters of Mercy Charities Healthcare Conference in
Auckland. Cardinal Williams, a Director, delivered an address on the
centrality of the Ministry of Healing in the Church and launched the new
Company.....

'Abortion in the Netherlands'
In the Netherlands, the number of abortions per thousand women aged
15-44 is less than half the number in New Zealand, Sweden or Denmark. In
April 2000, Wel-com's editor Marilyn Pryor visited the Netherlands to
find out why. She reports the results of her research in her book:
'Abortion in the Netherlands: why Holland has the lowest abortion rate
in the Western world'.......

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

Joy Cowley: "Holy Days" (book review)
NZ Herald 18 August 2001
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?thesection=entertainment&thesubsectio\
n=&storyID=208185
In 1980, three nuns embezzle church property, abduct a child and take
off. One of them dies in suspicious circumstances ... That's the story
as twisted by a TV producerette. In its true form, it's also the story
that Brian Collins remembers two decades later. Joy Cowley's new novel
for big people has the calm, consummate craft, affectionate mischief and
sense of the wonder in small things that characterise her work for
younger readers........

****************************************
EVENTS

August-September
Visit of Diarmuid O'Murchu, author of 'Reclaiming Spirituality: A New
Spiritual Framework for Today's World'
25 August: 'How do we live spirituality today? Spirituality for the new
millennium'. St Columba's Centre, 40 Vermont Street, Ponsonby. Open
session hosted by the NZ Catholic Institute of Theology:
29 August: 'What is it like to be a Catholic in the new millennium?' St
Mary's Cathedral, Grey Street, Hamilton, 7.00 pm..
6 September: "The Prophetic Call to Justice". 5:30pm to 7:00pm at
Loaves and Fishes, Anglican Cathedral of Wellington, cnr of Hill and
Molesworth Streets, Wellington. Cost: $5 a person. For more Information
contact Kay Smith: catholicjpd@globe.net.nz
7 September: 'Spirituality for the New Millennium' $10 per 9.00am-12.30
Stella Maris Conference Centre, Seatoun.
7 September: 'The New Reign of God' $5 per person :7.30 -9.00pm Mercy
Centre, Guilford Terrace, Thorndon.
8 September 'Transformation and Prophetic Leadership - living the vows
today' $10 per person Mercy Centre, Guilford Terrace Thorndon.

31 August 2001 (Closing Date)
'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

2-9 September
Centennial Festival of Arts and Music, Sacred Heart Cathedral,
Wellington
a weeklong festival celebrating the Cathedral's centennial year and the
completion of its restoration, featuring a daily cycles of
recitals, concerts and poetry readings and Masses. Full programme at:
http://www.shcathedral.wellington.net.nz/centennial/index.htm

*********************************
EMPLOYMENT

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

Registered Nurses, Vincentian home and Hospital, Berhampore, Wellington.
Full-time and part-time positions. Details form Helen Green
(Nurse-Manager) tel (04) 380 0294

Pregnancy Help (Auckland Branch)
1. Principal co-ordinator (28 hours per week)
2. Relief co-ordinator (normal 14 hours per week)
Details from Betty Edmond, tel: (09) 309 5115 Fax: (09) 309 5114 PO Box
5329 Wellesley St, Auckland.
*******************

Every best wish and all God's blessings,
Mike Leon
'kiwicath' forum manager