"How long, Lord, am I to cry for help while you will not listen;
to cry 'Oppression!' in your ear and you will not save?"
(Habakkuk 1:2)

Dear friends,

All being well, the Benjamin family should have arrived in Auckland
last
week. If anyone has heard from them, could you let us know please.

God bless,

Mike Leon
*************************************

AFGHAN CRISIS

You will find regularly updated links concerning events in Afghanistan,
including statements by our bishops and Pope John Paul and initiatives
by Catholic peace and aid organisations, on our bishops Website
http://www.catholic.org.nz under 'What's New'.

SYNOD OF BISHOPS

The 10th Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (September 30 to
October 27) is taking place in Rome. New Zealand is represented by
Bishop Pat Dunn (Auckland). The Vatican Information Service publishes
daily summaries of each bishop's address to the Assembly, and I am
putting a summary of the summaries on the What's New page beneath the
Afghan news links.

CATHOLIC WEB TV
http://www.catholictv.net/
Further interviews with Wellington-based members of the International
Catholic Programme for Evangelisation (ICPE ) Frank Doherty (New
Zealand) and Charles Hannaford (Malta).

JUSTICE, PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT

Caritas Update, Spring 2001
http://www.caritas.org.nz/Update/27%20spring%202001/index.htm
In This Issue: Letter from the Director: eleven principles of Catholic
social teaching ... Debt through the lens of Social Justice ... Debt
Update & Archbishop Ndungane's visit ... Emerging Democracy in the
Pacific ... East Timor Update ... Tampa Asylum ... ... Seekers &
Caritas
NZ Project Evaluation ... Exploring the Impact of Your Support ...
Caritas Bangladesh staff visit NZ Schools and Parishes

EMPLOYMENT

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

Property Asset Manager, Auckland Diocese
Details from Pompallier Diocesan Centre, tel 09 378 4380;
davidr@cda.org.nz
Applications close on Friday 12 October 2001

FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

"Staff cuts loom for refugee service"
NZ Herald 06.10.2001

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?thesection=news&thesubsection=&storyI\
D=220850
New Zealand's Refugee and Migrant Service is facing staff cuts because
of a cash crisis at a time the world is struggling to cope with
unprecedented refugee numbers. Although the refugee service was founded
by the churches, its annual appeal to churches in July raised less than
$7000....

"Kiwi Muslims under siege" (photo)
NZ Herald 6.10.2001

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?thesection=news&thesubsection=&storyI\
D=220914&reportID=61063
Mt Roskill lawyer Abdul Hafeez Rasheed did not hear a police officer
compare him to the Saudi terrorist leader Osama bin Laden. But when he
was told what had been said, he was angry. As one Muslim New Zealander
puts it: "When the IRA bombs London, you don't ask a Kiwi Catholic what
he thinks of the IRA." ........

"Refugees taste NZ generosity"
TV One News 5 October 2001
http://onenews.nzoom.com/news_detail/0,1227,60818-1-7,00.html
While Australia gave the Afghan asylum-seekers the cold shoulder, the
tide seems to be turning here, as every day more and more donations
flood into the Mangere Refugee Centre ...... (Link to related video in
adjacent column)

"Women's Lives Endangered - SPUC"
IRN
http://xtramsn.co.nz/news/0,,3882-797780,00.html
An unborn children's' lobby group believes women's health is being
disregarded by moves to make emergency contraception more available....