It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever, who is just to those who are oppressed. It is he who gives bread to the hungry, the Lord who sets prisoners free. (Psalm 146 v.7) Dear friends, It seems likely that the United States and Britain will attack their enemy in Afghanistan later this week, with unpredictable consequences. Please pray daily - and ask others to do so - that the oppressed people of Afghanistan may at last receive justice, that the hungry may receive bread, and prisoners freedom; and please also take any opportunities that arise to contribute to these good causes. On the What's New page of our bishops' Website - http://www.catholic.org.nz - I will be regularly putting up links related to events in Central Asia, such as statements by our bishops and by Pope John Paul, and also reports of initiatives for mediation and assistance to war refugees by the Catholic peace and aid organisations. There will also be links to reports on 10th Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (September 30 to October 27). 'kiwicath' members Stan and Sheela Benjamin and their two young children are due to fly from the Gulf region to their new home in Auckland in just two days' time. If war should break out before then in Central Asia, flights in the region will probably be cancelled and the Benjamin family will be unable to leave. So please keep them in your prayers this weekend also. God bless, Mike Leon ************************************* MEET THE AFGHANS Last week some of the asylum seekers rescued by the container ship 'Tampa' arrived in Auckland. They are staying at the Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre while their applications for asylum or refugee status are processed. Many of the new arrivals are of the Hazara ethnic group, a religious and ethnic minority in Afghanistan, from the vicinity of Mazar-i-Sharif, a town near the northern border of Afghanistan captured by the Taliban in 1998. New Zealand Herald reporters interviewed one of the group coming to New Zealand before they left Nauru: 17-year-old Sayeed Taheer. His experiences would be typical of the others: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=218867&thesection=news&thesub\ section=general The U.S. State Department's human rights report on Afghanistan details the treatment of the Hazaras by the Taliban and describes what happened when the Taliban occupied Mazar-i-Sharif: http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2000/sa/index.cfm?docid=721 If you would like to learn a bit about Afghan history and culture, there's lots of information at Afghanistan Online: http://www.afghan-web.com FROM THE SECULAR PRESS 'Northlander ministers to New Yorkers struck by tragedy' NZ Herald 24 sept 2001 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/latestnewsstory.cfm?storyID=218606&thesection=news&the\ subsection=general&thesecondsubsection=latest A former Northlander working amid the nightmarish aftermath of New York's World Trade Center devastation lives in anguish. In an e-mail home to Whangarei, Father Emile Frische, a Roman Catholic priest who works in Manhattan, writes of almost unimaginable tragedy, but also the triumph of the human spirit, in the wake of the terrorist attacks that killed thousands....... Holmes Show Sept 25: "A New Zealand priest in New York" (video interview with Fr Frische) http://tvone.nzoom.com/programmes/holmes/story.html?story_2001_archive.inc 'Bishop leaves for Rome assembly ' The Evening Post 24 September 2001 Summary: A forum at which diocesan bishops from around the world could discuss key pastoral issues is to be proposed by New Zealand's Catholic bishops at a month-long assembly in Rome. Bishop Patrick Dunn of Auckland, representing New Zealand, leaves this week for the assembly of 300 bishops who will examine the ministry and role of bishops in the modern era. 'Election candidates dine on the bread line' (photo) Otago Daily Times 22 Sept 2001 http://www.odt.co.nz/cgi-bin/search-display-story-online-new?date=22Sep2001&obje\ ct=KLE12B9641RJ&type=html&WORDS=catholic&DB=Editorial A taste of life on the poverty line was on the menu for Dunedin local body candidates yesterday. About 25 candidates took part in a lunch organised by helping agencies to raise awareness of the plight of some citizens........ 'Arrivals keep support group busy ' (photo) Otago Daily Times 8 September 2001 http://www.odt.co.nz/cgi-bin/search-display-story-online-new?date=08Sep2001&obje\ ct=K3H00C1323NC&type=html&WORDS=catholic&DB=Editorial The rooms of Catholic Social Services Dunedin were quiet, which was not surprising unless you knew there were 13 babies aged between one month and five months present. The babies were visiting with their mothers, the most recent class through the service's Birth Support Group.......