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ADVENT RESOURCES

Beliefnet's Advent Calendar http://www.beliefnet.com/index/index_10055.html The calendar is designed to focus a child's interest on the coming of Christ, culminating in the story of the Nativity on 25 December. Each day's feature revealing a story or anecdote associated with the Christian celebration of Christmas. One of the early themes from this interactive Advent Calendar from Beliefnet is Star of Wonder, including information about telescopes and cosmology and an activity for making a Christmas star. The coding behind the calendar prevents users from peeking at stories from the days ahead. Since it operates on U.S. time, New Zealanders have to be patient for at least 12 hours before they can get at the latest material.

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FROM THE CATHOLIC PRESS

The Marist Messenger, December 2002 http://www.maristmessenger.co.nz/focus.htm

Full text articles from the current issue ...

** The reality of the Christmas story... Hospitality to the stranger is close to the heart of Christianity. This is a provocative and testing statement. Recently I preached from the Sunday Gospel about such hospitality. Someone who had listened waited after Mass to object to my homily! He politely but firmly asked me, 'Why should we welcome them when we are not welcome in some Muslim countries?' This excellent question has made me think....

** Sunshine through my window ** She has the most gorgeous little cherub face, and beautiful big blue-grey eyes framed by long, luscious eyelashes. Her smile - more a toothy grin - easily breaks into infectious laughter. Her face has graced the cover of New Zealand Family Physician magazine, The Bay News, Anne Geddes' nursery room.com website and IHC promotional brochures. In less than two short years, this little girl with Down Syndrome has become a type of celebrity for those with disabilities, celebrated as downright special....

Also in the print edition : Before the innocence of God ...Two babies in the manger ... Mary's words ... Mother of the Journey ... Table talk -for parents ... Cardinal Vlk of Czechoslovakia ... The strong words of love.

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FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

"Push for "values" education " TVNZ Dec 07 2002 [Full text] The Ministry of Education is being urged to heed a global push for spiritual values to be taught in schools alongside academic education. The message comes from a meeting of 30 Asia-Pacific countries under the auspices of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization. Deputy chairman of New Zealand's National Commission for UNESCO Pat Lynch** says children need to be explicitly taught some key values that are common to many religions. He says without peace, harmony, love, kindness, working together and truthfulness the fabric of society falls apart. Lynch says he hopes draft consultation papers on the secondary school curriculum, which are due to come out early next year, will include a strong spiritual values programme.

** Brother Pat Lynch, head of the NZ Catholic Education Office


Radio New Zealand. "9 to Noon", with Lynda Clarke. 11.00am to Midday 06/12/2002 http://xtramsn.co.nz/musicandvideo/0,,6151,00.html Why are mainstream churches' congregations dwindling? Do New Zealanders still want to live by Christian values? Interview with Wellington parish priest Fr Gerard Burns (audio file, preceded by 12 minutes of news and weather)

"Abused trio get church runaround " NZ Herald 07.12.2002 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3008295&thesection=news&thesu\ bsection=general Three brothers sexually abused as children by a Catholic priest in Auckland are angry they are still waiting for their case to be resolved eight months after they complained to the church. Church authorities this week admitted that they had failed the brothers and apologised when approached by the Weekend Herald....

"Of God and Gollum " (photo) INL National News 04 December 2002 http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2130421a11,00.html It's a question of the Lord and the Rings ... or whether God knows his way around Middle Earth. And it's a question Waikato's Anglican Bishop David Moxon thinks he knows the answer to. Bishop Moxon, a long-time fan of Lord of the Rings, both book and movie, has recently been preaching from the gospel according to JRR Tolkien in an effort to prove Christianity lies at the heart of one of the world's most famous literary trilogies...

"Catholic order pays 70 who claim abuse " NZ Herald 04.12.2002 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3007649&thesection=news&thesu\ bsection=general A Catholic order has handed out a pre-Christmas bonus of $1500 each to 70 men who complain they were abused as boys by its brothers. The St John of God Order mailed the payments this week to complainants from the former Marylands residential school in Christchurch....

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CATHOLIC WEB TV

Catholictv.net Wellington Archdiocesan Media Centre http://www.catholictv.net

Capt. Annette Garrett of the Salvation Army Hope Centre, Newtown, talks about de-stressing Christmas by keeping it simple and preserving its spirit (Interviewer, Fr Peter Roe)

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CHRISTMAS E-CARDS

http://www.maristmessenger.co.nz/ecards/

This is a free services by which, after opening the Website, you can choose a picture with a Christmas theme and send Christmas greetings by e-mail to a friend with the picture attached. Over time, Marist Messenger will add cards and music for other important Catholic occasions, such as Baptisms, Weddings, Confirmations, as well as St Patrick's Day and Easter.

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"BLACK ROBE" : The Jesuit Mission in Canada

Prime TV screened the movie 'Black Robe' last night, a fictional account of the early French Jesuit missionaries in seventeenth-century Quebec. For a more historical view of the period you can read the biographies of Isaac Jogues and his companion missionary-martyrs, and of Kateri Takewitha ("the Lily of the Mohawks"), on the Canadian Martyrs Website http://home.golden.net/~wts/wts/wts-saints-martyrs.html The links include translations of the reports ("Relations") written by the French Jesuit missionaries at the time.

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EVENTS

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January 3-12, 2003 Hearts Aflame Catholic Summer School. "Where Faith and Knowledge Meet" St Joseph's Maori School for Girls, 25 Osier Rd, Taradale, Napier http://www.catholic.org/newzealand/heartsaflame

The Hearts Aflame Catholic Summer School for young Catholic adults (18-35) offers ... * An opportunity to deepen your spiritual life through personal, communal and liturgical prayer and through celebration of the sacraments * A discovery of the richness of Catholic spirituality and tradition. * An experience of living a common life of prayer, service and recreation * An introduction to theology and scripture * An examination of some of the many issues facing the Church

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24-27 Jan. 2003 Parachute Music Festival, Totara Springs Christian Camp, Matamata

Catholics@Parachute: http://www.parachute.ecatholic.net.nz Parachute Music Festival Website: http://websites.parachutemusic.com Parachute Music New Zealand: http://www.parachutemusic.com Parachute 2002 Photo Gallery ... http://www.parachute.co.nz/festival/gallery/index.shtml... including "Catholic service in the Cage" (photo by Hamish Ferguson) ... http://www.parachute.co.nz/festival/gallery/pages/catholic%20service_hamish%20fe\ rguson.htm

The annual Parachute Music Festival Extreme is the biggest Christian music festival in the Southern Hemisphere, with audiences of over twenty thousand mainly young Kiwis.

Parachute Music, the Festival's sponsor, works to develop NZ Christian music, to market it internationally and to make Christian musicians and performers a major influence in mainstream Kiwi culture. Catholics@Parachute is organising a group booking for Kiwi Catholics so as to a get a reserved campsite (tent city) for their group. The idea is to make attending Parachute Festival easier and more appealing, to encourage fellowship among young Kiwi Catholics and introduce them to Parachute Music's mission. Catholics@Parachute also hope to organise a public Mass on one of the stages, which will be the first Catholic Mass most of those at the Festival will have ever witnessed.

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EMPLOYMENT

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

Vacancies in Catholic Youth Ministry are advertised on the Job Bank page of the National Council for Young Catholics: http://ncyc.org.nz

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Sisters of St Joseph of Nazareth, Wanganui. Manager/Hostess The Sisters are seeking a live-in Manager/Hostess to co-ordinate and oversee the running of their busy Centre overlooking Wanganui City. The Centre is the Sisters' hearth-place as well as a place of retreat and reflection, and a conference centre. Further details in 'NZ Catholic' Dec 1 2002 p.21 and from Sisters of St Joseph of Nazareth, 14 Hillside Terace, PO Box 777, Wanganui. Applications close 20 Dec 2002

The Catholic Network of Marriage Educators. National Co-ordinator Part-time position, involves some travelling. Further details in 'NZ Catholic' Dec 1 2002 p.21 and from CNME Trust Board Chairperson, PO Box 1937, Wellington. Applications close 31 January 2003.