Sunday, December 15, 2002

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ADVENT

Therese J Borchard. "There’s something about Mary ..." Catholic Weekly (Sydney) 15 December 2002 http://www.catholicweekly.com.au/02/dec/15/19.html Every year during Advent, I’m reminded of a pilgrimage I made to Lourdes, France, when I was 19. I didn’t have any great expectations, as I was in France at the time and was simply tagging along with two friends who had their hearts set on visiting the place. I was much more excited about planning my future adventure to Lisieux, the hometown of my patron saint. However, as our train stopped at the platform right outside the shrine at Lourdes, I could not deny that something mystical surrounded us. A scent of mystery hung in the air....

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FROM THE CATHOLIC PRESS

"Cardinal Law resigns amid mounting pressure " National Catholic Reporter, December 13, 2002 http://www.natcath.com/NCR_Online/archives/122702/122702d.htm Appropriately enough, Cardinal Bernard Law’s final act unfolded against the backdrop of a cold and gloomy Friday the 13th in Rome. Pope John Paul II today accepted Law’s brief resignation letter, ending months of speculation and capping a groundswell of demands for Law’s ouster from a wide cross-section of priests and laity in Boston....

"Boston’s beleaguered cardinal arrives in Rome" The Tablet, 14 December 2002 http://www.thetablet.co.uk/cgi-bin/register.cgi?citw Boston’s archbishop, Cardinal Bernard Law, flew to Rome earlier this week amid further damaging disclosures of clerical misconduct in his archdiocese, the prospect of bankruptcy, and calls from his own priests to stand down. Speculation in Rome was that the Vatican was likely to appoint a coadjutor bishop as a face-saving means of removing him from the leadership...

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CATHOLIC WEB TV

Catholictv.net (Wellington Archdiocesan Media Office) http://www.catholictv.net

This week's feature: Sr Stephanie Kitching interviews Anne Desalis, marriage preparation educator.

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JUSTICE, PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT

Caritas Update Issue No. 31, Summer 2002 http://www.caritas.org.nz/Update/31_summer_2002/index.htm

In this issue...

Letter from the director ... Cambodia - Preventing land loss and illegal logging ... War on Iraq a recipe for humanitarian disaster ... Caritas Internationalis message from Jerusalem ... Caritas response to Southern Africa Crisis ... Social Justice Week Review ... Maori, Church, and the Land ... Catholic Social Teaching Workshops ... School Spotlight

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NEW AND UPDATED WEBSITES

(Special thanks to Kiwicath forum member Julian Roberts for many of these links)

Christchurch Carmelites The annual Newsletter of the Christchurch Carmel is on its Website at: http://www.karmel.at/~chch/index.htm Via this site you can also tour the convent of this contemplative order of nuns, thanks to the Wonderful World Wide Web.

Congregational Leaders Conference of Aotearoa New Zealand (CLCANZ) http://religious.org.nz/The site of the national association of Catholic Sisters, Brothers and priests in religious orders.

The Cenacle Community in NZ/Australia http://cenacle.org.nz The Cenacle Sisters particular calling is spiritual direction through individual or group retreats.

The De La Salle Brothers in NZ http://delasalle.org.nz Lasallian Vocations and Youth Ministry in Australia and New Zealand http://vocym.org Lasallian Youth Gathering, Auckland, 2003 http://lyg03.com The De La Salle Brothers are active in New Zealand as Catholic secondary school teachers and educational administrators, and in youth ministry.

Auckland Catholic Youth Ministry http://akyouth.org.nz and Summer Connection Camp http://summerx.akyouth.org.nz

Christchurch Catholic Youth Team http://cyt.org.nz

Nebo – a Catholic band from Christchurch http://nebo.co.nz

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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 Terrace, 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.

Catholic Marriage Educators' National Co-ordinator Further details in 'Wel-com' December 2002 p.23, and from CNME Trust board, PO Box 1937, Wellington 6015. Applications close 31 January 2003