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FROM THE CATHOLIC PRESS
[The 'NZ Catholic' Website - http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz - was not functioning last night or this morning. I reported the problem to the paper's e-mail address, just in case. Hopefully all will be well by next weekend. Mike L.]
"The Far East" March 2003 http://www.columban.org.au/tfe/TFE_Current.htm Full text articles from the magazine of the New Zealand and Australian members of St Columban's Missionary Society...
Editorial: "A world focus on freshwater " The UN highlights a growing concern for all of us by declaring 2003 the International Year of Freshwater. The idea behind this initiative is to encourage people everywhere to become more aware of the need to be good stewards of our water resources. The lead given by the UN should help us to give our attention to the use and abuse of one of the most precious elements on earth....
"The gift of water" The Book of Job recommends learning from nature as a pathway to spiritual growth. Meditation on the gift of water as the source of life leads us to ponder our human actions in its use or abuse. It can lead us to develop the virtues of humility, justice and temperance and to shun their opposites, arrogance, greed and waste....
"A scarce resource" The water situation in the Middle East and North Africa today is precarious. Competition between adjacent countries for access to water resources is causing friction which could lead to outright hostilities in the future....
"Solidarity in action" The doll-making class of the Mother of Mercy Women's House in Lima, Peru, was beginning to look like "Santa's Workshop." The women from this shantytown were preparing an order to go to the parish of Parramatta, Australia, and they were making sure that everything was "just right" before the dolls were sent off. For most of these women, this was the first order they had for their dolls and it meant so much to them....
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FROM THE SECULAR PRESS
"Trophy win a surprise for student " (photo) Manawatu Evening Standard 15 May 2003 http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/eveningstandard/0,2106,2475509a6502,00.html Dallas Maru didn't think he had any chance of winning the scripture reading section of the O'Shea Catholic Secondary Schools competition. He wasn't even in the room for the announcement. But he didn't miss out on the official prizegiving, which was held at the end of the week-long competition, where he was presented with the Catherine McAuley Cup....
"The bells are ringing for 100 years of education " Rotorua Review 16 May 2003 http://www.stuff.co.nz/bayofplenty/0,2106,2477891a6663,00.html Former students now living throughout Australasia are to converge on the city next month for the centennial celebration of the Sisters of St Joseph and Catholic education in Rotorua....
"Hospice care the answer, meeting told " Manawatu Evening Standard 15 May 2003 http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/eveningstandard/0,2106,2475503a6502,00.html Good hospice care takes a great deal of sting out of the euthanasia debate, according to speakers at a gathering in Palmerston North last night. About 40 people turned out for the session that was advertised as "not a debate", with a line-up of speakers generally opposed to the Death with Dignity Bill, due to be introduced to Parliament this month....
"Ex-brother appears in court on sex charge " 24 May 2003 http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2495872a11,00.html A former brother at St John of God's Marylands school has appeared in court charged with sodomy. The arrest of Bernard McGrath was the first in the police operation investigating brothers and staff at the Halswell residential school....
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EVENTS
July 6-10 2003 "Active 8 Celebrate" National Catholic Youth Event, Christchurch http://www.connect.org.nz/wazzup/index.html
August 14-16 2003 New Zealand Catholic Schools' Convention Wellington Festival and Convention Centre http://nzceo.catholic.org.nz/2003convention.shtml
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