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'NZ CATHOLIC'

http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz

No. 230, December 25, 2005 - January 28, 2006

[This is the last issue of 'NZ Catholic' for 2005. The next one will be published on 29 January, a few days after the launch of the paper's new Website.]

Bishop Mariu farewelled Waihi Village - The breadth of Bishop Max Takuira Matthew Mariu's reach was evident as thousands of people converged on the southern shores of Lake Taupo to remember the Catholic Church's first Maori bishop....

Korean church opened Wellington - More than 1000 Korean Catholics attended the opening of their new $5 million church at Bishop Dunn Place in East Tamaki on December 18....

New managing editor for NZ Catholic Auckland - Gavin Abraham, who joined NZ Catholic as assistant editor in March, has been appointed managing editor....

Also in this issue ...

NATIONAL Mercy amalgamation complete ... Bishop announces Dunedin pastoral areas, clergy changes ... National calendar for 2006 ... One new priest ordained in 2005 ... Brothers look to the future ... Christmas crib for Croatians

FEATURES The Bible as history is astonishingly accurate ... A convent girl remembers school in Greymouth ... Did St Joseph the carpenter build this staircase?... The Carol of the Cradle-o ... Turning back the tsunami's damage ... Double celebration for Fairlie parish ... Papal awards to 14 people in Christchurch ... Cathedral will be venue for musical on Jesus ... "Safe-sex" message blamed for abortion rise ... What the Church has done for science is at last recognised

OPINION Josephine Kamsvaag: Big Wall threatens "Little Town" - but Kiwis can help... Ronald Rolheiser: The earthiness of Christmas ... Parish Diary: Reconciliation smorgasbord ... Editorial: Let's proclaim the feast of Christmas ... Malcolm Evans ... Letters

INTERNATIONAL Bad driving should be confessed ... Pope says true spirit of Christmas is being assaulted ... Pell warns gangs not to target Christians ... Human dignity and rights not the same ... Humanitarian law applies even in war ... Marriage law attacked ... Innocent Iraqis die ... Tiny Irish Anglican church equals Catholic vocations ... In Brief

REGULAR FEATURES Media Monitor, Clips, Books, Doolans, Young Adults, Kit's Corner, Scripture, Feasts, Photo Prayer, Holiday Crossword, Caption Contest, Who Said?, 40 Years Ago, That Word!, Wit's End.

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CHRISTMAS 2005

Christmas message: Bishop Patrick Dunn, Catholic Bishop of Auckland http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10361330 Every Christmas is special. Whether we spend it with excited children, with old friends, or even alone, we can all enjoy the buzz in the streets, the carols in the malls and the sparkling lights at night...

Christmas message: John Craddock, National Spiritual Adviser, Society of St Vincent de Paul http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10361328 Christmas is the time when people remember and relive the birth in Bethlehem two millennia ago of the One who brings hope to our lives today. For us there is also a strange paradox that in that Palestinian town, focus of Christmas, there is less than concord among neighbours. The mission of the Jewish Jesus is still not complete: to bring peace to all people of good will...

Is religious instruction necessary?, by Nick Smith http://www.listener.co.nz/default,5235.sm Christmas will be celebrated in Australian schools, thundered Victorian premier Steve Bracks recently. His stand was triggered by his perception of the threat posed by atheist educators – the latter apparently a little like Narnia's White Witch, making it always winter but never Christmas. In this country, political correctness has not gone that mad, says Christian educator Hilary Baskerville. "[But] if someone has to say [Christmas] is okay, it says something about the degree to which political correctness has got in the way of our Judeo-Christian heritage..."

God, his wife and the hay barn http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/dominionpost/0,2106,3521381a6479,00.html You would think the word "Christ" in Christmas might give it away – but it seems that when it comes to the real meaning of Christmas, most children are clueless...

Heavenly feelings (photo) http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/thepress/0,2106,3518529a6527,00.html It's Christmas and angels are among us, defying the dictates of a secular age with an emphatic flutter of wings. Harking, heralding or descending from the realms of glory, 'tis the season for angels. They regard us sternly from stained-glass windows, simper from cheap Christmas cards or hover in fibreglassed splendour above crowded shopping malls...

When faith and fact collide http://www.stuff.co.nz/northland/0,2106,3518032a6015,00.html A Christian couple will not be taking their children to a Christmas church service this year as they feel unwelcome in their church because of their marital status. Suzi Crump and Charles (Chaz) Cramp are both separated from their respective spouses and are now living together in Tikipunga. They have wanted to be involved in worship but say their own church - St Andrews Presbyterian Church - has made them feel unwelcome...

Pilgrims Gather Before Papal Midnight Mass http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5502036,00.html Vatican City (AP) - Pilgrims, tourists and Romans flocked to St. Peter's Square on Saturday before Pope Benedict XVI's first Christmas service since becoming pontiff - a Midnight Mass that marked the official start of a busy few days of celebrations for the pope...

74 countries to see Pope's Christmas Mass televised http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=41424 Vatican, Dec. 23 (CWNews.com) - The midnight Mass of Christmas, celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Basilica, will be broadcast over 124 television networks reaching 74 different countries...

Pope: St Joseph’s silence counters “too noisy” world http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4905 Vatican City (AsiaNews) – In a world which is “too noisy, and does not encourage reflection and listening to the voice of God”, Christians should “allow themselves to be ‘infected’ by the silence of St Joseph”. In today’s Angelus, Benedict XVI turned once again to the truest way of preparing for Christmas...

The lights of Christmas, a reminder of the true Light http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4930 Benedict XVI urges parents to pass on to the next generation the true meaning of the festivity even though in our modern, consumer-oriented culture Christian symbols have tended to disappear from Christmas celebrations.

Most Christian expats in the Gulf can celebrate Christmas http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=25606 Dubai - Christian expatriates in the Gulf enjoy increasingly more freedom to worship and celebrate feasts, especially Christmas, except in Saudi Arabia, where non-Islamic practices still lead to jail and deportation...

Africa/Tunisia - “Christmas passes almost unnoticed in Tunis in the eyes of the world but not in the eyes of the faith: we are a tiny flock but we live this important Feast Day with deep devotion " says Fr. Eugenio Elías ... http://www.fides.org/aree/news/newsdet.php?idnews=6438&lan=eng

Christians and Muslims gather around crib in Antioch http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4917 In Italy the crib tends to be pushed aside out of “respect” for Muslims (or so it is said). In Turkey, schoolchildren flock to see what the Christmas of the prophet Jesus, the manger and the Mass, are all about...

Christmas in Pakistan: inter-faith dialogue and spiritual renewal http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4910 Lahore (AsiaNews) – The Christian community in Lahore has prepared a series of religious, cultural and sports activities in the lead-up to Christmas. The organizers of all activities have emphasized that the preparation of celebrations and events was purposely subdued in view of the recent earthquake and violence perpetrated against Christians in Sangla Hill...

Archbishop attacks 'PC' Christmas http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4540538.stm Christian leaders have condemned politically correct approaches to Christmas for stifling religious expression. Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams said "silly bureaucrats" wanted to wipe Christian symbols from Christmas...

Asia Celebrates Christmas With A Twist http://xtramsn.co.nz/travel/0,,12734-5163941,00.html Come December, Christmas lights brighten shopping streets in cities from Beijing to Colombo, while images of Santa Claus and Rudolph adorn office buildings, shops and restaurants...

Where's the spirit of Christmas? http://www.sptimes.com/2005/12/23/Worldandnation/Where_s_the_spirit_of.shtml If you think there's a "war" against Christmas, as some in the United States and other Western countries say, take heart: Christmas is alive and well in surprising places - among them several Muslim nations...

Little Christmas cheer in Cuba; Santa blacklisted http://xtramsn.co.nz/travel/0,,12734-5163883,00.html Eight years after Communist Cuba restored December 25 as a national holiday in a gesture to Pope John Paul II, there is not much Christmas spirit to show for it...

How St. Nicholas Became Santa Claus: One Theory http://zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=81960 Bath, England, Dec. 20, 2005 (Zenit.org).- The modern persona of Santa Claus is a far cry from its origins: St. Nicholas, bishop of Myra. So how did he go from a charitable saint to an icon of Christmas consumerism? Travel writer Jeremy Seal embarked on an international search to answer that question and recorded his findings in "Nicholas: The Epic Journey from Saint to Santa Claus" ...

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OTHER NEWS FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

Diminutive woman left mark in Hawea (photo) Otago Daily Times http://tinyurl.com/clfuf Margaret (Margie) Leonie Cotter, a parishioner of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Wanaka, died at home on December 9 aged 74. Mrs Cotter was a Lake Hawea identity who had a long association with the Lake Hawea Holiday Park, the Hawea Flat School and the Central Otago Diabetes Society...

Mass to mark amalgamation http://www.stuff.co.nz/otago/0,2106,3516515a3845,00.html A church service in Dunedin on Saturday heralded a new era for the city's 47 Sisters of Mercy. Independent Sisters of Mercy congregations in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin voted last year to amalgamate, and the new structure took effect last week...

Historic find halts work on church http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundaystartimes/auckland/0,2106,3513853a6497,00.htm\ l Heritage experts are annoyed an historic brick well at one of Auckland's oldest churches has been filled in for a carpark. Remnants of old bricks were discovered at the 1861 Catholic Church of St John the Baptist on Parnell Rd by a neighbour last week. Builders filled the site over the weekend but work stopped on Monday after complaints by the Historic Places Trust...

Jailed churchman was sexually abused as child http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10361156 A retired Catholic brother jailed yesterday for sexually abusing schoolboys in his care in the late 1970s was himself abused as a youngster, the Wellington District Court was told. John Louis Stevenson, 66, was jailed for 3 1/2 years for sexually assaulting four boys aged between 14 and 16 at the Hato Paora Maori Boys school in Feilding from 1976 to 1981...

Hospital chaplaincy service short of money http://www.stuff.co.nz/otago/0,2106,3516516a3845,00.html A Hospital Chaplaincy Otago council member says she can see no way around a pending chaplaincy service cash crisis other than to start an annual appeal. The Rev Susan Jones said the cash-strapped service was facing a funding shortfall of $70,000 next year after two years of declining contributions from traditional funders – the government and churches.

Hollywood is embracing Christianity, even if only in pursuit of a dollar, writes Garry Maddox (four pages) http://www.theage.com.au/news/film/the-new-lion-king/2005/12/21/1135032073046.ht\ ml

A Man On A Mission (3 pages) After eight months on the job, Pope Benedict XVI has created a charisma all his own 'Time' magazine Sunday, Dec. 18, 2005 http://www.time.com/time/europe/magazine/article/0,13005,901051226-1142185,00.ht\ ml

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FROM THE OVERSEAS CATHOLIC PRESS & NEWS AGENCIES

Pope tells theologian he's coming to Australia http://www.cathnews.com/news/512/123.php When pressed earlier this month by Fr Tony Kelly of the Australian Catholic University, Pope Benedict XVI gave his assurance that he will be visiting Sydney for World Youth Day 2008, "God willing"...

Pope's first encyclical expected in January http://www.cathnews.com/news/512/130.php According to Italian press reports, Pope Benedict XVI plans to sign off on his first encyclical on Christmas Day, and the document will be made public after the feast of the Epiphany.

Chinese priests brutally beaten in Tianjin: like the nuns of Xian http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4906 Police chased away the “thugs” and questioned the injured for hours, making them wait for medical treatment and hospitalization. New case of illegal expropriation of Church property...

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CATHOLIC COMMUNICATIONS NZ

Global Catholic News, plus sound files from Vatican Radio

http://www.cathcom.org.nz

Pope's first encyclical expected in January Condom-covered Madonna embarrasses Catholic weekly Vatican Ratifies Protocol on "Explosive Remnants of War" Pell says there's an alternative to cloning Pope: Christ’s Christmas and 2005 “which is about to set” Holy See to WTO: trade should favor the poor Pope advises students to study their faith Catholics tackle religious radio boom

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MARIST MESSENGER

http://www.maristmessenger.co.nz/index.php

From the December 2005 issue ...

Chaplain to the Police “So, you’re a police chaplain! That must be tough. They’re having a rough time at present, our police. Nothing seems to be going right for them. You’ll be busy! ...”

All the Lonely People The old man arrived in the hospital corridor late in the day. Because all the wards were full, there was nowhere else to put his bed. He had been sent up from A. & E. to recover from an attempted overdose...

The Relics in Retrospect The Pilgrimage of the Relics of St Thérèse through New Zealand seems to have been a great success for the organisers. It was a time of celebration, prayer and grace...

God in a Dog On 25 September last year, my wife passed away. I was living at home with my adult daughter, my late wife’s toy poodle and my geriatric Labrador (whose days did seem numbered due to her age). As you can imagine, it was a somewhat staid household and I was (and still am) very upset over my wife’s death...

Also in December's Marist Messenger

* The Cover Icon * The Fish - a Christmas story * Jacques Maurice Tresallet * Our Daily Bread * A Christmas Gift from God * Pope Benedict Speaks * December Saints * January Feasts * Can You Bear it * A Minute or Two * Children's Corner * Crossword by Appo * Remembering our Dead

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CARITAS AOTEAROA NZ

http://www.caritas.org.nz

Life After the Tsunami: One year on (22 December 2005) It is a year since the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004 destroyed communities along the coasts of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and India. With thousands dead and millions homeless the response by international humanitarian agencies was one of the largest ever undertaken......more

Where to from here for Aceh? Will peace last? (23 November 2005) You are welcome to a public meeting by Imam Syuja MP and Hendra Budian a human rights lawyer. Both are from Aceh and are visiting to discuss post-tsunami reconstruction and the progress of the peace agreement signed on the 15 August. .....more

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"THE WORD FROM ROME"

http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/word/

A weekly column by the National Catholic Reporter's full-time correspondent in Rome, John L. Allen Jr.

This week ... A Nuncio for the USA; Church universities and the EU; New Ambassadors to the Holy See ; History of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity; On joint worship and intercommunion; Neocatechumenal Way told to regularize liturgical practices

"The Word from Rome" will resume on Friday, January 6.

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EVENTS

Parachute Music Festival, Mystery Creek, Hamilton, 28-31 January 2006

http://websites.parachutemusic.com/festival/2005/default_noflash.asp

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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 ]

Adviser, Archdiocesan Office of Justice, Peace and Development, Wellington Website: http://wn.catholic.org.nz/justicepeacedevelopment.html Details in 'Wel-com' December 2005, p. 5 and from: Lorraine McArthur, Director, Archdiocesan Pastoral Services, Catholic Centre, P O Box 1937, Wellington 6015. E-mail: l.mcarthur@wn.catholic.org.nz; tel. (04) 496 1706; fax: (04) 496 1768 Applications close 23 January 2006.

Presenters, 'NZ Catholic' newspaper Details in 'NZ Catholic' Dec. 18-24 2005 p.15, and from Dennis Augustine, Promotions and Advertising Manager, 'NZ Catholic', PO Box 147-000, Ponsonby, Auckland 1034. Tel. (09) 360 3049; e-mail: advertising.nzcatholic@iconz.co.nz

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'NZ CATHOLIC'

http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz

No. 229, December 18-24, 2005

Marriage bill lost as views conflict
Wellington - While United Future's Gordon Copeland lamented the defeat of
his Marriage Amendment (Gender Clarification) Bill at its first reading, a
fellow Catholic MP called the proposed legislation "ill-conceived"....

Four Sisters of Mercy congregations join together
Wellington - Sisters of Mercy throughout New Zealand -- and hundreds of
friends and associates -- have celebrated their coming together as one
single congregation with Masses from Auckland to Dunedin....

Catholics urged to speak on stem cells
Auckland - Catholics are being urged to exercise their right to speak out
against a proposal to allow embryonic stem cell research....

Also in this issue ...

NATIONAL
Dream began at school fair ... Catholic kidnapped with NZ student ...
Nothing "new" in document ... Ex-miners thank patron St Barbara ... Clergy
changes announced ... Grandmas and dad graduate from literacy course ... Fr
Blake aided implementation of Vatican II ... No open Popetown hearing ...
Apocalyptic letter a phoney ... Women respond to ads ... RE teachers see
hopeful future ... Students' trip to India is delayed ... Archbishop will
work with St John chaplains ... Young historian named ... Record for Angel
Tree ... ERO File

FEATURES
Catholic MP assigned major duties ... Our annulment experience was
surprisingly positive ... Capacity enrolment likely for Hearts Aflame ...
Chinese youths visit on mission journey ... Dignity explains campaign to
allow assisted suicide ... Author felt "almost hounded" by God

OPINION
Ronald Rolheiser: Jesus' dysfunctional family tree ... Brendan Malone:
Contraception is unfairly treated ... Joy Cowley: World religions show the
soul's yearning ... Editorial: Theologians looking past limbo theory ...
Malcolm Evans ... Letters

INTERNATIONAL
Pope says theology must flow from faith ... Pakistan seizes Christian homes
... Nuns on the march ... The Pope: Support given to HIV-Aids battle ...
Uphill battle on death penalty ... Cloning pioneer disgraced ... Even
non-believers can be saved ... New papal theologian ... Samoans visit Pope
... Activists help boost tourism in Bethlehem ... Pilgrims limited ...
Sacking of pregnant teacher prompts complaint ... De facto past not good for
marriage ... New instruction is refreshing ... Same-sex adoptions ordered
stopped ... Religions restricted ... Lecture called off ... In Brief

REGULAR FEATURES
Young Adults, Books, Monitor, Clips, Net Scene, Tape Deck, Scripture,
Feasts, Papal Prayer, The Doolans, Family Talk, Question Box, Caption
Contest, Who Said?, 40 Years Ago, Dio. Diary, Cryptic Crossword, Photo
Prayer, That Word!, Holy Lives, Kit's Corner, Wit's End.

ADVERTISING FEATURE
Catholic Caring Foundation

[There will be a special Christmas issue of 'NZ Catholic' on sale next
Sunday, Christmas Day.]

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BISHOP MAX MARIU

Respected leader of his community (obituary. photo)
Otago Daily Times
http://tinyurl.com/8wuz5
Bishop Takuira Max Mariu, who died this week, aged 53, was the Auxiliary
Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Hamilton and a deeply respected leader of
the Catholic Maori community. Bishop Mariu was patron of Hui Aranga (Easter
Hui). He composed the well-known song Te Kokinga Mai for the exhibition to
mark the return of Te Taonga.

Anglican Maori Bishops pay tribute to Bishop Max Mariu
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0512/S00102.htm
The Anglican Church’s five Maori bishops are today travelling to little
Waihi Marae near Turangi to mourn Takuira Max Mariu, the first Maori Roman
Catholic bishop, and to acknowledge the warm and close relationship they’d
shared...

Tributes flow at farewell to Maori bishop
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/waikatotimes/0,2106,3512782a6579,00.html
Kotuku Tibble was a schoolboy in 1977 when Bishop Max Takuira Mariu was
ordained a priest at Little Waihi. Yesterday, Mr Tibble, along with other
schoolmates, friends, relatives and churchgoers, packed the Cathedral of the
Blessed Virgin Mary at Hamilton, in the diocese where New Zealand's first
Maori bishop served, to say goodbye to him...

He Aitua : Most Reverend Max Takuira Mariu
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0512/S00182.htm
The Maori Party today joined whanau all over Aotearoa in mourning the loss
of the Most Reverend Max Takuira Mariu SM DD...

Maori religious leader dies
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10359777

Tainui pay respects to late bishop at marae
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/waikatotimes/0,2106,3511689a6579,00.html

Respected Maori Bishop passes away
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411319/639257

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FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

High honour for Monsignor Harrington
http://www.ashburtonguardian.co.nz/index.asp?articleid=6501
When a man becomes a priest and offers his life to God and the church, he
does not expect to receive international accolades. But sometimes, as
Ashburton’s Monsignor James Harrington discovered, those honours and
accolades find you anyway. On Sunday he became only the third New Zealander
who can currently lay claim to the title Prothonotary Apostolic ...

Catholic church sees dilemmas in embryo screening
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3509509a11,00.html
Embryo screening presents society with a number of dilemmas, including the
elimination of "unwanted" or "imperfect" embryos, a Catholic Church
spokesman said today. Couples at high risk of having children with serious
genetic disorders will be able to have government-funded embryo screening
within six months...

Chaplains hope to enrich prisoners' lives (photo)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/northland/0,2106,3511821a6015,00.html
Ngawha Prison is trail-blazing the country's penal institutions by
developing programmes to help prisoners find new ways of improving their
lives, a congregation heard last week. The Bishop of Auckland, the Reverend
Patrick Dunn DD, made the comment when he commissioned Molly Walters and
Isabelle Dalton, of Whirinaki, as Catholic chaplains at Ngawha Prison...

Pig cell diabetes treatment debated
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/search/story.cfm?storyid=000DA53F-B654-139F-B22683027A\
F1010E
Two diabetes groups disagree over the risks of pig cell transplants to treat
one version of the disease. Debate over the experimental treatment was
renewed on Tuesday by the Bioethics Council...

Catholic Brother's Appeal Denied (full text)
NewstalkZB
A retired Catholic church brother convicted of sexually abusing pupils at
Feilding's Hato Paora Maori Boys College in the 1970s and 80s has lost his
appeal. Earlier this year Andrew Cody was jailed for two-and-a-half-years
after pleading guilty to charges including indecent assault relating to
three boys. Justice Young has denied the 67-year-old's appeal for his
sentence to be reduced by six-months. Later this month retired teacher, John
Lewis Stevenson - also known as Brother Bernard - will be sentenced after
admitting to abusing four boys around the same time.

School on the mat over weekly prayer
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3515057a11,00.html
An Auckland primary school faces a Human Rights Tribunal hearing over saying
the Lord's Prayer at weekly assembly. Victoria Avenue School in Remuera says
it has recited the prayer throughout its 52-year-history. But parent Nicki
Butt, who has brought the complaint, says a prayer from any religion is not
appropriate in a secular state school...

Spend up large ... and then repent
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10359829
Katowice - Poles are being given the chance to reconcile their devotion to
Mammon with their duties as Catholics after a confessional booth was
installed at a new shopping centre in the southern Polish city of
Katowice...

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FROM THE OVERSEAS CATHOLIC PRESS & NEWS AGENCIES

Christmas Tainted by Commercialism, Says Pope
http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=81449
Vatican City, Dec. 11, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI encouraged the
faithful to overcome the "commercial contamination" of Christmas by
rediscovering the Child Jesus, the Son of God made man out of love. The
Pope, who led the recitation of the midday Angelus from the window of his
study, referred today to the tradition of setting up a Nativity crib in
homes as a way of presenting the Christian faith, especially to children...

Pope to work overtime at Christmas
http://www.cathnews.com/news/512/90.php
The Vatican has announced that 78 year old Pope Benedict XVI will rise to
the challenge of a gruelling schedule of public Masses and prayer services
at Christmas time...

Simple Gaudete of a complex believer
http://www.thetablet.co.uk/cgi-bin/archive_db.cgi/tablet-01121
When the consummate artist of the consumer age let slip the mask of Pop-Art
imagery, he revealed the sincerity of his Catholic faith. The childlike
simplicity and joy of Andy Warhol’s Nativity is an inspiration for us to
reflect on what lies at the heart of the Christmas season ...

Christmas of solidarity in Pakistan
http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4886
This year Christmas will not be a time of useless expenses, but one of
prayers and offerings to Kashmir quake survivors and to the Christians of
Sangla Hill, victims of religious intolerance...

Dawn masses set to start for Christmas
http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4875
Manila (AsiaNews) â€" “Dawn massesâ€� â€" traditional liturgies which prepare
the
faithful during Advent and accompany them until the Epiphany â€" are set to
start in the Philippines with the pre-Christmas novena...

Church to ramp up use of media
http://www.cathnews.com/news/512/59.php
The Catholic Church in Australia plans to use the media to get its message
to a world increasingly reluctant to attend church, according to a report
published yesterday in the Sunday Age. Religion writer Barney Zwartz said
that the church's leadership, which has long been suspicious of the media
and on the back foot over such scandals as clerical sexual abuse, plans to
guide the church into "the media age"...

An enigma wrapped in a cowl
http://www.thetablet.co.uk/cgi-bin/archive_db.cgi/tablet-01120
After nine years as Master of the Dominicans, Timothy Radcliffe spends his
time these days on the road as the very model of a modern member of the
Order of Preachers. Catherine Pepinster meets the man many rely on to spread
light on the Church’s more difficult corners ...

Smile, ‘hello’ may draw more to Mass. A conversation with Sr Carmel Pilcher,
liturgist and expert on the Eucharist
Catholic Weekly (Sydney)
http://tinyurl.com/cgejx
We all have a responsibility to change our attitudes, the quality of our
liturgy and put a smile on our face to attract more people, especially young
people, to Sunday Mass, says Sr Carmel Pilcher on the eve of the end of her
term as director of liturgy in the Sydney archdiocese. And we can learn from
other religions, including Islam, when it comes to connecting with each
other...

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CATHOLIC COMMUNICATIONS NZ

Media Releases

http://www.cathcom.org.nz/media.php

Death of first Maori Catholic Bishop (13 Dec 2005 - photo)
Bishop Takuira Max Mariu died last night (12 December) at Auckland hospital
where he was flown by helicopter from Waikato Hospital for emergency
surgery. He was aged 53 ...

Global Catholic News, plus sound files from Vatican Radio

http://www.cathcom.org.nz

France seeks more respect for ashes of the dead
Prominent German theologian and critic announces he's no longer Catholic
Spain has eye on 2011 World Youth Day
Parent produces gun at Sydney school
Jesuits and companions begin Jubilee Year with assembly
Vatican official slams Iran over Holocaust remark
Vatican foundation appeals for donations for HIV/AIDS medicine
Gay clergy respond to Vatican policy on priests

***********************************************************

"THE WORD FROM ROME"

http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/word/

A weekly column by the National Catholic Reporter's full-time correspondent
in Rome, John L. Allen Jr.

This week ...
Q & A on Opus Dei
"I've been traveling recently related to my book Opus Dei: An Objective Look
Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic
church (Doubleday). By now I've fielded questions from media outlets and
ordinary readers in various parts of the world, and I have a fairly good
sense of what's on people's minds. I thought I'd present some of this
material this week in Q & A format..."

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EVENTS

Parachute Music Festival, Mystery Creek, Hamilton, 28-31 January 2006

http://websites.parachutemusic.com/festival/2005/default_noflash.asp

********************************************************************************

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 ]

Adviser, Archdiocesan Office of Justice, Peace and Development, Wellington
Website: http://wn.catholic.org.nz/justicepeacedevelopment.html
Details in 'Wel-com' December 2005, p. 5 and from: Lorraine McArthur,
Director, Archdiocesan Pastoral Services, Catholic Centre, P O Box 1937,
Wellington 6015. E-mail: l.mcarthur@wn.catholic.org.nz; tel. (04) 496
1706 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (04) 496 1706
end_of_the_skype_highlighting;
fax: (04) 496 1768
Applications close 23 January 2006.
General telephone enquiries 64 4 496 1777
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 64 4 496 1777
end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Presenters, 'NZ Catholic' newspaper
Details in 'NZ Catholic' Dec. 18-24 2005 p.15, and from Dennis Augustine,
Promotions and Advertising Manager, 'NZ Catholic', PO Box 147-000, Ponsonby,
Auckland 1034. Tel. (09) 360 3049 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting
(09) 360 3049 end_of_the_skype_highlighting; e-mail:
advertising.nzcatholic@iconz.co.nz

********************************************************************************

****************************************************

'WEL-COM'

http://www.welcom.org.nz

Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Wellington and the Diocese of Palmerston
North

From the December issue ...

* Archbishop Dew's column: The hope of Christmas and images of God's reign
As the church and the world remembers the closing of the Second Vatican
Council in 1965, it could be helpful for us to reflect on the Pastoral
Constitution of the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes. I think
this is particularly helpful as we prepare for and celebrate Christmas.
Gaudium et Spes reminded us that while we live with the expectation and hope
of heaven, that anticipation must not lead to neglect of the commitment to
transform the earth...

* Child poverty group wins key case
The Child Poverty Action Group has won the right to take a case against the
government’s discriminatory practices.
The group claims that the In Work Payment which will replace the Child Tax
Credit next April as part of the Working for Families package disadvantages
300,000 children whose parents are on benefits or who can’t work enough
hours to qualify. ...

* Former Caritas staffer to work with refugees in Sudan
Helping to set up a school system in Sudan will be a first task for Caritas’
Elaine Jepsen who will next year go to work with refugees in Africa’s
biggest country. Elaine has spent the past four years working on schools’
resources for Caritas. Next year she joins the Jesuit Refugee Service, to
expand on her Caritas work by helping to equip a school system in a refugee
camp near El Fasher in the north of Sudan’s Darfur region....

* The face of moral judgment
Australians have responded with compassion to Mr Nguyen Tuong Van’s
impending execution. They have also rejected judicial execution as a
legitimate instrument of state policy. It is easy to understand why Mr
Nguyen and his plight have aroused such sympathy and outrage. We have seen
the face of a young man, have heard the story of a life, and know that on a
day fixed beforehand he will almost certainly die...

* Peacemakers honour Vatican II peoples' paper
The Wellington Catholic Peacemakers Group held three sessions last month to
commemorate the 40th anniversary of the release of the major document of
Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes. The three evening sessions, at the Compassion
Centre Soup Kitchen were led by speakers Fr Gerard Burns, who gave an
overview; Kay Smith, who spoke on peace; and John Maynard who talked about
work. Opening the series, Fr Burns told a group of around 25 people, that
the opening paragraph of Gaudium et Spes indicated a substantial change in
the way the church saw its relationship with the world...

* Gaudium et Spes - the signs of the times and the young
This is the final in our series featuring the 40-year-old document of
Vatican II which has arguably the most inpact on the laity. This month Chris
Duthie-Jung explores the document’s impact on young people. "I was born in
the year that Gaudium et Spes was promulgated and readily admit to taking a
certain comfort in the fact that it was this ground-breaking constitution
with which I share my year of birth. Indeed when those immortal opening
words first gained my full attention, I was immediately caught by them even
though they were by then more than two decades old. 'The joys and the hopes,
the griefs and the anxieties of the people of this age, especially those who
are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs
and anxieties of the followers of Christ'...."

* Awe, e Maria, e ki ana koe i te kereatia â€" Hail Mary, Full of Grace
And there we have it! This is exactly what the Immaculate Conception
celebrates. Mary was always full to the brim with grace. Grace is so much
more original, so much more powerful than sin. Yet our Catholic mentality at
times seems fixated on sin. As it stands, the very term ‘Immaculate
Conception’ is a negative expression. A far more positive rendition is ‘the
gracing of Mary’. Mary was so graced by God from the very moment of her
conception that there was no room for sin at all....

*************************************************************

FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

Catholic award to Mary
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/timaruherald/0,2106,3505623a6571,00.html
Fairlie's Mary MacDonald has received the Benemerenti Award for her
contribution to the Catholic community. The award was granted by Pope
Benedict XVI and is granted for exceptional service to the Catholic
Church...

Priest becomes a living legend
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundaystartimes/auckland/0,2106,3505484a6497,00.htm/
l
The title of living legend sits uneasily with Father Terry Dibble. The
Catholic priest is being honoured by Auckland mayor Dick Hubbard for more
than 35 years serving the Grey Lynn and Ponsonby community...

The Sallies are there to help those in need at Christmas
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/timaruherald/0,2106,3505622a6010,00.html
Christmas is different for every family, but for some it means accepting
help. South Canterbury charities will help around 100 households have some
Christmas festivity on tight budgets...

'Nine to Noon' with Linda Clark (Radio NZ sound file, 7m)
http://www.radionz.co.nz/nr/programmes/ninetonoon/20051209
Louise O'Brien reviews 'Christ the Lord' by Anne Rice. Published by Chatto
and Windus.

The Tudor Consort competes in Spain and sings at St Peter's in Rome
Friday, 9 December 2005, 2:59 pm
Press Release: Tudor Consort 9 December 2005
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0512/S00062.htm

Promising athlete in Pan Pacific medal haul
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundaystartimes/auckland/0,2106,3505483a6469,00.htm/
l
Trying his hand at goldmining was the highlight of Josh Cocker-Valu's trip
to Australia after representing New Zealand at the Pan Pacific Games in
Melbourne. The year 8 pupil at Herne Bay Marist also picked up silver in the
shot put relay and gold in the 100m relay...

United Future's bid to have marriage defined as a union between a man and a
woman has been thrown out of Parliament. The Marriage Gender Clarification
Amendment was presented by United Future's Gordon Copeland...
http://xtramsn.co.nz/news/0,,11964-5111539,00.html

Nguyen mourners speak out against death penalty
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10358881
Melbourne - More than 1000 mourners packed a Melbourne Catholic cathedral
today for the funeral of hanged drug smuggler Nguyen Tuong Van...

If you didn't find Narnia in your own wardrobe ...
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/travel/story/0,6903,1657178,00.html
... you might just find it in Northern Ireland, the birthplace of CS Lewis
and beloved inspiration for the author's fictional land. In the week the
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is released, Fiona Campbell goes searching
for Aslan ...

Know your Narnia
http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,4120,1657048,00.html
As the CS Lewis classic finally comes to the big screen, Stephanie Merritt
offers an A-Z guide to the lion, the witch - and everything else ...

*****************************************************************

FROM THE OVERSEAS CATHOLIC PRESS & NEWS AGENCIES

Mary the Immaculate Conception, protectress of the Council, light in a
self-destructive world
http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4830
On the 40th anniversary of the ending of the Second Vatican Council,
Benedict XVI drew attention to the meaning of the feast of the Immaculate
Conception in the modern world, which tends not to trust in God, to see “God
[as] a competitor who limits our freedom and [to think] that we will be
fully human only when we have put him aside�...

The Subtle Magic of C.S. Lewis' Narnia
http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=81284
Toronto, Dec. 7, 2005 (Zenit.org).- "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"
may provide an opportunity for adults to talk about the faith, but don't
expect children to notice the film's Christian themes. So says Michael
Coren, author, columnist and broadcaster who recently wrote "C.S. Lewis: The
Man Who Created Narnia" (Ignatius), a biography of Lewis written for teens.
Coren told ZENIT how mostly adults will understand Lewis' subtle Christian
allegory, and how "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" has the power to
plant seeds of faith in kids just the same...

Church of St Nicholas open to local mufti, but closed for mass on the Feast
Day of Saint Nicholas
http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4829
Although the church belongs to the Orthodox Patriarchate, the authorities
have turned it into a museum where the Eucharist cannot be celebrated. The
local mufti can however use it for his Santa Claus association...

Christmas Making a Comeback
Annual Battle Starts With Victories
http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=81054
Washington, D.C., Dec. 3, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Christmas, it seems, is no
longer a taboo word. This Tuesday, the Washington Times reported that U.S.
House Speaker Dennis Hastert told federal officials that the tree on the
West Lawn of the Capitol will be renamed the "Capitol Christmas Tree." In
recent years it has gone under the name of the "Holiday Tree." Calling a
Christmas tree a Christmas tree has become a hot issue in many communities,
the article noted...

We get no money from the Palestinian Authority and Israel boycotts us, says
Bethlehem mayor
http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4835
Bethlehem (AsiaNews) â€" Bethlehem Mayor Victor Batarseh on Thursday accused
the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) of failing to provide financial
assistance to his town as it prepares to celebrate Christmas. He also
explained how new Israeli checkpoints have created an oppressive
atmosphere...

**************************************************************************

CATHOLIC COMMUNICATIONS NZ

Media Releases

http://www.cathcom.org.nz/media.php

Bogus Mail regarding Catholic Church (06 Dec 2005)
It has been brought to the notice of Catholic Communications that a number
of households in Auckland suburbs are receiving anonymous chain letters in
their mailbox claiming to reveal the “third secret of Fatima� among other
things, and suggesting that earthquake, nuclear war and other horrendous
cataclysms are about to be unleashed on the earth by a vengeful and angry
God...

Global Catholic News, plus sound files from Vatican Radio

http://www.cathcom.org.nz

Israel’s Vatican ambassador praises Pope
U.S. Catholic activists begin anti-torture march
Pope blesses Olympic flame as torch relay kicks off
Being good is not boring, says Pope
Magazine for Catholic girls aims for truer image of young femininity
Ceremony marks 40 years since end of Vatican Council ll
Vatican issues Pope euro coins
Former secretary says JP2's beatification needs critics

************************************************************

MARIST CHAMPAGNAT FAMILY NEWSLETTER October 2005

http://www.maristbrothers.org.nz/MFN1October2005.htm

'Psalm for the Road', by Joy Cowley ... News of the Brothers ... St
Bernard's College staff day ... St Paul's College Golden Jubilee ... Pacific
Assembly for Brothers and lay partners ... Working Party for the
International Assembly 2007: One Heart One Mission ... Vocation Year ...
Update on the Marist Response to the Asian Tsunami ... In Memoriam

***********************************************************

"THE WORD FROM ROME"

http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/word/

A weekly column by the National Catholic Reporter's full-time correspondent
in Rome, John L. Allen Jr.

This week ...
When will this pope make some changes?; Forthcoming encyclical on divine
love; Sacred music; On priestly life and ministry; The "subsists in/is"
debate; Opposing John Paul II's sainthood fast track; Anniversary lunch at
the North American College; World Methodist Council in Rome

********************************************************************************

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 ]

********************************************************************************

4 DECEMBER 2005

****************************************************

'NZ CATHOLIC'

http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz

No. 228, December 4-17, 2005

Homosexual candidates "not singled out" by document
Wellington - A highly-anticipated Vatican document stating men who "practise
homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the
so-called 'gay culture' " are not fit to be ordained as priests is anything
but discriminatory, according to a New Zealand bishop....

National charity proposal deferred
Wellington - The future of a national Catholic charity remains uncertain
following the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference meeting in Wellington
last month....

"Events-based" ministry new trend for youth
Auckland - The youth ministry in Auckland diocese will soon become
events-based rather than full-time ministries once the zoning of parishes
takes place, says Auckland parish ministry co-ordinator Manuel Beazley....

Also In Issue 228:

NATIONAL
MPs get new prayer room ... Southlanders offer help after marae is burned
... Radio NZ charter to retain "spiritual" ... Scholarship awards for
principals ... Owairaka's church to be replaced ... Infections show sex
education is "not working" ... New scholar named ... Prison "blowout"
stretches scheme for buying toys ... Four camps planned by Dove Fellowship
... Nitschke considers moving to NZ ... Fewer use night shelter ... Three
priority areas chosen for Hamilton ... Agreement signed for school services
... New school hall blessed ... Coolock House to be hospice ... Bellringer
honoured ... ERO File

FEATURES
"Dream" visit to the Futuna of Peter Chanel ... Belfast priest had part in
end to violence ... Exorcism film worth seeing but will not appeal to all
... Dabbling with demonic powers is dangerous ... 11 professed as Secular
Franciscans ... Rangiora parish replaces original forgotten windows ...
Eminent conductor for summer school ... Colourful parade of national dress
... New leadership model adopted by Brigidines ... Procession and flowers
mark cathedral feast ... Troubadour says music appeals over doctrine

OPINION
Bev McDonald: Jesus came among us just as we are ... Ronald Rolheiser: Our
struggle for community ... Parish Diary ... Others Say ... Editorial:
Marriage bill will be a test for MPs ... Malcolm Evans ... Iva Verse ...
Letters ... God the Creator but not "designer"? ... Bible and evolution not
incompatible

INTERNATIONAL
Honorary doctorates for Drs Billings ... Pakistani crowd hits Christians ...
Pope sees positive steps with Jews ... Divine Worship head speaks on liturgy
... The Pope: New text of Mass hoped for soon ... Film on monastery a hit
... Document on lay ministry approved by US bishops ... French monk
beatified ... "Miraculous cure" at Lourdes officially recognised ...
Conflict predicted over use of water ... Pope takes control over Assisi
basilicas ... Digging for family ... Pope to visit Israel ... Disagreement
over new labour laws ... International loans slated

REGULAR FEATURES
Young Adults, Books, Monitor, Clips, Net Scene, Tape Deck, Scripture, Papal
Prayer, Feasts, The Doolans, God in the Garden, Caption Contest, Who Said?,
40 Years Ago, Dio. Diary, Cryptic Crossword, Photo Prayer, What We Believe,
Holy Lives, Kit's Corner, Wit's End.

ADVERTISING FEATURES
NZ Catholic Christmas gift donation appeal

*************************************************************

FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

Visa mystery wipes out trip of a lifetime
Otago Daily times
http://tinyurl.com/8tzp5
It was supposed to have been the trip of a lifetime. Pupils at Catholic
schools were invited to apply to go to Calcutta to tackle missionary work
with Mother Teresa’s order. But, as of yesterday, the Indian government had
not issued the group visas to enter India for the four-week visit...

Abortion rise linked to schools
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/thepress/0,2106,3499230a6530,00.html
Sex education in schools is to blame for a rocketing abortion rate among
teenagers, a Christchurch pro-life group says. Doctors this week voiced
alarm after the number of abortions performed at a Christchurch clinic on
under-16s tripled, attributing the increase to binge drinking, drug use and
peer pressure...

Catholic order feeling shame
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/manawatustandard/0,2106,3498691a6003,00.html
A Catholic order is saying a major mea culpa for the sexual abuse of
students in its care at the Feilding boarding school it founded. A spokesman
for the Society of Mary (Marist) Phil Cody said members "feel shame, sorrow
and sadness" after the conviction yesterday of a former teacher at Hato
Paora College for the sexual assault of five boys...

Former Catholic brother admits abuse (photo, and related video report)
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411365/634535
A retired Catholic brother has pleaded guilty to seven charges relating to
the molestation of four boys at a Feilding high school in the 1970s and
1980s. John Lewis Stevenson, 66, also known as Brother Bernard, was a
teacher at Hato Paora Maori Boys Catholic School at the time of the
assault...

'Dirty secret' sequel
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/dominionpost/0,2106,3497844a6479,00.html
He lived for more than two decades with a "dirty secret", but a Lower Hutt
victim says he can finally start rebuilding his life after a retired
Catholic brother admitted sexually abusing him as a boy...

Pope's restrictions on homosexual priests defended
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=85199
The Catholic Church in New Zealand is defending the Pope's controversial
restrictions on homosexual priests. Pope Benedict says homosexuals and those
who support gay culture should be barred from entering the priesthood.
Catholic Communications director Lyndsay Freer supports the ruling and says
the Pope's decision is more about reinforcing the importance of celibacy...

Ministry to allow imports of stem cells
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/search/story.cfm?storyid=0002D555-4B3B-138D-AB4383027A\
F1011B
Stem cells from human embryos could be imported into New Zealand and used
for research for the first time under strict guidelines proposed by the
Ministry of Health...

Plimmerton priest coming to Blenheim
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/marlboroughexpress/0,2106,3494190a6563,00.html
The new priest for St Mary's Catholic parish in Blenheim was named at Sunday
services yesterday. Father Alan Roberts will take over the running of the
parish at the beginning of February. The handover will mark the end of an
era, as he will be replacing Marist priests who have worked in the Blenheim
parish for 141 years...

************************
The following two stories are not available on the newspapers' free
Websites. They can be read at the public library, and via the libraries'
free 'Newztext' service for borrowers.

Bishops to keep up Popetown fight
The Dominion Post â€" News â€" 3 Dec 2005 â€" Page 8
Catholic bishops will continue to fight cartoon series Popetown, despite the
Broadcasting Standards Authority rejecting its latest complaint. The
authority declined an application by the Catholic Bishops Conference for a
formal hearing into the show set in Popetown, a fictional Vatican City. A
further complaint about Popetown, which is no longer on air, would be sent
to the authority before Christmas, Catholic communications director Lyndsay
Freer said...

Pianist loves to shares musical gift
The Marlborough Express â€" Kaikoura â€" 30 Nov 2005
11-year-old St Joseph's School pupil Cameron Woodill has been playing the
piano for four and a half years. Cameron has done a number of public
performances, including playing the organ for special occasions at
Kaikoura's Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and for schools masses twice a
month...

**************************

Hanged Australian died 'courageous' death
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10358265
Australian Nguyen Tuong Van went to his death in Singapore's Changi Prison
unshackled but clutching the rosary beads of his Catholic faith...

John Paul, Two
Dueling networks race to tell the late Pope's life story (3 pages)
http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2005/11/27/john_paul_two/
TV is set to unroll two dramatizations of the pope's life, appearing within
days of each other on competing networks. Minoli and Parkin's ''Have No
Fear: The Life of Pope John Paul II," airs on ABC on Thursday. The Lux Vide
version, the miniseries ''Pope John Paul II," starts next Sunday on CBS and
continues the following Wednesday...

*******************************************************************

FROM THE OVERSEAS CATHOLIC PRESS & NEWS AGENCIES

Advent a Time to Hope for Renewal, Says Pope
http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=80679
Vatican City, Nov. 27, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Upon embarking on the liturgical
season of Advent, Benedict XVI invited Christians to renew their confidence
in the possibility of building a better world. Speaking from the window of
his study on the first Sunday of Advent, the Pope appealed for the building
of a "new earth," an appeal launched 40 years ago by the Second Vatican
Council...

Father Cantalamessa on Advent's Wake-up Call
http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=80686
Rome, Nov. 27, 2005 (Zenit.org).- In his commentary on today's liturgical
readings, Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, the preacher of the
Pontifical Household, talks about how Advent helps us to kick bad habits...

Adelaide Archbishop puts Christ back into Christmas
http://www.cathnews.com/news/511/157.php
As part of his personal mission to restore Jesus as the central figure in
Christmas celebrations, Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson yesterday blessed
replicas of the baby Jesus for children to place in their nativities.
Children from across Adelaide Catholic parishes and schools attended a
special ceremony aimed at re-discovering Jesus at Christmas celebrations at
St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral in Adelaide...

Ambiguous tendencies, by Robert Mickens
http://www.thetablet.co.uk/cgi-bin/archive_db.cgi/tablet-01114
The much-anticipated Vatican guidelines for the admission of homosexuals to
seminaries were finally released this week. But they seem to have raised
more questions than answers as to their true meaning. Our Rome correspondent
explains the thinking behind the thinking ...

Vatican document on homosexuals and seminaries: full text
http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=62701

A conversation with Good Samaritan and ‘woman of hope’ Sr Patty Fawkner
(photo)
Catholic Weekly (Sydney)
http://tinyurl.com/8fpdo
If the theological virtue of hope is the opposite of fear, then Sr Patty
Fawkner’s instincts are on the money in her optimism about the future of
religious life and her concern about what she sees as a climate of fear
about our Muslim brothers and sisters. From talking with her it is clear
that she sees the impossibility of being both hopeful and fearful â€" she
speaks of her fellow Good Samaritan Sisters who remain vibrant, engaged
women despite their declining numbers, and of the nagging suspicion that
white Australians have “always had� about their new neighbours casting a
shadow on their natural generosity...

Fifty-seven new priests ordained in Hanoi, Pope appoints a new bishop
http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4750

Sydney archdiocese launches World Youth Day 2008 web site
Sydney (Fides Service) - http://www.wyd2008.org is the address of web site
opened by the hosting Catholic Church in Australia for the 23rd World Youth
Day scheduled to take place in Sydney 15 - 20 July 2008...

Cardinal Kasper Clarifies Issues on the Divorced-and-Remarried. "There Is
Not, in Fact, an Easy Solution"
http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=80762

Nuns beaten in Xian: the government asks the diocese to pay for the school
that it already owns
http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4760

Vatican Message for World Day Against AIDS
"Certain Suggestions at the Level of Guidelines for Action"
http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=80826

Nonbelievers Too Can Be Saved, Says Pope
Refers to St. Augustine's Commentary on Psalm 136(137)
http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=80888

**************************************************************************

CATHOLIC COMMUNICATIONS NZ

Global Catholic News, plus sound files from Vatican Radio

http://www.cathcom.org.nz

Chinese Catholic web-sites “blacked-out� on the assault against nuns in Xian
UN urges 'exceptional response' to AIDS crisis
U.S. Catholic Church Responds to Vatican
Canadian Catholic peace activist is kidnapped by militants in Iraq
Pope Spurs World to Meet 0.7% of GDP Target
Pope chooses Polish Dominican as theologian of papal household
Speaker says AIDS struggle also helping to beat poverty
Pope avoids condom issue in AIDS message

************************************************************

"THE WORD FROM ROME"

http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/word/

A weekly column by the National Catholic Reporter's full-time correspondent
in Rome, John L. Allen Jr.

This week ...
Gays in the seminary: Interpreting and applying a tough-sounding document;
Theologian named for papal household; Remembering Fred McManus, ecumenist,
liturgist, canon lawyer; The latest on limbo

********************************************************************************

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 ]

********************************************************************************

27 NOVEMBER 2005

****************************************************

'NZ CATHOLIC' SPECIAL ISSUE: ' THE LEGACY & HOPE OF VATICAN II '

The 'NZ Catholic' newspaper has published a special issue, on sale today,
commemorating the fortieth anniversary of the end of the Second Vatican
Council (1962-1965). In it, New Zealanders recall their personal experiences
of Vatican II and its aftermath, and overseas writers reflect on the changes
the Council brought about. The issue is illustrated with many photographs
from the era.

*************************************************************

FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

Catholic Church appeals to Singapore for clemency for Nguyen
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/bulletins/radionz/200511261607/2f87d106
The Catholic Church in Australia has appealed to the Singapore government to
grant clemency to convicted drug trafficker Nguyen Tuong Van. New Zealand's
Prime Minister says she will make an informal protest to Singapore's Prime
Minister about the planned execution...

Confusion over gay priests document
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411365/631685
The Catholic Church in New Zealand is reserving judgement on the exact
meaning of a directive from the Vatican on the admission of gays to the
priesthood...

Sister vows to rebuild devastated marae Fire damages treasured carvings
(photo)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/southlandtimes/0,2106,3487848a6011,00.html
"We will start again -- we've got nothing but we will start again,"
Dominican Sister Judith Robinson said yesterday after seeing the Te
Tomairangi Marae and Kohanga Reo, in Eye St, which was razed by fire early
yesterday morning. Sister Judith said the marae, which was opened in 1992,
was used initially as a Kohanga Reo for Maori children during the week, and
at the weekends doubled as a church for mihoi, Catholic mass...

Doctor gave long service
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/marlboroughexpress/0,2106,3486438a6563,00.html
Blenheim doctor Paul Fogarty, 99, passed away last Tuesday at Bethsaida
Retirement Village in Blenheim after outliving his wife, siblings and many
of his friends. Dr Fogarty's funeral was held today at St Mary's Catholic
Church...

Rice gets her teeth into the story of Jesus (photo)
Otago Daily Times
http://tinyurl.com/7sb5z
After stupendous sales for her tales of vampires, witches and lust, novelist
Anne Rice has turned to Jesus â€" personally and literarily. Her innovative
new novel Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt (Knopf) depicts Jesus as a
7-year-old lad, speaking in his own words as the holy family moves from
Egyptian exile to Nazareth...

First principal appointed
Otago Daily Times
http://tinyurl.com/duuvt
The first principal for Wanaka’s new Catholic school has been appointed.
Barbara Perry, of Dunedin, will take up the position for term one next year,
when the Holy Family School opens, board of trustees chairwoman Yeverley
McCarthy said on Thursday...

Nun awarded medal (photo)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/timaruherald/0,2106,3485350a6571,00.html
Although Sister Elizabeth has been a Sister of Mercy for more than half a
century, yesterday's 10am mass at Timaru's Sacred Heart Basilica wouldn't
have been what she was expecting. Sister Elizabeth left the service with a
papal medal.

Conservation orders urged for churches, walls
NZ Herald
http://tinyurl.com/cyurv
[Summary: Churches and Depression-era stone walls are on a list of Auckland
sites tagged for stricter protection. From a count of historic places
ordered by Auckland City Council last year, nine sites have been identified
for Category B heritage, among them St Joseph's Catholic Church, Grey Lynn]

Holy Moly, by Noel O'Hare
NZ Listener November 26-December 2 2005
http://www.listener.co.nz/default,5065.sm
Catholics' obsession with saintly body parts and personal effects is leading
to Internet relic trafficking.
In the flurry of excitement over the general election, you may have missed
the arrival of St Thérèse of Lisieux â€" or, more precisely, what's left of
her. The relics tour brought a touch of the medieval to 21st-century New
Zealand, and raises questions about how out of touch Catholicism has become
in the modern world...

Charities use Internet to raise money
http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/13256392.htm
Lexington, Ky. - Charities across Kentucky have started using the Internet
to raise money - and they've been very successful. The Catholic Action
Center in Lexington earns more than $1,000 each week by selling books, CDs
and videos on Amazon.com. In Madison County, Parents for a Catholic
Education collects hundreds of dollars every week by running an Internet
thrift store...

Schools told 'don't ban Christmas'
http://www.themercury.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,17310563%5E421,00.htm/
l
Every school and kindergarten [in the Australian state of Victoria] has been
officially told: don't ban Christmas celebrations. Premier Steve Bracks
yesterday gave his official encouragement for nativity scenes, carols and
other Christian traditions. Jingle Bells can ring in classrooms around the
state again after several schools banned nativity scenes and carol singing
last year for fear of offending non-Christian children...

Why have Catholics stopped lining up at the confessional?
http://www.slate.com/id/2130589/?nav=tap3
A Catholic friend of mine recently went to confession at her parish church
for the first time in years. She had personal reasons for wanting to seek
absolution, but there was this, too: She said she'd long felt a little sorry
for the priests sitting alone in their confessional boxes, waiting for
sinners to arrive...

*******************************************************************

FROM THE OVERSEAS CATHOLIC PRESS & NEWS AGENCIES

Christ the King at the centre of history and civilisation, says the Pope
http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4669
Vatican City (AsiaNews) â€" The Church’s mission “yesterday as todayâ€� is
to
affirm the “centrality of Christ� in the “family, culture, economy,
politics, and international community�. Benedict XVI reiterated the
significance of [last Sunday's] Solemnity â€" Christ the King of the
universe â€" the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year...

Archbishop Vincent Nicols: 'The experiment of secular society has failed'
(homily for the Solemnity of Christ the King)
http://www.indcatholicnews.com/secsoc.html
"Many recognise that the experiment of modern secular society has failed,"
Archbishop Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Birmingham, said in his homily
yesterday, at the annual Civic Mass, on the Feast of Christ The King, in St
Chad's Cathedral, Birmingham...

Rome group set to mobilise world against death penalty
http://www.cathnews.com/news/511/145.php
As Australia's Van Nguyen prepares to go to the gallows in Singapore one
week from today, the Rome-based Community of Sant'Egidio is planning a
worldwide effort to abolish the death penalty...

Beijing: Chinese media practically silent on Bush’s church visit and human
rights
http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4679
Beijing (AsiaNews) - “China is still afraid of religious freedom,� a bishop
of the underground Church told AsiaNews commenting on the fact that, as of
this morning, Chinese media have yet to mention Bush’s participation in
yesterday’s liturgical services at the Protestant church in Gangwashi...

A Milestone for Liturgy in Hebrew
Catholic Community in Jerusalem Marks an Anniversary
http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=80560
Jerusalem (Zenit.org).- It is now a half-century since the Hebrew-speaking
Catholic community in Jerusalem was granted approval to use its language in
the liturgy. Over the past few days, the small Catholic community in
Jerusalem that prays in Hebrew, has been celebrating the event, reported the
Italian newspaper Avvenire...

**************************************************************************

CATHOLIC COMMUNICATIONS NZ

Global Catholic News, plus sound files from Vatican Radio

http://www.cathcom.org.nz

Vatican assures Taiwan over ties ... US backs Vatican effort to improve
relations with China ... U.S. Vatican ambassador says new document on
homosexuality will make Church stronger ... Pope Benedict lauds religious
harmony in Bangladesh ... Vatican gay document prompts storm of criticism
... Pope signs off on 'anti-gay' document ... Vatican document on
homosexuals in the priesthood leaked by Italian news agency ... Pope Creates
New Diocese in Vietnam

*************************************************************************

'THE FAR EAST'

Magazine of St Columban's Mission Society of Australia and New Zealand

http://www.columban.org.au/?MID=200510192652

Full articles from the October 2005 issue ...

Editorial: There is much more
A woman told me recently how her daughter had suffered severe brain damage
after an asthma attack that caused her to stop breathing for several
minutes. During our conversation she added, ‘When you think you have given
all your love, you find that there is more’ ...

From the Director: That there are many cultures is important
Recently, I went to a meeting of Christian Brothers in Melbourne. One of
them has been working in a school in Africa for ten years. He is delighted
to be working with African young people in schools and university. I often
ask myself why missionaries who are working in some difficult circumstances
seem to be so happy? ...

Celebrating a service
On October 29, 1933, ten Columbans missionaries disembarked from a boat in
Pusan, the port city in southeast Korea. They were the first group to set
foot on the Korean peninsula. Seventy years later the event was commemorated
at the headquarters of our Society in Seoul...

Our transportation
Poor farmers get a boost from the Columban Partnership Programme.

Also in this issue ...

A student’s lot 2-3 At this seminary in Myitkyina a student grows roses to
sell in the market ... The joy of belief 4-5 In Hong Kong, newly baptised
Catholics celebrate their faith publicly ... Why return? 6 Fr Leo Donnelly
explains why he returns to Peru even though he is retired ... Reflection -
Being human, being divine 7 A final reflection on the Eucharist ...
Questions within the heart 8-9 A Korean Columban sister in Peru reflects on
her vocation ... Highlights from a missionary life 10-11 Fr Jim Norris
selects some of the high points from over 50 years as a missionary in Japan
... Celebrating a service 12-13 Columbans celebrate 70 years of missionary
activity.
Mission World & Director 14-15 ... The power of the quoted word 16 Fr
Nicholas Murray learns lessons while teaching English in China ... Calendar
Ad 17 Ad for Columban Calendar 2006 ... A shining example 18-19 A Korean lay
missionary forgives the Japanese and finds romance ... The changing role of
mission 20 In 70 years, Korean society has changed dramatically and so has
Columban Mission.

***************************************************************

'TUI MOTU INTERISLANDS'

http://www.tuimotu.org

Lead article: Remembering the dead (full text)

Also in this issue ...

• The Spiritual Imperative 2 â€" Satish Kumar
• Why do young men kill themselves? â€" Kevin Dobbyn
• So many troubled hearts â€" Daniel O’Leary
• Creed and Credibility in a Critical age â€" Jacqui Lambert
• Are we driving our children crazy? â€" Robin Kearns
• Crosscurrents â€" John Honoré

************************************************************

"THE WORD FROM ROME"

http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/word/

A weekly column by the National Catholic Reporter's full-time correspondent
in Rome, John L. Allen Jr.

This week ...

China, Taiwan and the Vatican; Media obtain text of gay seminarian document;
Sex abuse scandal in Brazil; Assisi and a curial shake up; Israel and taxes;
Press conference by the Society of St. Pius X; Thanksgiving; 500th
anniversary of the Swiss Guard

********************************************************************************

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 ]

********************************************************************************

20 NOVEMBER 2005

****************************************************

'NZ CATHOLIC'

http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz

No. 226, November 20-26, 2005

Big weekend ends Hamilton jubilee
Hamilton - The Big Catholic Weekend - the culmination of Hamilton diocese's
25th jubilee celebrations - turned out to be big indeed, with about 10,000
people attending the event from November 11 to 13....

Bird flu could affect schools and churches
Wellington - Wellington archdiocese is in the final stages of planning a
response to a possible influenza pandemic....

Enrolments up but fewer overseas students
Wellington - The number of students enrolled in Catholic schools jumped by
900 in the year to July, although there was a drop in the number of foreign
fee-paying students....

Also in this issue ...

NATIONAL
Abortions may not continue to decline ... Cardinal speaks about conclave ...
Authority rejects complaints against Popetown ... Archbishop Dew didn't
"downplay marriage" ... Sports helps overcome hatred in Honiara ... Students
receive awards in Australian contests ... Changes contemplated in Manawatu
deanery ... Waimate school marks 125th ... Mufti Mania nets $18,600 for aid
work ... Principals named for two schools ... ERO File

FEATURES
Religious faith may help body as well as soul ... Big Catholic Weekend
pictures ... Can we learn how to pray? ... Pastoral planners gain from
Australian experience ... Role of ministers to be discussed ... Charismatics
hear world president ... Hastings Knights promote area eucharistic event ...
Basilica installing century-old "new" organ ... Chaldean congregation hopes
for new deacon ... Former brother charged ... Artist became "hooked" on
Bishop Pompallier

OPINION
Ronald Rolheiser: Proofs for the existence of God ... Susan Fraser: Will NZ
allow foetal tissue to be used for research? ... Others Say ... Editorial:
We're living beyond our means ... Letters ... Malcolm Evans

INTERNATIONAL
Gay priests ban quoted ... Reducing poverty depends on voters ... Islamic
law rules in constitution ... Parish excited by court nomination ... The
Pope: Appeal to retain spirit of Vatican II ... Vatican condemns attack on
Israel ... Sex abuse cases continue to cost dioceses in US ... Political
violence declining worldwide ... Siberian diocese puts size problem in
perspective ... Ancient church excavated ... Creation reflects divine origin
... In Brief ... Women encouraged further in theology ... Carter scolds
Democrats ... Mother beatified ... Brazil for papal visit

REGULAR FEATURES
Think Page, Books, Monitor, Tape Deck, Net Scene, Clips, Scripture, Papal
Prayer, Feasts, The Doolans, Family Talk, Cryptic Crossword, Caption
Contest, Who Said?, 40 Years Ago, Dio. Diary, Photo Prayer, That Word!, Holy
Lives, Kit's Corner, Wit's End.

ADVERTISING FEATURES
Monte Cecilia Housing Trust

*************************************************************

FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

Catholic doctor stops prescribing pill
http://www.stuff.co.nz/otago/0,2106,3483084a3845,00.html
Dunedin family doctor Astrid Windfuhr has stopped prescribing the
contraceptive pill and referring patients for sterilisation for birth
control because she is Catholic. But she will still prescribe the pill for
medical conditions, including menstrual irregularities and hormonal
imbalances...

They're elevating Rita (photo)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/timaruherald/0,2106,3482448a6010,00.html
Mrs Rita Minehan was yesterday presented with the Medal Benemerenti (roughly
translated from the Latin as "well-merited"), given for outstanding Catholic
and Christian witness in the Sacred Heart Parish, the community of Timaru
and the Diocese of Christchurch...

Spontaneous approach does Pompallier proud (photo)
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/search/story.cfm?storyid=000EA76E-6333-1379-A00083027A\
F10107
Artists face the question whether to be national or international. Piera
McArthur has had exhibitions internationally but in her work at the Studio
of Contemporary Art in Newmarket she chooses to concentrate on New Zealand
history. The paintings, on show until November 18, are about Bishop Jean
Baptiste Francoise Pompallier who came from France in 1838 to preach the
gospel to Maori...

The paintings' Website:
http://www.socaart.co.nz/artists/PieraMcArthur/PMpompallier/PMpompallier.html

Singer wins over the older crowd (photo)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/waikatotimes/0,2106,3478472a6579,00.html
New Zealand Idol runner-up Michael Murphy is always going to appeal to the
teenyboppers, but his popularity with older generations at the Big Catholic
Weekend at Mystery Creek surprised church spokeswoman Judith Collins...

Cathedral restoration a chance to recreate precious lost icon (photo)
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=18&ObjectID=10354997
The whereabouts of the Pompallier Madonna, a priceless ancient holy icon
brought to New Zealand in the mid-1800s by a French missionary, remains a
riddle. But work has just finished on the North Shore on a new icon,
modelled on the Byzantine original which dates back before 750AD...

Attacks on graves blot religion report
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/dominionpost/0,2106,3483638a6479,00.html
Attacks on Jewish graves in Wellington and Wanganui and the mailing of pork
to Muslims have marred New Zealand's religion report card, made public by
the US State Department...

College lauds sports achievers
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundaystartimes/auckland/0,2106,3482006a6469,00.htm/
l
Junior Kiwi and Warrior development player Sonny Fa'i has won De La Salle
College's highest sports award, the Ben Valeni Memorial Cup. Fa'i, 17, is
the inaugural winner of the cup which remembers De La Salle school teacher
and rugby league player Ben Valeni who died at a Northcote Tigers' training
run earlier this year...

Green students get golden recognition
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/waikatotimes/0,2106,3481966a6579,00.html
Eleven schools in the Waikato region have won enviroschools' awards this
year, including Te Miro School near Cambridge, which picked up a silver
award, having been in the programme for only the last two years.

Lynda Clark. Nine to Noon
Interview with Bishop Julian Porteous of the Sydney Archdiocese, an expert
on exorcism. (Radio NZ sound file - 22m)
http://www.radionz.co.nz/nr/programmes/ninetonoon/20051117

CORRECTION (with my apologies for giving the wrong link in 'News & Notes'
last week. ML)
Archaeologists discover ancient church (photo)
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/discoveries/2005-11-06-ancient-church_x.htm
Jerusalem â€" Israeli archaeologists said Saturday they have discovered what
may be the oldest Christian church in the Holy Land on the grounds of a
prison near the biblical site of Armageddon...

Bishop Zhang Bairen, 1915 - 2005 (2 pages)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,60-1878485,00.html
The modern history of the Roman Catholic Church in China offers profound
testimony of both persecution and revival, and the life of “Peter� Zhang
Bairen, “unofficial� bishop of Hanyang, provided both in abundance. Trained
and ordained before Mao Zedong’s Communists swept to power in 1949, he
endured many years in labour camps because of his refusal to denounce the
authority of the Pope...

Pope Watches Latest John Paul II Movie
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/11/17/ap/world/mainD8DUE2GOC.shtml

*******************************************************

FROM THE OVERSEAS CATHOLIC PRESS & NEWS AGENCIES

A rainbow Church: How well do we meet its needs?
http://www.onlinecatholics.com.au/issue78/commessay1.php
Weekly Catholic Mass attendance in Australia is in a healthier state than it
might be due to the multicultural nature of the nation, according to the
latest National Church Life Survey figures...

A man with a mission: The Tablet Interview Francis Campbell
http://www.thetablet.co.uk/cgi-bin/archive_db.cgi/tablet-01107
The appointment was announced this week of Francis Campbell as British
Ambassador to the Holy See, the first Catholic in the post since the
Reformation. Elena Curti talks to him about a career in which politics and
religion have unexpectedly met ...

The Mass Isn't Entertainment, Says Cardinal Arinze
http://zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=80072
Vatican City, Nov. 16, 2005 (Zenit.org).- The Mass is a moment of reflection
and encounter with God, rather than a form of entertainment, says Cardinal
Francis Arinze. In an interview with Inside the Vatican magazine, the
prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments made a
comprehensive assessment of the recent Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist and
of developments in liturgical practice 40 years after the Second Vatican
Council...

67th Lourdes Miracle Officially Proclaimed
Italian Woman Cured of Heart Trouble in 1952
http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=80008

Lutherans, Catholics Look to 500th Year of Reformation
http://www.christiantoday.com/news/church/lutherans.catholics.look.to.500th.year/
.of.reformation/890.htm
Lutherans and Roman Catholics may centre their next round of ecumenical
talks on the reformation and its impact on contemporary Christianity...

**************************************************************************

CATHOLIC COMMUNICATIONS NZ

Global Catholic News, plus sound files from Vatican Radio

http://www.cathcom.org.nz

Katsav makes landmark visit to Vatican for talks with Pope ... Pope hopes to
visit Israel ... Israel Discusses Tax Dispute With Pope ... Zambia: Bishops
add their weight to constitutional debate ... Vatican Christmas concert will
support Asian missions ... Pope encourages Italian bishops on vocations,
health care ... Being Christian means thanking God for great gifts, pope
says ... Government 'fails the vulnerable'

*********************************************************

"THE WORD FROM ROME"

http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/word/

A weekly column by the National Catholic Reporter's full-time correspondent
in Rome, John L. Allen Jr.

This week ...
Pope, Israeli president meet; Oldest church uncovered; The Vatican on
terrorism ; Tariq Aziz and Pope John Paul; U.S. bishops tackle liturgical
language; Schönborn on evolutionism again; Andrew Greeley on Evangelicals
and vetting seminarians

********************************************************************************

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 ]

Catholic Schools Board Ltd (Wellington)
Customer Services Co-ordinator
Details in 'Wel-com' November 2005 p.15, and from Jeni Columbus, Executive
Assistant, Catholic Schools Board Ltd, tel. (04) 499 0184
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (04) 499 0184
end_of_the_skype_highlighting ; Fax: (04) 499
4804; e-mail: jeni@catholicschools.co.nz Website:
http://www.catholicschools.co.nz Applications close 25 November 2005.

Catholic Tertiary Chaplaincy, Diocese of Christchurch
Details in 'NZ Cathol;ic' Nov. 20-26 2005 p.23; at:
http://www.cyt.org.nz/?sid=12&id=144 ; and from Mike Stopforth, Catholic
Youth Team, P O Box 4544 Christchurch ; tel. (03) 366-9869
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (03) 366-9869
end_of_the_skype_highlighting ; Fax (03)
379-8724 ; Email mstopforth@chch.catholic.org.nz Applications close 25
November 2005

********************************************************************************

13 NOVEMBER 2005

****************************************************

'WEL-COM'

The newspaper of the Archdiocese of Wellington and the Diocese of Palmerston
North

http://www.welcom.org.nz

From the November issue ...

Refugee service marks 25 years as numbers of stateless grow
The Jesuit Refugee Service is celebrating 25 years in its mission of
accompanying, serving and advocating for the rights of refugees. Its
experiences are documented in two books the JRS has launched to mark this
milestone. The director of JRS International, Fr Lluís Magriñá SJ, told a
press conference last month, the number and scope of the agency’s services
have increased over the years as peoples’ needs have grown. The original
call for refugee services came in 1980, from the father general of the
Society of Jesus, Fr Pedro Arrupe. It was in response to the plight of
Vietnamese boat people....

Waimea West church 150 years old
The little Catholic Church at Waimea West Nelson is celebrating its 150th
jubilee next month, making it one of the oldest churches in New Zealand. In
June 1852, Fr Antoine Garin of Nelson applied to the government for land to
build a church at Waimea West and two acres were granted. Subsequently
Waimea West Catholics received 79 pounds as their share of trust funds for
religious purposes. Three hundred pounds was also raised from the community
and the church was completed at the end of 1855...

Spiritual balm for faith community nurses
The holistic nature of faith community nursing was highlighted for 36
delegates at a recent conference on the subject with the exploration of a
range of topics from care of the aged to spiritual aspects of mental illness
and historical biblical models. The New Zealand Faith Community Nurses
Association (NZFCNA) conference theme, fresh balm for future practice,
underpinned the event's spiritual concepts of healing balm mingled with
practical nursing issues....

Nelson doctor takes stand against prescribing contraceptives
A Nelson doctor has told his female patients he will no longer prescribe
contraceptives because of his faith. Dr Joseph Hassan wrote to 50 of his
patients saying he believed fertility was a gift to be looked after and not
something to be medicated for...

Jason lunches with the Pope
When World Youth Day volunteer, Jason Mackiewicz, had lunch with the pope,
and 11 other young adult representatives he was overwhelmed by the symbolism
of the event. Here they were, these disciples, ‘breaking bread’ with the
Church’s leader and one other, the German Bishops’ Conference delegate,
Bishop Bode. Another point of significance for today’s Church might have
been the fact that there were women as well as men among the diners. Jason
says it was a tremendously spiritual moment for him, being in such a small
group and spending an hour and a half with a pope who came across as a
humble servant, a listener...

World Youth Day - back to the future
Wellington’s pilgrimage started long before our feet left NZ soil (Archdio.
pilgrimage prep nights, an ANZAC Day dawn parade, individual reflections and
18 months of fundraisers); long before we followed St Paul’s footsteps
through Turkey; long before we followed the footsteps of the more than 13
million other young adults who have pilgrimaged to World Youth Day since
1984. The same could be said for the parishes of Germany that spent just as
long preparing for us to come to them for the Days of Encounter. And so,
rather than raving about Turkey, Greece or Germany; the 95 Kiwis (30 of them
from Wellington); the tranquillity of Gallipoli; star-gazing with and waking
up among 1.2 million others; crowd-stopping hakas; seeing the pope or salad
in a can, I want to talk about a town called Siegen....

*******************************************************************

FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

Warren Gamble: When soccer players were cool at school
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/466/story.cfm?c_id=500832&ObjectID=10353845
Rosmini College is a medium-sized school off a quiet street in residential
Takapuna, which has gone about its business solidly and unspectacularly.
However, New Zealand cricketer and now cricket chief Martin Snedden is a
former Rosminian, as is former All Black Blair Larsen. But for one year
Rosmini had another heroic claim and it came from the unlikeliest source at
a school where rugby was king, as it was throughout New Zealand in 1980...

CS Lewis: The literary lion of Narnia
http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/books/features/article326179.ece
[This in-depth article on the life and works of CS Lewis contains one
instance of coarse language in the first paragraph. ML]

God's Secret Agents: Queen Elizabeth's forbidden priests and the hatching of
the gunpowder plot (and other book reviews)
http://www.newstatesman.com/Bookshop/300000106680
It now seems almost inevitable that, some day soon, a furious gang of
religious extremists, their imaginations stunted by an excess of faith, will
carry out a lethal terrorist attack on a famous London landmark. If this
comes to pass, it will no doubt be presented as unprecedented devilry, the
malignant intrusion of a foreign creed. But religious terrorism is nothing
new, and once again, in a tradition stretching back over four centuries, the
country will crunch toffee apples and ooh-aah at fireworks in memory of Guy
Fawkes's failed attempt to blow up the king and parliament in November
1605...

Israeli discovery may redefine history of church
http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/11/07/news/mideast.php
Megiddo, Israel - When the Israeli authorities wanted to expand the Megiddo
prison, they tapped their captive labor pool and put dozens of inmates to
work digging inside the compound here that is ringed with coiled razor wire
and guard towers. Last week, the inmates discovered a Christian religious
site that the Israel Antiquities Authority said may date to the third
century and could be the earliest Christian church unearthed in the Holy
Land, and possibly one of the earliest in the world....

*******************************************************

FROM THE OVERSEAS CATHOLIC PRESS & NEWS AGENCIES

Beatification of Charles de Foucauld
http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4607
The beatification of Charles de Foucauld tomorrow, 13 November, at St Peter’s
Basilica, is an important occasion for Catholics in France, where he was
born in 1858, for those in Algeria, where he was killed by bandits in 1916,
and for the whole Church, because of his witness to the significance of
mission work among Muslims...

Vatican sees podcasting as important pastoral tool
http://www.cathnews.com/news/511/62.php
The Church should not pass up the opportunity to make liturgies and prayers
available via podcast, as well as downloadable sermons by "podpreachers",
said the magazine, La Civilta Cattolica, in its 5 November issue. The
popularity of podcasting has generated a subcategory called "Godcasting,"
which refers to efforts by churches, preachers and religious media to tap
into the digital communications boom...

Pope: Dei Verbum, a central feature of Vatican Council II and of the Church
http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4547
Vatican City (AsiaNews) â€" Addressing thousands of pilgrims gathered in St
Peter’s Square in the rain, Benedict XVI said the Word of God is Christ
himself and that “no further new public revelations are to be awaited�. The
pope recalled how, thanks to Dei Verbum, there has been a veritable
“biblical springâ€� in the Church, which has placed the Word of God â€" and
not
many human words â€" right in the centre of preaching, teaching and community
life..

**************************************************************************

CATHOLIC COMMUNICATIONS NZ

*************
Media Releases

http://www.cathcom.org.nz/media.php

BSA and ‘Popetown’ complaint (08 Nov 2005)
A recent report on the Fairfax website about the TV programme ‘Popetown’
purporting to use my comments to whitewash the controversial TV series, is
partial and misleading. ‘Popetown’ is the subject of complaints to the
Broadcasting Standards Authority...

*****************
Global Catholic News, plus sound files from Vatican Radio

http://www.cathcom.org.nz

Vatican document restricts gays in priesthood: paper ... Seven months on,
Pope keeps aides guessing ... Catholic Charities gives $36M for hurricane
assistance ... Pope denounces terror attacks on Jordan ... Cowen hits back
at attack on Church/State relationship ... Iraqi President tells Pope rights
of Christians to be guaranteed ... Albanian leader meets Pope ... Vatican to
Hold International Seminar on Sports

*********************************************************

"THE WORD FROM ROME"

http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/word/

A weekly column by the National Catholic Reporter's full-time correspondent
in Rome, John L. Allen Jr.

This week ...
The Vatican's new American ambassador; More on the gays in the seminary
document; The Vatican and Oil for Food; Britian's new ambassador to the
Vatican; Machiavelli: sex abuse survivor?

********************************************************************************

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 ]

Presenters, 'NZ Catholic' newspaper
Details in 'NZ Catholic' Nov. 6-19, p.19 and from Dennis Augustine,
Promotions and Advertsing Manager, 'NZ Catholic', PO Box 147-000, Ponsonby,
Auckland 1034. Tel: (09) 360 3049 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting
(09) 360 3049 end_of_the_skype_highlighting; e-mail:
advertising.nzcatholic@iconz.co.nz

Director, Catholic Social Services, Wellington.
http://www.wn.catholic.org.nz/catholicsocialservices.html
Details in 'NZ Catholic' Nov. 6-19, p.23, and from Mike Hurdle or Catharina
Vossen at MICAH Partners, tel: (04) 499 4749
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (04) 499 4749
end_of_the_skype_highlighting; mobile: 021-552929
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 021-552929
end_of_the_skype_highlighting; fax: (04)
499 7375; e-mail contact@micahpartners.co.nz; PO Box 499, Wellington.
Applications close 18 November 2005.

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