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FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

Funeral frolics upset Catholics NZ Herald 20.01.05 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10007295 The Catholic Church will move quickly to introduce formal guidelines for funeral services in New Zealand if funeral-goers become as unruly as some of their Australian counterparts....

Last orders called on rowdy funerals By Johann Vannisselroy Otago Daily Times Jan 20, 2005 http://tinyurl.com/3le3g If you want to crank up Metallica, tell a dirty joke or scull a beer at the next funeral you attend, your chances are better if it's not being held at a Roman Catholic church....

The call to aid http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/thepress/0,2106,3163357a12816,00.html The Press (Chch) 22 Jan 2005 As thousands flee disaster zones, a group of skilled New Zealanders head the other way. Warren Gamble finds out what drives aid-agency workers...

NZ silent for victims of tsunami (photo) The Press (Chch) 17 January 2005 http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3158805a10,00.html From the broken hearts of family and friends to a line of honour on a Christchurch beach, New Zealanders stood silent to remember victims of the Asian tsunami yesterday.

"Thank you Holy Father, my captors were moved your words" abducted Catholic archbishop Casmoussa said in an interview with Fides a few hours after his release http://www.fides.org/eng/news/2005/0501/19_3919.html Mosul (Fides Service) - Gratitude to Pope John Paul for his prompt intervention was the first thought voiced by abducted Iraqi Catholic Archbishop of Mosul an interview a few hours after his release....

"The pain of separation is ever more intensely felt in the face of the challenges of a world waiting for clear and unanimous witness of the Gospel from all believers in Christ" the Pope said at the general audience during this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity ... http://www.fides.org/eng/news/2005/0501/19_3924.html

French cardinal carries out pope's mission at Auschwitz a place with painful personal meaning http://tinyurl.com/3zmrj Paris (AP) When the pope called with a delicate request, Paris Archbishop Jean-Marie Lustiger hesitated at first. Pope John Paul II wanted Lustiger to represent him at ceremonies to mark the liberation of Auschwitz. Lustiger, a Jewish convert to Catholicism, lost his mother at the concentration camp....

Catholic organization screening priests on cruise ships Associated Press 17/1/05 http://www.abcactionnews.com/stories/2005/01/050117priests.shtml The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has started screening those celebrating Mass on cruise ships, a plan geared toward preventing former, rental and even fraudulent priests from ministering to Catholic passengers...

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CATHOLIC COMMUNICATIONS NZ

MEDIA RELEASES

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

Historic gathering for Catholic Church in New Zealand (19 Jan 2005) For the first time since the arrival in New Zealand of the first Catholic orders of religious women and men some 170 years ago, a general assembly of those orders will take place later this week. It will be held at St Catherine's College in Kilbirnie, Wellington from 20 to 23 January...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

http://www.cathcom.org.nz

Condom controversy continues The controversy unleashed yesterday by a spokesman for the Spanish Catholic Bishops' Conference has caused much confusion in headlines around the world. The Spanish Bishops have denied any change. Bishop Prowse in Melbourne defended the Roman position and said there would be no change in Australia.

Australian resources for Year of Eucharist released The Australian Catholic Bishops yesterday issued a program for the celebration of the Year of the Eucharist, focusing on the importance of celebrating Sunday Mass.

Total Catholic aid to Tsunami recovery effort now at $500m The Vatican Information Service indicated yesterday that Catholic aid agencies around the world have now contributed more than $500m to the Tsunamic relief effort. In Australia, Catholic Mission, has set up what it describes as an "unprecedented solidarity fund".

Goodall case causing more embarrassment to Church Fr Terence Norman Goodall, 64, from Penshurst, yesterday admitted two counts of indecent assault in the Sydney District Court. He will be sentenced next week.

Two guilty for murdering Colombian Archbishop The two murderers of Colombian Archbishop, Isaias Duarte, were sentenced to a combined total of 71 years gaol for the crime.

Posthumous marriage annulments on rise in Italy According to a report in The Independent (UK) Roman Catholic Italy is witnessing a boom in demand for posthumous marriage annulments with many unions hitting the rocks as soon as one of the partners is lowered into the ground.

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FROM THE OVERSEAS CATHOLIC PRESS & NEWS AGENCIES

Candlelight vigil and mass for Zhao Ziyang http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=2393 Hong Kong (AsiaNews) - At least 20,000 people are expected at a candlelight vigil to honour the former Chinese Communist Party Secretary Zhao Ziyang. Catholics who remember him as the party reformer shall hold a requiem mass for him this Sunday, January 23....

Where Was God During the Disaster? Civiltà Cattolica Points to 3 Lessons of Tsunami http://zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=65065 Rome, Jan. 20, 2005 (Zenit.org).- There are at least three lessons to be learned from the tsunami, says the latest issue of the review Civiltà Cattolica: the precariousness of human beings, the need for solidarity and the need for conversion....

New Plenary Indulgence to Mark Year of the Eucharist http://zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=64735 Vatican City, Jan. 14, 2005 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II has approved a special plenary indulgence to mark the Year of the Eucharist....

On the Why of Indulgences http://zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=64859 Rome, Jan. 17, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Instead of a "mercenary" attitude toward the indulgences offered during the Year of the Eucharist, this period must be lived with an attitude of openness to God's mercy, says a theologian....

Is Rolling Stone Afraid of the Bible? Christianity Today, January 17 2005 http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/103/53.0.html The latest issue of Rolling Stone just arrived in my office. It's loaded with ads that promise us the world, but nary a word about a new Bible. Zondervan, the nation's largest Bible publisher, tried to buy an ad in RS for Today's New International Version (TNIV), but got turned away. There's no use of the word "God" or "Christ." But apparently Rolling Stone objected to the word "truth" in the ad's text. "It doesn't quite feel right in the magazine," the general manager of RS's parent company told USA Today....

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CARITAS AOTEAROA NZ

http://www.caritas.org.nz

Government Tsunami Funding Package Positively Received 18 January, 2005:"The additional $58 million pledged today, together with the $10 million already given, is a great boost for the relief and recovery efforts; but in order for aid packages to equate to success on the ground, many other issues need to be addressed," says Caritas Director Mike Smith....

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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.

Summary of the column for January 20, 2005 : Christians in Iraq; The pope and the rabbis; More on Pius XII and Catholic-Jewish dialogue; Spain stirs debate on condoms.

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EMPLOYMENT

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

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

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EVENTS

Parachute Music Festival Mystery Creek, Hamilton January 28-31 2005

The annual Christian music festival, takes place on Auckland Anniversary weekend (last weekend of January) at Totara Springs Christian Camp, Matamata.

Parachute Festival Website: http://websites.parachutemusic.com/festival/2005/default_noflash.asp

Catholics@Parachute: The young Catholic presence at Australasia's biggest Christian music festival is growing by the year.. The National Council for Young Catholics coordinates the bulk purchase of tickets and the set-up of a Catholic village on site. Contact Jamie Cox: jamiec@cdh.org.nz

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