******************************************************
NEWS & NOTES - 15 March 2009 - Third Sunday in Lent
***********************************
FROM THE SECULAR PRESS
************************************
Joy Cowley to share views on spirituality (photo)
Wairarapa News
http://tinyurl.com/ajl6tt
Author, poet and orator Joy Cowley is coming to speak at St Luke's Church, Masterton, to give an insight into her views on spirituality.
Shone in public service (photo)
The Hutt News
http://tinyurl.com/b2kfbn
Margaret Cosgrove, private secretary to Roger Douglas, had an unusual break that set her up for a career in the public service.
Expert to speak on Palestine and peace (photo)
Whangarei Leader
http://tinyurl.com/c3xocv
Is peace possible in Palestine? This question will be explored with a free talk in Whangarei. The event has been arranged by peace and social justice group Pax Christi, with the help of Trade Aid, Whangarei.
Call for coordinated response to recession
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2154762/Call-for-coordinated-response-to-recession
Church leaders and the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services are calling for more coordination of responses to the growing recession, across all sectors. The council and churches have included the idea of a quarterly national forum in a paper they have sent to Prime Minister John Key.
St Paul’s College farewells principal
http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/auckland-city-harbour-news/2248529/St-Paul-s-College-farewells-principal
After 30 years at St Paul’s College, principal Denys Marra is stepping down. He was officially farewelled at a service last week and although he’s looking forward to having time to play touch rugby with his 12 grandchildren, he says he’ll miss the students.
Caritas seeks openness and answers in review of NZ overseas aid
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0903/S00108.htm
Catholic social justice and overseas aid agency Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand has asked Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully to open up his review of New Zealand’s overseas aid to public scrutiny, and to keep a strong focus on poverty elimination. In an open letter to the Minister, Caritas said a “review behind closed doors, with an unknown timeframe, and limited public comment as to its nature and purpose” did not match the party’s pre-election policy statement for a bipartisan foreign policy belonging to the public.
Man swapped as baby springs surprise on mum
http://www.odt.co.nz/your-town/dunedin/45977/man-swapped-baby-springs-surprise-mum
Helen Churchman received a "terrific" 88th birthday present yesterday. Fred George, a son she did not know she had until five years ago, flew from Boston in the United States to pay a surprise visit.
Sister Loyola is the queen of all green
Bay of Plenty Times — A05 — 14 March 2009
She's New Zealand's Gardener of the Year and a sister of the Catholic church but at 86, Loyola Galvin could just as easily be crowned the nation's queen of the community garden. The sprightly nun was in Tauranga this week to give a Sustainable Backyards presentation on organic community gardening and her award-winning efforts to encourage novice gardeners...
Sex fears see school reject vaccine
Bay of Plenty Times — A05 — 12 March 2009
A controversial vaccine which protects young women against cervical cancer is being rolled out at Tauranga schools this week _ but one high school has declined the offer because of concerns it could encourage students to be sexually promiscuous.
********************************************
INSPIRATIONAL TV - http://inspirationaltv.net
** Gangster turned priest **
John Pridmore ( http://www.johnpridmore.com ) tells his story. (This appears to be part one of a longer interview - ml)
** Making changes in ourselves **
Ash Wednesday and Lent at St Catherine's College
** Money isn't everything **
A reading and discussion of John 2:13-25 with Very Rev. Frank Nelson and Rev. Judy Wigglesworth at St Paul's Cathedral, Wellington.
*******************************************
'BEING FRANK'
http://www.beingfrank.co.nz
New Zealand Catholic Blogs. Some current topics ...
Don’t Just Sit There… (confronting today's secular and anti-religious society) ... With a loaded gun (abortions and embryonic stem cells in the news) ... The Study of Jesus (on taking a course in Christology) ... Three strikes and you’re…? (on sentencing violent offenders) ... Mindful violence (on reacting to injustice and evil) ... The Kreutzer (a play with a positive lesson on marriage)
*****************************************
ALL THINGS CATHOLIC, by John L. Allen, Jr.
http://ncronline.org/blogs/all-things-catholic
Five reasons the papal trip to Africa is important
Whenever there’s big papal news in the air, my phone usually rings off the hook from media outlets in various parts of the globe. If the phone isn’t ringing, therefore, it’s a fairly reliable sign that the pope is currently flying below radar. On the cusp of Pope Benedict XVI’s maiden voyage to Africa, visiting Cameroon and Angola March 17-23, the silence from my phone is deafening...
*****************************************
WORLD NEWS OF THE CHURCH
http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz
http://www.romereports.com (video)
http://www.youtube.com/vatican (news of Pope Benedict - video)
**********************************************
EMPLOYMENT
[Teaching vacancies in New Zealand Catholic schools are advertised in the Vacancies section of the Education Gazette: http://www.edgazette.govt.nz ]
[Vacancies for Catholic youth workers are advertised on the Vacancies page of Connect.org.nz: http://www.connect.org.nz ]
