Sunday, October 4, 2009

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NEWS & NOTES - 4 October 2009

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NZ CATHOLIC BISHOPS' CONFERENCE

http://www.cathcom.org.nz

** Catholic Religious Education goes digital ** (October 2, 2009)
A new digital interactive Religious Education resource will be introduced in Catholic primary schools around the country in 2010. It has been designed to supplement the existing Religious Education programme. A sample of lessons from the resource has been sent to schools to allow teachers to familiarise themselves with it.

** Catholics offer support to those affected by Samoan disaster ** (September 30, 2009)
Catholics in New Zealand are offering their support to those affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Samoa and American Samoa.

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'NZ CATHOLIC' - October 4 - 17, 2009 - No. 326

http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz

Priest's efforts to see Damien of Molokai canonised come to fruition ... Catholic migrant workers told not to have babies ... Caritas boss calls for a consistent generosity ... Technology brings evangelisation opportunity for church, priest says ... Theologian 'audits' church in New Zealand ... Sky's the limit for new Vatican observatory ... Former UK PM speaks of religion's role in society ... Advertising Feature: Mission Sunday New Zealand

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FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

** The Pacific Tsunami **

Churches plan services to help local mourners (photos)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/2923381/Churches-plan-services-to-remember-tsunami-victims
Local Samoans are turning to the church to pray for missing relatives and remember loved ones lost in the devastating earthquake and tsunami. In Porirua, mourners gathered in churches and city councillor Tagaloa Taima Fagaloa talked about relatives...

Pacific communities rally to send relief packages
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10600829
Containers filled with food, bottled water, clothing and cooking items are being packed and sent back to Samoa, where the tsunami has left hundreds of people with nothing.

Caritas Opens Appeal For Tsunami Relief In The Pacific
http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/caritas-opens-appeal-tsunami-relief-pacific/5/25866
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand has pledged $25,000 towards relief efforts in response to the earthquake and tsunami in the central Pacific on Wednesday (NZT). It is appealing for donations to help relief and recovery following the devastation that has affected parts of Samoa, American Samoa and the northern islands of Tonga.

Plea for money not food for Samoa
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10600669
Give money, not goods or food, is the plea from aid agencies coordinating an international response to the earthquake and tsunami which devastated Samoa yesterday.

Sacred Heart College staff, students safe
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10600553
A group of Auckland students on a school work project in Samoa had to run to high ground as waves washed through the seaside fales they were staying in.

** In other news **

Irish priest takes over the reins (photo)
The Invercargill Eye
http://tinyurl.com/y8wr7w5
"It's a bit like a student exchange, but we're not students", says Irish priest Frather Cathal Deery of his parish swap with Invercargill's Father Brendan Ward.

Northland loses two great identities - Strong voices are finally silenced (photo)
http://www.northernadvocate.co.nz/local/news/northland-loses-two-great-identities-strong-voices/3904725/
The longest-serving local government leader in Northland and possibly New Zealand, Miljenko Vladimir Srhoj, MBE, died on Sunday.

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand pledges $25,000 to Philippines flooding
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/MUMA-7WD7W2?OpenDocument
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is contributing NZ$25,000 towards relief efforts in the Philippines following massive flooding and landslides in and around the capital Manila.

Thousands gather for Sir Howard
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10599928
For the first time since Sir Howard Morrison's death on Thursday rain has stopped pounding Rotorua.

Radio NZ. 'Nine to Noon'. Funding for integrated schools (sound file)
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/20090929
Are integrated schools taking funding away from state schools? We discuss the matter with PPTA Union president Kate Gainsford, and the chairman of the Association of Integrated Schools Robyn Prior.

Op shop renovation will double size
http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/2913089/Op-shop-renovation-will-double-size
The St Vincent de Paul op shop in Picton is being renovated to double its retail area.

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INSPIRATIONAL TV - http://inspirationaltv.net

** Guest Sermon **
A homily on Mark 10:2-16 by the pastor of Chaffee Church in the United States (part one)

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'BEING FRANK' - http://www.beingfrank.co.nz

New Zealand Catholic Blogs. Some current topics ...

Insanity of Same Sex Parenting ... They were chosen by Him for their Tussock Grass (the sacramentality of natural beauty) ... Increedulous! (a reading from the Book of Joy Cowley) ... A bucket list (a page on the life of Edith Stein)

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ALL THINGS CATHOLIC, by John L. Allen, Jr.

'Expectations high for Africa synod '
http://ncronline.org/news/vatican/synod-africa-opens-high-hopes-realism

On Sunday morning, Pope Benedict XVI will celebrate the opening Mass of the Synod for Africa, which meets in the Vatican Oct. 4-25. It's one of those events in the life of the church which ought to be enormously important, though whether it will actually live up to its potential remains to be seen.

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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)

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EVENTS

Joshua Catholic Men's Fellowship. Men's Retreats
16-18 October 2009 Willow Park, Eastern Beach, Auckland
Details on http://www.joshua.org.nz and from John Kinney tel. (04) 475 5541

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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 ]