Dear readers,

I recommend this excellent article in 'Envoy' magazine - http://tinyurl.com/44qfsbu - for clarification about the concept of 'The Rapture' which is propagated in fundamentalist Christian circles. In particular, it's important to know - and many people may not be aware of this - that when people talk about 'the Rapture', they are not referring to the Second Coming of Christ, a doctrine shared by all the principal Christian denominations, but to something else entirely - Mike L.

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NZ CATHOLIC BISHOPS' CONFERENCE

http://www.catholic.org.nz/news/fx-list-articles.cfm?ctype=MRART&loadref=50

Political and social commitment needed to change abortion situation (20 May 2011)

The New Zealand Catholic Bishops say that the recent example of a 16 year old girl having an abortion without the knowledge or consent of her parents is a disturbing example of the law letting down our young people and undermining family values...

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'NZ CATHOLIC'

http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz

In issue no.366, May 22 - June 4 2011 : Double ordination joy ... One Our Father canned Fr Terry Dibble saw, judges and acted .. A rocky road to the priesthood .. The beatification of Pope John Paul: three feature articles .. Bin Laden killing poses questions ... Escape from shaken cathedral

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FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

Social activist priest (photo)
The Press
http://tinyurl.com/3d79qxs
On a Saturday afternoon in July 1981 as Father Terry Dibble stood in the middle of Rugby Park, Hamilton, more than a few were paraphrasing King Henry II. ‘‘Will no-one rid me of this troublesome priest,’’ Henry said of Thomas a Becket, and people wanting to watch a Springbok game that day would have applauded the sentiment.

Good news from Palestine (photo, video interview with Br Peter Bray)
http://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=26510
Unlike most media reports from Israel/Palestine, this interview relates a good news story from that strife-torn region. And the interviewee is a very unlikely advocate for the Palestinian people.

Government put ‘on watch’ for welfare changes and future policy - Caritas
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1105/S00334/govt-on-watch-for-welfare-changes-and-future-policy.htm
Catholic social justice agency Caritas has put the government ‘on watch’ for the true impact of ‘re-prioritised spending’ and welfare changes expected later this year, following the 2011 Budget.

New Zealand Catholic Church says it will not have to change its policies (full text)
Radio New Zealand Newswire — 17 May 2011 : 14:07:33
The Catholic Church in New Zealand says it will not have to change its policies following a letter from the Vatican telling bishops around the world to report abuse by clergy to the police. The letter says bishops should report the abuse of children by priests directly to the authorities in line with their local law. The New Zealand church's director for Professional Standards, John Jamieson, says the letter deals with offending against people aged under 18, who make a complaint within 20 years. He says the church would take that sort of case to the police immediately, but in the last 30 years it has only had reports of historical abuse. Mr Jamieson says he has dealt with many cases where the offender has died. He says he personally revised the guidelines for the church in New Zealand, so if a current case was reported, it would be handled well.

Lack of priests threatens schools (photo)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5006844/Lack-of-priests-threatens-schools
The bell may be tolling for some lower North Island schools and churches, as a nationwide shortage of priests forces the Catholic Archbishop of Wellington to consider their closure.

Falling In Love With God On His Lunch Break
The Dominion Post
http://tinyurl.com/6x7u45z
The young accountant was jetting across Europe, living a party lifestyle with friends. There were sights to see and sleepless nights, and a lot of money to spend. At some point in between beers that Matt Crawford sat down and thought to himself "I'm not happy".

Doomsday hour arrives: world survives
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/161521/doomsday-hour-arrives-world-survives
The prediction of an American religious leader who declared Judgement Day would arrive first in New Zealand at 6pm today has been proved less than accurate. Evangelical broadcaster Harold Camping has predicted a massive earthquake will strike the earth, unleashing the Apocalypse, first upon New Zealand, then around the world.

And that's the end of the world news :-)

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News of the Schools
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Principals fear job cuts as pupils stay away
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/education/news/article.cfm?c_id=35&objectid=10726076

Monte Cecilia, Auckland: 170 have say on proposal for Monte Cecilia School (photo)
The New Zealand Herald http://www.nzherald.co.nz/education/news/article.cfm?c_id=35&objectid=10726283

Roncalli College, Timaru: College girl attacked by pack
http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/5011872/College-girl-attacked-by-pack

St Bede's College, Christchurch: St Bede's dominate in ideal conditions
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/sport/rugby/5007021/St-Bedes-dominate-in-ideal-conditions

St Joseph's, Arrowtown: Decision opens way for new campus to proceed (photo)
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/queenstown-lakes/161208/decision-opens-way-new-campus-proceed

St Joseph's, Queenstown: Pupils learn business of raising cash for school (photo)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/5006980/Pupils-learn-business-of-raising-cash-for-school

St Mary’s, Carterton: Pupils get taste of principal’s job (photo)
Wairarapa News http://tinyurl.com/6ff84vn

St Patrick's College, Silverstream: Silverstream won't have it all their own way
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/college-sport/5016918/Silverstream-won-t-have-it-all-their-own-way

St Patrick's college, Wellington: Technology meets old-school values in long-running sporting clash
The Dominion Post http://tinyurl.com/696yt5e

St Patrick’s, Inglewood: Vandals target school (photo)
North Taranaki Midweek http://tinyurl.com/6zjor26

St Patrick’s, Taupo: Cricket grant well caught (photo caption)
Taupo Times http://tinyurl.com/3p6zxc6

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INSPIRATIONAL TV

http://inspirationaltv.net

'Anxiety'
John 14:1-12 : a reading and discussion with John Teariki and Malia Vito-Tupai.

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NEW ZEALAND CATHOLIC PODCASTS

http://station15.libsyn.com

19 May 2011
15 Minutes With the Bishop: Deaconate
15 Minutes with the Bishop: Marriage

17 May 2011
Ignition: Talk 3, Part 2
In this week's episode of Ignition, we release part two of Bishop Anthony Fisher's talk "Catholic Conscience in the 21st Century", given as the 2007 NZ Catholic Lecture. We will complete the lecture in the episode released next Monday.

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'BEING FRANK' - New Zealand Catholic blogs

http://www.beingfrank.co.nz

** Never see a need without doing something about it (a Christian presence for the Eastern Suburbs of Christchurch

** From the Being Frank archive (Catholics and the 'Erotica' expo

** Why Holy Images? (holy images as an invitation and aid to prayer)

** Let’s knock this anti-Traditional Mass stuff on the head now shall we? (on the implementation of “Summorum Pontificum.” )

** Parents Out, Counsellors In (abortions for schoolgirls)

** Defining ‘Christian’ (does that include Mormons?)

See also Gavin Abraham's blog 'The Catholic Soapbox:
http://catholicsoapbox.com

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NEW ZEALAND COMMENTARIES ON THE SUNDAY READINGS

Living the Word - Fr Frank Bird sm http://livingtheword.org.nz

Reflect - Veronica Lawson rsm http://www.welcom.org.nz/?sid=394

Daily Reflections (right-hand column) http://www.maristmessenger.co.nz

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ALL THINGS CATHOLIC - John L. Allen Jr

http://ncronline.org/blogs/all-things-catholic

Four titles from a bumper crop of Italian books
http://ncronline.org/blogs/all-things-catholic/four-titles-bumper-crop-italian-books

On a per capita basis, Italy probably churns out more books on the Catholic church each year than anyplace else on earth. Given the boost created by the May 1 beatification of Pope John Paul II, this spring has been an especially busy period for the Italian market, generating several titles that will likely make their way into translations and shape Catholic conversation around the world. This week, I’ll offer brief sketches of four such titles to emerge from the recent bumper crop...

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FACEBOOK

Pompallier's People: The Catholic Church in Aotearoa New Zealand
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Catholic-Church-in-Aotearoa-New-Zealand/149916141686808

Bishop Patrick Dunn
http://www.facebook.com/bishoppatrick?sk=wall

Catholic Discipleship College
http://www.facebook.com/cdcnz?sk=wall

'The Fifteenth Station'
http://www.facebook.com/station15

SMNZ Marists - the Society of Mary in New Zealand
http://www.facebook.com/Marists

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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)

CatholicHerald.co.uk - Morning Catholic must-reads:
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/author/luke/page/14/

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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 ]

Pastoral and Spititual Care Coordiantor, St Catherine's Rest Home, Ponsonby, Auckland.
http://www.eldernet.co.nz/Facilities/Rest_Home_Care/St_Catherine_s/Service/DisplayService/FaStID/1937
Details in 'NZ Catholic' no.366, May 22 - June 4 2011 p. 23, and from Dennis Horton, Director of Missio, tel (09) 360 7874, PO Box 6015, Wellesley St., Auckland 1141