Sunday, March 13, 2011

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NZ CATHOLIC BISHOPS' CONFERENCE

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

** Masses and Services for those affected by earthquake (10 Mar 2011)

** "Lent will be observed in the ruins of a beautiful and gracious city:: Bishop Jones (9 Mar 2011)

** Message of Pope Benedict XVI for Lent 2011 (8 Mar 2011)

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LENT 2011

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand
http://www.caritas.org.nz/?sid=1126

Resources for Lent 2011: Online donation link ... Lenten resources for schools, parishes and groups ... Caritas Lenten Reflection Programme in English, Samoan, Tongan and (coming soon) Tokelauan ... List of contacts

Caritas's Lenten theme for 2011 is 'United by Our Common Humanity'. It derives from the New Zealand Bishops' statement 'A Consistent Ethic of Life – Te Kahu-O-te-Ora' which says, “A Consistent Ethic of life proclaims the dignity of every person. We are united by our common humanity, created in the image of God, and called to live in active love and tolerance of all who are different from ourselves.”

Lent is a time of prayer, fasting and sharing resources. Caritas' Lent Appeal is a practical way to give to those in need. The Lent Appeal is Caritas' most important of the year, raising funds to support relief and development programmes overseas, as well as education and advocacy for social justice in Aotearoa New Zealand. In view of the severe impact of the Christchurch earthquake, this year, 25 percent of the Lent Appeal will go towards helping people most affected by the Christchurch earthquake.

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'NZ CATHOLIC' - March 13 - 26, 2011 - No. 361

http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz

In this issue: Broken lives, broken hearts, broken buildings ... Youth team cook up a feed ... Catholic schools take in Chch students ... Helpers team up to clean up Carmelite Sisters' property ... Trying times after big Chch earthquake ... Big shake traumatises our second City ... Coadjutor bishop for P. North ... Defensive approach is out, CUF's president affirms ... Chch priest farewelled (Fr Paddy Cahill) ... Pope says Lent a time to forgo selfishness ... Advertising Features: E-mail and Website Directory; Legal Services;

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FROM THE SECULAR MEDIA

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Christchurch Earthquake - 22 February 2011

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Catholic Church's Lent Appeal: 25 Percent To Christchurch
http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/catholic-church039s-lent-appeal-25-percent-christchurch/5/84724
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand will allocate at least 25 percent of its annual Lent Appeal towards assisting people hit by the Christchurch earthquake. The Lent Appeal runs for six weeks from Ash Wednesday on 9 March through to Easter, and is Caritas' most important fundraiser of the year.

Catholicism’s spiritual home for Canterbury-Westland in doubt (photos)
The Press
http://tinyurl.com/4amrt88
A dome and part of the tower that supported it tumbled from Christchurch’s Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in the February 22 earthquake. Before the quake, a statue of Our Lady on a ledge inside the tower was facing inwards, where bellringers could see it as they tolled the bells. After the quake, it was facing outwards. The bells are silent now. The ringers are wondering what message lies in Our Lady’s 180-degree turn.

Garth George: Almighty comfort after disaster. God didn't cause the Christchurch quake, but we can thank him for what was spared
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10711200

Earthquake victims
The Dominion Post
(Extract] Helen Margaret Chambers, 44, was the kind of woman who could make things happen. "I don't know whether she liked problems but, when she was faced with a problem, she was the woman who would find the solution to fix it," Christ the King Catholic School principal Mike Bonisch said. Mrs Chambers - "one of life's gems" - had been president of the Catholic integrated primary school's parents' council. One of her sons was head boy, as his brother had also been.

3 News (full text)
A prayer service will take place today [Monday] at 4pm on the grounds of St Mary’s Catholic Church in New Brighton to recognise the closure of the Church. The church, due to celebrate its centennial later this year, will be demolished due to damage incurred from the earthquake on 22 February. Catholic Bishop of Christchurch, Bishop Barry Jones, will attend the service along with Parish Priest of 10 years, Fr Bryan Parish, and families of those involved with the building of the church in 1911.

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In other news ...
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Dennehy descendants sought (photo)
A Hunterville man seeks the inheritor of land unclaimed for 118 years.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/4761442/Dennehy-descendants-sought/
For 32 years, Hunterville farmer Peter Henderson has paid rates on land that isn't his, hoping a descendant of the original owner will someday claim it. The land was issued by Crown grant in March 1893, to Edmond James Dennehy.

Chile quake victims supported (photo)
http://www.odt.co.nz/regions/central-otago/150410/chile-quake-victims-supported
The congregation at yesterday's World Day of Prayer ecumenical service in Cromwell were told their donations would help provide for continued rehabilitation in Chile, following the earthquake there in February last year.

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News of the Schools
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Catholic Cathedral College and St Thomas of Canterbury College, Christchurch: Christchurch pupils set to share campus
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch-earthquake-2011/4760283/Christchurch-pupils-set-to-share-campus

Garin College, Nelson: Bright sparks join forces (photo)
The Nelson Mail
http://tinyurl.com/4jm6y7h

John Paul II High School, Greymouth: Christchurch earthquake triggers a chain reaction of generosity
http://www.starcanterbury.co.nz/local/news/latest-updates-day-14/3943300/

Marian College and St Bede's College, Christchurch: Pupils to return to shared sites
http://tinyurl.com/6yhzeq2

Sacred Heart College, Lower Hutt: Colourful match at Sacred Heart (photos)
The Hutt News
http://tinyurl.com/4vguxx3

Sacred Heart Girls’ College, New Plymouth: Catching a lift (photo)
Waikato Times
http://tinyurl.com/4phjfs8

St Mary’s School, Blenheim: Dunking for school funds
Marlborough Midweek
http://tinyurl.com/46m5b3p

St Mary's Catholic School, Gisborne: Young superheroes in the making : Push to be upstanding citizens, by Genevieve Helliwell
Bay of Plenty Times — A006 — 07 March 2011
All children dream of saving the world. And the children at St Mary's Catholic School morph into superheroes every day.
But instead of wearing capes and tight Lycra outfits, they wear uniforms and follow a set of guidelines that encourage each and every one of them to push beyond the norm and strive to become upstanding citizens in the community. [The full text can be read via the public libraries Newztext service]

St Patrick's College, Silverstream: Wellington College’s depth wins McEvedy Shield (photos)
The Hutt News
http://tinyurl.com/4n8yqbb

St Patrick’s Catholic School, Taupo: Some fun run funds go to Christchurch (full text)
Taupo Times
http://tinyurl.com/4ae6q5j

St Patrick's School Taupo: Community turns out for pancakes (photo caption)
Taupo Times
http://tinyurl.com/48ov6w3

St Patrick’s School, Te Awamutu: Carmelite priest joins school (photo)
Ruapehu Press
http://tinyurl.com/4mb4he4

St Peter’s Catholic School, Cambridge: Schools rise to challenge and win (photo)
Cambridge Edition
http://tinyurl.com/4w9rjpo

Sts Peter and Paul School, Lower Hutt: Standing up for Canterbury (photo caption)
The Hutt News
http://tinyurl.com/4qoz6gm
Sts Peter and Paul School mufti day raised more than two thousand dollars for Christchurch earthquake victims.

Verdon College, Invercargill: Multi-gifted Lucy finds life hectic (photo)
The Southland Times
http://tinyurl.com/4lahhfx

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INSPIRATIONAL TV

http://inspirationaltv.net

'Put to the Test'
Matthew 4: 1-11 - a reading and reflection with Violet Kudzotsa and Stephen Ready.

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'BEING FRANK' - New Zealand Catholic blogs

http://www.beingfrank.co.nz

** Dark Night of the Soul (spiritual reading for Lent)

** ‘Wait, I’m no missionary! I don’t even believe in Jebus!’ (on wearing the Ash Wednesday ashes in public: I)

** HR3 – reproductive health as a convenient euphemism (public funding for abortion in the US)

** The ash-marked brow (on wearing the Ash Wednesday ashes in public: II)

** Liturgical Abuse weakens the Faith

** We interrupt this broadcast… (What Icon Media has been up to lately)

** Children’s day (on working with foster families)

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

Memo to a divided church: Meet the Focolare
http://ncronline.org/blogs/all-things-catholic/memo-divided-church-meet-focolare

Not long ago, I was invited to address a Catholic organization in the United States that’s experiencing tensions with other sectors of the church. After my usual shtick about avoiding the trap of tribalism, someone asked if I saw any concrete signs of hope. One of the bishops volunteered to tackle the question. He said if what we’re talking about is overcoming divisions, there’s a great resource to draw upon: Focolare, a Catholic movement whose spirituality is premised on unity...

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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

Catholic Discipleship College
http://www.facebook.com/cdcnz

'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 ]