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Dear readers,

This is the last Kiwicath News & Notes for 2014.

I wish you a very happy Christmas and all God's blessings in the new year.

Mike Leon

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NZ CATHOLIC BISHOPS' CONFERENCE

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

New Zealander Appointed to Vatican Commission on child abuse (8 Dec 2014)

Pope Francis has announced additional appointees to his newly
established Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors
overnight in Rome. Among the appointments from around the world is New
Zealand man Mr Bill Kilgallon who is the Director of the National
Office for Professional Standards of the Catholic Church in New
Zealand...

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NZ CATHOLIC - Christmas issue 2014

http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz

On the front page: A half-page colour reproduction of the 1964
Christmas stamp portraying Rev. Samuel Marsden's first service in the
Bay of Islands on Christmas Day 1814 ... Also: Support offered to New
Zealand abortion workers ... Family looks for a bone marrow donor ...
Clergy and other appointments 2015 ... Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio was
'the slum pope' ... Walk by Faith graduation celebrates several
journeys ... Challenge to marriage today outlined ... Military
chaplain has pride, and maybe regret ... Vatican releases 2015 synod
document ... 2014: a two-page illustrated review ... Treasure of a
church in Taihape worth a visit ... Conversation gives a fuller
picture of who the Pope is ... Common WINZ failures fire up volunteer.

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FROM THE SECULAR MEDIA

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Christmas 2014
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Church leaders' Christmas message: Marsden's sermon of 200 years ago
still relevant (photo)
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11376991
Christmas Day 1814 was when the Good News - te Rongopai - of Jesus
Christ was preached for the first time on New Zealand soil. The
preacher was Rev Samuel Marsden who had come at the invitation of
local chief Ruatara. Friendships had been formed with Ruatara, Te
Pahi, and other Maori chiefs who had visited Sydney over previous
years...

Open season for creativity
The Southland Times
http://www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/showlink.aspx?bookmarkid=1SPEW9IJ4117&linkid=d960ca07-bdd7-4a6b-afbe-a74e20020057&pdaffid=lHpOEO%2bSMqBuhcDzMicNAQ%3d%3d
Mary-Jane Thomas and a Catholic colleague created a beautiful nativity
scene outside her office.

Donations pour in for needy families (photo)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/64225290/Donations-pour-in-for-needy-families
Thanks to the generosity of the Waikato community, Christmas is about
to become a happier time for families who are finding it tough. The
Hits Toy Run for St Vincent de Paul collected thousands of toys from
the public for children in need...

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A fine and long-lasting romance (photos)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/64345933/A-fine-and-long-lasting-romance
A near seven-decade romance ended in recent weeks with the death 12
days apart of New Plymouth couple Jim Vale, 93, and wife Mary, 89.

Student battled cancer to finish her degree (photo)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/64353076/Student-battled-cancer-to-finish-her-degree
Mother of six and "real people person" Nicole Westbrook graduated with
a bachelor of applied social science (social work) in a private
ceremony in May. She was diagnosed with cancer part-way through her
final year of the degree.

Judge backs ex-Catholic brother's extradition
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11375770
A decision by the New Zealand Government to extradite a former
Catholic brother to Australia to face child-sex abuse charges has been
backed by a High Court judge.

Pope Francis Names Second Abuse Survivor to Child Abuse Protection Panel
http://www.inquisitr.com/1687299/pope-francis-names-second-abuse-survivor-to-child-abuse-protection-panel/
Pope Francis expanded his papal commission on child protection to
include a second survivor of abuse and more experts from around the
world. Also joining the commission is Bill Kilgallon, national
director of the Office for Professional Standards of the Catholic
Church in New Zealand.

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News of the Schools
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Future of Catholic Primary Schooling in Mairehau parish
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED1412/S00112/future-of-catholic-primary-schooling-in-mairehau-parish.htm
A new Catholic primary school is proposed to open in early 2016 in
Christchurch. This follows from the decision of the Minister of
Education, Hekia Parata, to support the proposal of the Catholic
Bishop of Christchurch, Barry Jones, to cancel the integration
agreements for Our Lady of Fatima and St Paul's School.

Francis Douglas Memorial College, New Plymouth: University entrant
welcomes scholarship (photo)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/64154040/University-entrant-welcomes-scholarship

Marian School, Hamilton: Principal celebrates vintage year for leading
school (photo) http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/64225299/Principal-celebrates-vintage-year-for-leading-school

Monte Cecilia School, Auckland: Parents appalled as Santa debunked
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11377420

Pompallier Catholic School, Kaitaia: Love of teaching undimmed (photo)
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/northland-age/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503402&objectid=11374939

Sacred Heart College, New Plymouth: Fundraiser will help beat bordeom
(photo) http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/midweek/64239818/Fundraiser-will-help-beat-bordeom

Sacred Heart Girls' College, Hamilton: A happy blend of science and
music (photo) http://www.waikato.ac.nz/news-events/media/2014/12a-happy-blend-of-science-and-music.shtml

St Paul's College, Auckland: Schooling boys to be men (photo)
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11375806

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STATION XV
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http://station15.co.nz

Station XV: Episode 87 — 'Tis the season… (December 16, 2014)

Advent is a busy season for the Church, and that includes the Station
15 panel. Working through this month's full slate of topics are James,
Lucy, Don, Gavin and — returning after many years — Gabriel. Pope
Francis is the central figure in the episode, led by his first
episcopal appointment in New Zealand, but followed closely by his
comments on Islamic terrorism and his advice to theologians: "Listen
to the people." The panel also discusses parish amalgamations in New
Zealand, following an international trend, and the vexed question
"Would you baptise an alien?" Happy Christmas from the Station 15
crew.

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'BEING FRANK' - New Zealand Catholic blogs

http://www.beingfrank.co.nz

** Comedy of Errors: Pope Francis and pets in heaven, a Christmas comedy

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JOHN L. ALLEN

https://www.facebook.com/JohnLAllenJr

John L. Allen is a Catholic columnist for The Boston Globe

A victory for the Vatican's line of détente
http://www.cruxnow.com/church/2014/12/17/us-cuba-breakthrough-is-a-victory-for-the-vaticans-line-of-detente/
The normalization of relations between the United States and Cuba may
be primarily a turning point for those two nations, but it also
represents a victory for a Vatican policy of détente that reaches back
at least to the papacy of John Paul II...

Also: The long-awaited final report of a controversial Vatican probe
of American nuns has ended with an olive branch.

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NEW ZEALAND CATHOLIC PERIODICALS & NEWSLETTERS

'NZ Catholic' is a national newspaper published by the Catholic Bishop
of Auckland. http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz

Catholic Diocese of Hamilton. 'Kete Korero'.
http://proudtobecatholic.org.nz/news-events/kete-korero/

Catholic Dioceses of Palmerston North and Wellington. 'Wel-com'
http://www.welcom.org.nz

Catholic Diocese of Christchurch. 'Inform'
http://www.chch.catholic.org.nz/?sid=25

Catholic Diocese of Dunedin. 'The Tablet'
https://catholic-diocese.squarespace.com/back-issues

The Nathaniel Centre. The New Zealand Catholic Bioethics Centre. 'The
Nathaniel Report' http://www.nathaniel.org.nz/?sid=5

NZ Catholic Education Office. 'Lighting New Fires'
http://www.nzceo.catholic.org.nz/pages/resources/resources_lighting_new_fires.html

NZ Catholic Education Office. 'Good News and the News'
http://www.nzceo.catholic.org.nz/pages/resources/resources_good_news.html

Society of Mary. 'Marist Messenger' http://www.maristmessenger.co.nz

St Columban's Mission Society. 'The Far East'
http://www.columban.org.au/?MID=200510192652

'Tui Motu Interislands'. An independent Catholic magazine.
http://www.tuimotu.org/articles

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NEW ZEALAND COMMENTARIES ON THE SUNDAY READINGS

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

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

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FACEBOOK

The Catholic Church in Aotearoa New Zealand
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Catholic-Church-in-Aotearoa-New-Zealand/149916141686808

Auckland Catholic Tertiary Chaplaincy - Newman Hall
https://www.facebook.com/TheChaplains

Auckland Catholic Youth Ministry
https://www.facebook.com/AKCYM

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

Catholic Diocese of Christchurch
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Catholic-Diocese-of-Christchurch/181351388575074

Catholic Diocese of Hamilton
https://www.facebook.com/CatholicDioceseofHamilton

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

Champagnat Partnership (The Marist Brothers)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Champagnat-Partnership/657302940995718?ref=stream

Diocesan Young Catholics, Palmerston North
http://www.facebook.com/DiocesanYoungCatholics

'NZ Catholic' newspaper
https://www.facebook.com/pages/NZ-Catholic/262886647205656

Youth and Young Adults Ministries, Christchurch
http://www.facebook.com/pages/CYT-Youth-and-Young-Adults-Ministries/95736474530

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NEWS OF THE CHURCH IN NZ AND THE WORLD

http://cathnews.co.nz

http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz

http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/

http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/homepage/

http://www.youtube.com/user/romereports/videos (video)

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EVENTS

Hearts Aflame 2015
Nga Tawa College, Marton. 2-11 January 2015
http://www.heartsaflame.org.nz/ha-2014/register/

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EMPLOYMENT

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

Catholic overseas volunteer vacancies are listed on the Vacancies page
of http://www.mahitahi.org ]

Job vacancies in the Auckland and Wellington Catholic diocesan
agencies are on these pages:
Auckland: http://www.aucklandcatholic.org.nz/category/vacancies/
Wellington: http://www.wn.catholic.org.nz/jobs

Youth Minister, Hastings Parish
http://dyc.net.nz/?sid=1872
Details in 'NZ Catholic' December 14-20, 2014 p.12, in 'Wel-com'
December 2014 p.9, at
http://pn.catholic.org.nz/dox/Hastings%20Advert.pdf and from Kathleen
Field, kfield@pndiocese.org.nz ; tel: (06) 350 3824; 021 509 436