*****************************************************

FROM THE SECULAR PRESS


New priest at age 76 (photo)
Hauraki Herald
http://tinyurl.com/387vou
Rev Vince Smith, a former Hikutaia man, has become an ordained Roman
Catholic priest at the age of 76 ...

Sisters of Nazareth's mortgages irk abuse claimants
http://www.stuff.co.nz/thepress/4421084a24035.html
Financial loans a Catholic order of nuns has granted to abuse complainants,
secured over their homes, have been questioned as "unethical" and
"inappropriate" by a victims' advocate group...

Nothing prepares us for finality of death, by John Roughan
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=500818&objectid=10495358
Mum sat on the edge of the bed while the last of the doctors, an overbearing
anaesthetist, outlined what would happen.
"Do you have any questions?" he finished. "No", she replied, "I think I'm in
the hands of experts." And they wheeled her away...

Site safety net for Parachute
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikatotimes/4419286a6415.html
A contract that will lock the Parachute Christian music festival into
Mystery Creek Events Centre for another five years is yet to be signed by
both parties...

Blogger targets 'political' editing of Wikipedia in Beehive
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10495206
A person at Parliament is making too many "political" alterations to New
Zealand entries in the open-access internet encyclopaedia Wikipedia, says
media commentator Russell Brown of Auckland. The IP address used for the
June 2007 alterations - to remove information about the deputy Opposition
leader Bill English's moral beliefs and family - is assigned to the New
Zealand Parliament, Brown said...

Hands clasped as world prays
South Waikato News
http://tinyurl.com/39zrkq
The annual World Day of Prayer service for the needs of the world will be
celebrated in the Waikato on Friday, March 7. Both Tokoroa and Putaruru
will be part of the 300 services held in New Zealand on this day ...

[The following stories are not avaialable on the newspapers' free Websites,
but can be read at public libraries]

Meeting with order disappoints
The Press 23 Feb 2008 Page: 11
Hart Cox, a former Christchurch farmer shot in 1966 by a teen who ran away
from a Catholic residential school, has finally met with the order that ran
the institution. The Cox family has waited 41 years to meet the St John of
God Order ...

St James celebrates
Manawatu Standard 29 Feb 2008 Page: 5 (no link)
Palmerston North's St James’ Catholic School is celebrating its 50th
Jubilee, with events being held from today through until Sunday. Past and
present students and staff will be attending a dinner, mass, and various
events over the weekend...

A rich history
Manawatu Standard 29 Feb 2008 Page: 29 (no link)
St Patrick’s Parish was established in Palmerston North in 1875. But it was
not until 1877 that the first church was built in Broad Street (now known as
Broadway Avenue). The Catholic community’s first school was established in
the church building ...

*******************************************************

MAGAZINES AND NEWSLETTERS

Marist Messenger - March 2008
http://www.maristmessenger.co.nz/

Society of St Vincent de Paul News - February 2008
http://www.svdp.org.nz/index.php/current-news/

St. Columban's Missionary Society magazine 'The Far East' - Jan.-Feb. 2008
http://www.columban.org.au/?MID=200510192652

Tui Motu InterIslands - Feb. 2008
http://www.tuimotu.org/

******************************************************

INSPIRATIONAL TV

http://inspirationaltv.net/

What to make of a miracle?
From Wellington's Anglican Cathedral, a discussion about one of the most
famous miracles in the Bible ... which tells of a blind man's sight being
restored.

*******************************************************

'BEING FRANK'

http://www.beingfrank.co.nz/

Blogs about Catholic life in New Zealand, sponsored by 'NZ Catholic'
newspaper. Some recent topics ...

- WYD
- Can you smell the fear? (Referendum on the anti-smacking law)
- I still believe the children are our future (Cardinal Pell's Mass at St
Patrick's cathedral)
Communism would probably be more just? but it doesn’t work…

*****************************************************

ALL THINGS CATHOLIC
Analysis and commentary by John R. Allen

http://ncrcafe.org/node/507

In much of the global south, especially in places where a majority of the
population is Catholic, the "job description" of a Catholic bishop often
includes acting as a "tribune" in the original sense -- meaning a
representative and a voice for the country's people, as opposed to its
government and ruling class. This week brought a classic case in point, in
the form of a visit to Washington, D.C., by Cardinal Julio Terrazas Sandoval
of Bolivia...

***************************************************

WORLD NEWS OF THE CHURCH (Regularly updated)

http://www.cathcom.org.nz/

http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz/

http://www.romereports.com/ (video)

*******************************************************

EMPLOYMENT

[Teaching vacancies in New Zealand Catholic schools are advertised in the
Education Gazette: http://www.edgazette.govt.nz/vacancy.php ]

[Vacancies in Catholic Youth Ministry are advertised on the Job Bank page of
the National Council for Young Catholics: http://ncyc.org.nz/ ]

*****************************************************

'WEL-COM' - The newspaper of the archdiocese of Wellington and the diocese
of Palmerston North

http://www.welcom.org.nz/

**News**
Opposition to proposed changes to Easter trading; Former Anglican priest new
lay pastoral leader; Learning from Asia

**World News**
Bearing fruit in Timor Leste; The 1967 Middle East war 40 years on and still
raging; Timor Leste in election turmoil

**Columns**
Archbishop's column: Dedicating the year to God, by Archbishop John Dew;
Kieran Fenn FMS: From the beginning - a pattern in Adam and Eve; Cecily
McNeill: A new Jesuit leader

**Schools**
Carterton school gets down to earth; Viard choir in US barbershop contest;
Wilton school joins dolphin protection call

**Features**
A postmodern Christianity; Book review: The Seeking Feet, by Rosaleen
Conway; Reflecting on moving on

**Wellington**
Karen Holland installed in Sth Wellington; WCEC graduation December 13,
2007; Distance learning course helps those on faith journey

**Palmerston North**
Fr Kevin Neal on his recovery from stroke. Part five; Hato Paora principal
faces sex charges; Whanganui reunion for class of '54: Sacred Heart College
Old Girls get together

**Reflect**
Third Sunday of Lent Year A John 4:5-42

********************************************************

FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

Research centre head arrives (photo)
http://tinyurl.com/3cm3fg
The newly-appointed head of New Zealand’s first Centre for International
Health says he has a ‘‘sobering responsibility’’ ahead. The Centre for
International Health was established using a $1.5 million grant from the
Sisters of Mercy, the Catholic order which runs Dunedin’s Mercy Hospital,
and a matching government grant...

Attempt to grab kid fails
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4410277a6002.html
A distraught mother says two men who tried to abduct her five-year-old
daughter from St Patrick's Catholic Primary School in Kaponga have robbed a
little girl of her innocence...

Katikati market proves popular (photos)
Hauraki Herald
http://tinyurl.com/3ycv93
Early in the afternoon, St Pius X Catholic Church committee spokesperson
Pauline van Rijen was wondering if anyone would turn up at all to the
inaugural night of the Katikati plant and produce market ...

Radio NZ. Nine to Noon. Religious leadership and World Youth Day (audio
file)
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/national/ntn/religious_leadership_and_world_youth\
_day
Kathryn Ryan interviews Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney.

Church may have to reveal its records
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10493846
A weighty court judgment has bolstered a woman's case to view secret
information held by the Catholic Church about her. The unnamed woman wants
to find out what her husband said about her in the process of getting their
marriage annulled through the church...

Te Aroha school creates new look (photo)
Piako Post
http://tinyurl.com/yp3enp
St Joseph's Catholic School in Te Aroha has just finished renovations on old
buildings and construction of new ones ...

Outdoor Mass at Harcourt Park
Upper Hutt Leader
http://tinyurl.com/248lae
Upper Hutt's and Stokes Valley's three Catholic parishes are combining for
an outdoor Mass at Harcourt Park this Sunday, February 24 ...

Battered priest ready to turn other cheek
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominionpost/4407356a23955.html
Almost three months after being attacked during a break-in at his church
house, Masterton priest Julian Wagg is prepared to turn the other cheek...

Concern over abortion rise
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/nelsonmail/4409860a6510.html
The Abortion Supervisory Committee has recently released its annual report,
which shows 359 abortions were carried out in Nelson in 2006. Nationally,
there were 17,934 abortions in 2006, 400 more than in 2005...

*******************************************************

INSPIRATIONAL TV

http://inspirationaltv.net/

4 million dreams: Part 2
Sister Stephanie interviews Mary-Alice Arthur, founder of the 4 Million
Dream Project, to help the 4 million New Zealanders to talk to each other
about the direction we all want the country moving in.

'What's New'
St Valentine's Day: does it really have any religious meaning?

*******************************************************

'BEING FRANK'

http://www.beingfrank.co.nz/

Blogs about Catholic life in New Zealand, sponsored by 'NZ Catholic'
newspaper. Some recent topics ...

Work to live, or live to work?
"I’m sorry. I can’t come in today. Religious holiday. The feast of…
Maximum
Occupancy."
Trying something different (Protestant vs Catholic styles of worship)
’til death do us part…
Eyes Front! (on celebrating Mass facing the altar)
Prayer and ministry
Fortitude

*****************************************************

ALL THINGS CATHOLIC
Analysis and commentary by John R. Allen

http://ncrcafe.org/node/507

Many are curious about Vatican’s take on ’08 presidential race

Next week, the annual “Catholic Social Ministry Gathering� will take place
in Washington, D.C. Sponsored by 19 Catholic organizations, it’s an
important annual get-together for Catholics who, in one way or another, are
involved in social action and political advocacy on behalf of human life,
justice and peace. Inevitably, the elections and the question of the
“Catholic vote� will be much in the air. It’s likely, too, that talk
around
the edges will focus on how Pope Benedict XVI’s upcoming April 15-20 visit
to the United States might be read in terms of the dynamics of an election
year...

***************************************************

WORLD NEWS OF THE CHURCH (Regularly updated)

http://www.cathcom.org.nz/

http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz/

http://www.romereports.com/ (video)

*******************************************************

EMPLOYMENT

[Teaching vacancies in New Zealand Catholic schools are advertised in the
Education Gazette: http://www.edgazette.govt.nz/vacancy.php ]

[Vacancies in Catholic Youth Ministry are advertised on the Job Bank page of
the National Council for Young Catholics: http://ncyc.org.nz/ ]

*****************************************************

FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

Suicide doctor shouldn't be here, says group
North Shore Times
http://tinyurl.com/2vlp57
North Shore Hospice is speaking out against Philip Nitschke and his
pro-euthanasia stance ...

Annual pilgrimage (photo)
The Horowhenua Mail
http://tinyurl.com/3ykapw
The annual pilgrimage to the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes has special
significance to the Catholic congregation which gathered for the event on
Sunday ...

Church owns land targeted for substation
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikatotimes/4401295a6579.html
The land earmarked for a new electricity substation in Rototuna is owned by
the Catholic Church and is part of a block previously set aside for a school
or church...

New Sacred Heart principal still learning (photo)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dailynews/4399954a6554.html
Rose Sawaya is certainly not the kind of headmistress likely to be seen
sweeping down corridors barking instructions and giving steely glares to
cowering students. She's as lovely as her name suggests, and very passionate
about her new job as principal of Sacred Heart Girls' College.

New facility widens student horizons (photo)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/4399608a6497.html
Students of De La Salle College now have a multipurpose facility to match
their achievements. The $2.8 million block which took 10 months to build was
officially opened last week by Prime Minister Helen Clark.

Pacific Jewels (photo)
Upper Hutt Leader
http://tinyurl.com/2luxqc
Paea Taulanga leads Tongan group Jewels of the Pacific during entertainment
at Orongomai Marae's Waitangi Day open day. The group is based in Upper Hutt
and most are parishioners at St Joseph's Catholic Church ...

Sex-virus campaign may target girls aged 11
Parents must decide on cancer-preventing vaccine, says church
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=461&objectid=10492097
Girls as young as 11 may be targeted in a Government communications campaign
on vaccination against the sexually-transmitted disease that causes cervical
cancer. The plan is expected to draw criticism from conservative groups and
has already spurred concern from the Catholic church.

School's secret of success revealed (photo)
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=35&objectid=10491703
A student uttering a swear word in the playground doesn't necessarily get a
telling-off at Da La Salle College, the South Auckland school held up for
praise by Prime Minister Helen Clark for its academic success.

Forgiveness has God on its side
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/425826/1580098
A survey of almost 500 people has confirmed what many always suspected -
faith helps believers forgive where secular people continue to hold onto
their blame. The study, published in the journal Australian Psychologist, is
the latest to confirm the raft of physical, psychological and behavioural
benefits of belief...

Ben Turner, by Merilyn F Ragg
Russell Review, 2008; p.29-37
A waterman born in Worcester, England, Ben Turner was convicted of larceny
and transported to Sydney. He arrived in Kororareka in 1832, where he became
a tradesman and landowner from whom Bishop Pompallier purchased land for the
Catholic mission. 'Russell Review' may be ordered from the Russell Museum
Bookshop, http://www.russellmuseum.org.nz/books_russell.htm ;
info@russellmuseum.org.nz

*******************************************************

INSPIRATIONAL TV

http://inspirationaltv.net/

'Coffeebreak'
Sister Stephanie interviews Mary-Alice Arthur, founder of the 4 Million
Dream Project to help the 4 million New Zealanders to talk to each other
about the direction we want the country moving in..

*******************************************************

THE FIFTEENTH STATION - A New Zealand Catholic podcast

http://station15.libsyn.com/

'The boys are back in town' (14 February 2008)
In this episode it's just the boys talking about the permanent diaconate
coming to the Auckland Diocese, a Cardinal saying divorced and remarried
people are welcome at Mass, the story of Fr Vincent who was married and is
now a priest, Cardinal Pell and the carbon tax on babies in Australia, and
the strange gifts the Pope has received..

*******************************************************

'BEING FRANK'

http://www.beingfrank.co.nz/

Blogs about Catholic life in New Zealand, sponsored by 'NZ Catholic'
newspaper. Some recent topics ...

'Women and work'
'Can you feel the love?' (Valentine's Day)
'A strange thing called discernment'
'Dr Joan?' (Sister Joan Chittister)
'I like my vegetables organic… but my contraception as artificial as
possible'

*****************************************************

ALL THINGS CATHOLIC
Analysis and commentary by John R. Allen

http://ncrcafe.org/node/507

Sampling 'Catholicisms' in the Lone Star State
I'm in Texas this week researching a piece for a future edition of NCR about
Catholicism in the Lone Star State, picking up on the fact that Texas now
has a cardinal for the first time, and it hasn't taken me six years to grasp
that generalizations here are usually exercises in futility. Sociologically,
I've discovered, there really is no such thing as "Catholicism" in Texas --
instead, there are multiple "Catholicisms" ...

***************************************************

WORLD NEWS OF THE CHURCH (Regularly updated)

http://www.cathcom.org.nz/

http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz/

http://www.romereports.com/ (video)

*******************************************************

EMPLOYMENT

[Teaching vacancies in New Zealand Catholic schools are advertised in the
Education Gazette: http://www.edgazette.govt.nz/vacancy.php ]

[Vacancies in Catholic Youth Ministry are advertised on the Job Bank page of
the National Council for Young Catholics: http://ncyc.org.nz/ ]

Research Assistant (part-time), Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand
http://www.caritas.org.nz/
Details in 'Wel-com' February 2008 p.10 and from Caritas Aotearoa New
Zealand, PO Box 12-193, Wellington; claire@caritas.org.nz Applications
close 18 February 2008.

Catholic Schools Board, Wellington. Executive Assistant
http://www.catholicschools.co.nz/
Details in 'Wel-com' February 2008 p.7 and from Jeni,
jeni@catholicschools.co.nz; tel: (04) 499 0184. Applications close 22
February 2008.

****************************************************

CATHOLIC COMMUNICATIONS NZ

http://www.cathcom.org.nz/

Bioethics Centre critical of Nitschke's comments (5 February 2008)
The New Zealand Catholic Bioethics Centre - The Nathaniel Centre - is deeply
distressed at the comments of Dr Philip Nitschke as reported in The Sunday
Star Times...

*******************************************************

CARITAS AOTEAROA NZ - MEDIA RELEASES

http://www.caritas.org.nz/

Caution needed on Biofuels Bill (07/02/08)
Caritas Opposes New Easter Trading Proposals (05/02/2008)
Budget Should Address Poverty (04/02/2008)

******************************************************

FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

Our Lady of Lourdes turning fifty (photos)
The Horowhenua Mail
http://tinyurl.com/2k8wuf
For fifty years she has tood on the hill above Paraparaumu - an inspiration
toCatholics, a beacon to fishermaen anda llandmark that says "home" to
Kapiti travellers.

Strumming at St Mark's with guitar-playing priest (photo)
Piako Post
http://tinyurl.com/28aw3k
A Catholic priest with a guitar might not be everyone's idea of
entertainment, but anyone remotely familiar with Chris Skinner, song writer
and recording artist, will tell you he is not be missed...

A 'wonderful life' (photo)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/southlandtimes/4390502a26562.html
Two days of cheerful celebrations were needed to cater for all those wishing
to mark the 100th birthday of former Southlander Sister Mary Dominic in
Dunedin last month...

'Serene' mayoress rolled up sleeves to help (photo)
The Hutt News
http://tinyurl.com/2z9a3y
another chapter in Lower Hutt's history has closed with the death in
auckland on 27 January of Lady June Kennedy-Good, Mayoress between 1970-1986
...

Death of Irish priest felt widely (photo)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/4388617a22402.html
The sudden death of former Henderson Parish priest Father Matthias Murphy is
being mourned throughout the west...

Gisborne memories part of her history (photo)
http://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/Default.aspx?s=3&s1=2&id=a43f63fe15064924bed2a9f\
7594f1a4d
A conversation with 89-year-old Eileen Lynch uncovers pockets of Gisborne's
history she has recorded with thoughtful detail for years about her Catholic
childhood during the Depression...

School sex abuse trial called off
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10491269
A historic sex abuse trial scheduled to begin in the High Court at
Christchurch yesterday has been granted a permanent stay because of the four
years it has taken to get before a jury...

Judge calls halt to sex trial
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4391907a10.html

Group calls for boycott of plate at Mass
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4393120a11.html

[The following stories are not available on the newspapers' free Websites.
They can be read at the public library.]

`Dr Death' ideas stun groups
The Nelson Mail â€" News â€" 5 Feb 2008 â€" Page 3
Euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke has been accused of having an appalling
lack of understanding of the needs of the terminally ill, as well as people
who suffer from depression.

Students Sydney-bound
The Timaru Herald 8 Feb 2008 Page: 11
A group of South Canterbury students will travel to Sydney in July to take
part in World Youth Day celebrations, with a huge raffle being sold to raise
money for the trip. World Youth Day is a large Catholic event which happens
every four years ...

Lives Of Note
The Dominion Post 7 Feb 2008 Page: 17
Mavis Paul, educator and nun. Mavis Paul, 80, known as Sister Mary Germaine,
was a cherished member of the Sisters of Mercy for almost 60 years. For 13
years she was a teacher and later principal of St Catherine’s College at
Kilbirnie...

*******************************************************

INSPIRATIONAL TV

http://inspirationaltv.net/

Giving up chocolate
At St Mary of the Angels, Wellington, Father Thige O'Leary reads the gospel
reading for the first Sunday of Lent, and discusses with Catherine what Lent
means to her ...

*******************************************************

'BEING FRANK'

http://www.beingfrank.co.nz/

Blogs about Catholic life in New Zealand, sponsored by 'NZ Catholic'
newspaper. Some recent topics ...

Feminist theology is sooooo 1970s!
I’ve often said on this blog that, although I’m a new feminist, I refuse to
align myself with feminist theologians. However, I haven’t really had a
chance to explain exactly why. Since there have been a few comments of late
that lump the two schools of thought together, I thought that now would be
the time to explain myself...

Fitting into our world
Something about being with different people strengthens who you really are.
And what you really believe. I pondered this as I sat in the Ash Wednesday
service at St Patrick’s (and St Joseph’s) Cathedral last night. It was a
“joint effort� between the Anglican and Catholic communities, led by the
Anglican Archbishop and the Catholic Bishop of Auckland...

Ashes and all…
... what is Lent if you just give up coffee? There are so many resources out
there on the Internet that provide daily prayer guidance through Lent, so we
can do something a bit more than normal and realize the period of the Church’s
season that we are entering into. Some of my favourites over time have been
...

Another knock at the door…
A few people have asked me to post something on the Mormons, so as a follow
up to my post on the Jehovah Witness cult from late last year, so today’s
post is another fictional dialogue...

*****************************************************

ALL THINGS CATHOLIC
Analysis and commentary by John R. Allen

http://ncrcafe.org/node/507

Synod of Bishops on the Bible already causing ferment; Good Friday prayer
revised
Though it's still eight months away, next October's Synod of Bishops on the
Bible is already causing ferment. The gathering will be the 22nd synod since
Pope Paul VI created it in September 1965 as a means of giving bishops a
voice in governance of the universal church (though it will be just the 12th
"ordinary" synod). It is keenly anticipated for at least three reasons ...

***************************************************

WORLD NEWS OF THE CHURCH (Regularly updated)

http://www.cathcom.org.nz/

http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz/

http://www.romereports.com/ (video)

*******************************************************

EMPLOYMENT

[Teaching vacancies in New Zealand Catholic schools are advertised in the
Education Gazette: http://www.edgazette.govt.nz/vacancy.php ]

[Vacancies in Catholic Youth Ministry are advertised on the Job Bank page of
the National Council for Young Catholics: http://ncyc.org.nz/ ]

Catholic Media Office. PA (part-time, six months)
Details in 'NZ Catholic' Feb. 10-23 2008 p.22, and from Catholic
communications, tel. (09) 378-8017; communications@catholic.org.nz
Applications close 12 February 2008

Research Assistant (part-time), Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand
http://www.caritas.org.nz/
Details in 'Wel-com' February 2008 p.10 and from Caritas Aotearoa New
Zealand, PO Box 12-193, Wellington; claire@caritas.org.nz Applications
close 18 February 2008.

Catholic Schools Board, Wellington. Executive Assistant
http://www.catholicschools.co.nz/
Details in 'Wel-com' February 2008 p.7 and from Jeni,
jeni@catholicschools.co.nz; tel: (04) 499 0184. Applications close 22
February 2008.

*****************************************************

FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

TVNZ Close Up: Taking the veil (video report)
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/465467/1561309
Becoming a nun seems an archaic thing to do in this modern and increasingly
secular society, and yet the order of nuns at St Anthony's in Wanganui are
in no short supply ...

New college centre cause to celebrate
Manukau Courier
http://tinyurl.com/25rjj3
De La Salle College has special reason to celebrate the start of the new
school year. On Sunday, Helen Clark will open the school's new multipurpose
facility ...

Musical will fund big trip (photo)
Western Leader
http://tinyurl.com/28loyj
Special performances of the musical 'That's Life' are being held to help
get youngsters from the Glen Eden Catholic Church to the World Youth Day in
Sydney later this year...

Sister Paula moving on (photo)
Ruapehu Press
Part one: http://tinyurl.com/22u2at
Part two: http://tinyurl.com/27yrrb
Retirement is not a word that Sister Paula personally relates to - at 66
she's moving on from her work with Taumarunui's Catholic parishioners to
become a community leader of a retirement home in Auckland ...

Caritas responds to Zimbabwe crisis
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/RMOI-7BE29L?OpenDocument
In the face of a continuing economic and political crisis in Zimbabwe,
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is contributing $50,000 to much needed water
supply and sanitation improvements in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second largest
city. The city of 1.5 million faces acute water shortages. Households are
getting 6 litres of water per person a day, instead of the minimum of 15
litres required by international standards...

*******************************************************

INSPIRATIONAL TV

http://inspirationaltv.net/

Snapshot: Parachute Music Festival, 2008
A short video postcard from Maria at Parachute Music Festival, Hamilton, New
Zealand. Parachute is a Christian music festival held each year. With an
estimated 30 000 young people attending, it is one of New Zealand's larger
regular music events. More about Parachute in 'Being Frank' (see below), and
more still at: http://www.parachutemusic.com/home.php

*******************************************************

'BEING FRANK'

http://www.beingfrank.co.nz/

Blogs about Catholic life in New Zealand, sponsored by 'NZ Catholic'
newspaper. Some recent topics ...

Academia and CIT
What I have been doing over the last couple of days is searching in
journals, magazines and books for a selection of the academic work of those
teaching at the Catholic Institute of Theology (CIT) to see if I can
ascertain whether or not the institute could rightly be deemed orthodox...

It’s true, I’m a Rageaholic…..I just can’t live without Rageahol!
Those people that know me know that I’m normally quite a placid person and
my anger is not easily roused. There are some situations however where I
feel it is my personal duty to get angry. This is a different kind of anger
from the ‘injustice anger’, or the ’sympathy to your plight anger’. One
of
these situations is road works that show a distinct lack of foresight...

War, war, what is it good for?
I guess I would be defined (insofar as I love being boxed into categories)
as a pacifist. Although I hold dear the importance of remembering and
honouring those who have fought in wars for their countries, I deplore war
and everything about it. Two very significant moments from my childhood had,
I think, a profound effect on my stance...

Providence
I was at Parachute Music Festival on the weekend…what a fantastically hot
and dusty affair indeed. The sustained temperature of early-30s from about
9am onwards made for a rather stifling heat most of the day. Nonetheless, it
was really a great weekend. Putting aside the music and all the
pre-programmed occurrences, it was a rather providential affair...

*****************************************************

ALL THINGS CATHOLIC
Analysis and commentary by John R. Allen

http://ncrcafe.org/node/507

Beefing up the Catholic in Catholic charities; Top Catholic Islamist takes a
break; Covering the Jesuit's General Congregation
Without a doubt, the push for robust assertion of traditional Catholic
identity is the most consequential mega-trend in the life of the church
today, and it is also the core of Benedict XVI's agenda as pope. Emboldened
by the election of John Paul II in 1978, the identity wave hit the arena of
liturgy first, then went on to engulf Catholic education, Catholic media,
priestly identity and formation, religious orders, and virtually every other
sphere of ecclesiastical life...

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WORLD NEWS OF THE CHURCH (Regularly updated)

http://www.cathcom.org.nz/

http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz/

http://www.romereports.com/ (video)

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EMPLOYMENT

[Teaching vacancies in New Zealand Catholic schools are advertised in the
Education Gazette: http://www.edgazette.govt.nz/vacancy.php ]

[Vacancies in Catholic Youth Ministry are advertised on the Job Bank page of
the National Council for Young Catholics: http://ncyc.org.nz/ ]

*****************************************************

FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

Tradition steps aside for Waitangi Day
Manukau Courier
http://tinyurl.com/2ry73b
Centuries of religious tradition will be making way this year so South
Auckland Catholics can celebrate Waitangi Day. Bishop Patrick Dunn has
granted a request from priests of the south Auckland deanery that Ash
Wednesday be observed on February 7 this year instead of February 6 ...

Postwar poet with Catholic training (obituary)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominionpost/4371089a24437.html
Victor O'Leary studied for the Roman Catholic priesthood at Highden and
Greenmeadows from 1945 to 1947. He started writing poetry at the seminary
and it was while he was at training college that he was instrumental in the
formation of the Glenco group which included writers such as James K Baxter
and Anton Vogt...

Auckland Museum Announces Cancellation of Vatican Exhibition
Press Release: Auckland Museum 24-01 00:49-2008
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0801/S00164.htm
Auckland Museum today cancelled its upcoming exhibition about the Vatican
after key artworks promised as part of the travelling exhibit were
withdrawn...

Meet the principal: Chris Rooney, Liston College (photo)
Western Leader
http://tinyurl.com/2qqucj
Chris grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland, with plans to work either in
journalism or human resources, but actually left to study in Manchester at
the height of the local troubles ...

Katikati produce market opens
Hauraki Herald
http://tinyurl.com/2o6osv
A new initiaitve by the Katikati Catholic community will see a plant and
produce market for the town ...

Big crowd pumping with Parachute festival music (photo)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikatotimes/4373828a6579.html
It was a scorcher as crowds flocked through the gates at Mystery Creek near
Hamilton yesterday for the Parachute Christian Music Festival. More than
21,000 registered for the four-day event, which will see 170 international
bands on nine stages. Organisers of the biggest Christian music festival
outside of the US are expecting this year's door sales to push attendance a
few thousand above last year's record 27,500...

Match made on heavenly website, by Katie Wylie
The Press 26 Jan 2008 Page: 11
Santa Maria and a pumpkin appear to have little in common. But David Breen
and Cathleen Drinnanâ€" who used the aliases Pumpkin4u and Santa Maria on an
internet dating site â€" found they were so compatible they became engaged.
The Christchurch couple met... [This article about the Catholic Matchmaker
service is not available on the newspaper's free Website, but can be read at
public libraries]

Wardrobe of kinship and ideology : Italian first holy communion dresses in
New Zealand, by Marissa Cassin
Context, Nov 2007/Mar 2008; n.14:p.25-29
The article examines how Roman Catholic traditions have been incorporated
into NZ culture through the medium of dress, focusing on one Italian
immigrant family’s collection of First Holy Communion dresses and how
wearing the dress connects the ’family memory’ of Italy with its adopted NZ
culture. 'Context:dress/fashion/textiles' is published by The New Zealand
Costume & Textile Section of the Auckland Museum Institute. To enquire about
getting a copy of the article, please write to: info@costumeandtextile.co.nz

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'THE FIFTEENTH STATION' - A monthly Catholic podcast

http://station15.libsyn.com/

In the programme of 14 January 2008 ... Pope Benedict's "state of the world"
address, the tragic but heroic passing of seminarian Jeremy Gray, Tony
Blair's conversion, 160 years of the Catholic Church in New Zealand and the
Pope's new ride.

*******************************************************

'BEING FRANK'

http://www.beingfrank.co.nz/

Blogs about Catholic life in New Zealand, sponsored by 'NZ Catholic'
newspaper. Some recent topics ...

** "I will make you make you fishers of men."
My flatmate (who is not a Christian or a Catholic) made a startling
discovery on Thursday night ... She discovered through a series of
sufferings that she has been going through over the last couple of months
that the human being must have a soul...

** “Every second I’m out of bed I’m burning precious calories�
Is it bad to want to look good?

** Just can’t help myself…
I’ve always had a rage about the disparity between the haves and the
have-nots, and it’s fair to say I haven’t always expressed this in the most
effective of ways. One of the offshoots of this has always been a generally
despising attitude towards the world of celebrity but a couple of
interesting things have happened lately that have caused me to rethink
this...

** Liturgist or Terrorist?
I heard a joke the other day which kinda ticked me off a bit… "What’s the
difference between a terrorist and a liturgist At least you can negotiate
with a terrorist…"

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ALL THINGS CATHOLIC
Analysis and commentary by John R. Allen

http://ncrcafe.org/node/507

The Vatican in full-court ecumenical press
Today brings to a close the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and
I'm in Rome watching an all-star ecumenical cast mark the occasion. Although
there's been no historic breakthrough on the path to reunion, collectively
the week's events have offered a more hopeful counter-point to perceptions
of an ecumenical "big chill" ...

***************************************************

WORLD NEWS OF THE CHURCH (Regularly updated)

http://www.cathcom.org.nz/

http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz/

http://www.romereports.com/ (video)

*******************************************************

EMPLOYMENT

[Teaching vacancies in New Zealand Catholic schools are advertised in the
Education Gazette: http://www.edgazette.govt.nz/vacancy.php ]

[Vacancies in Catholic Youth Ministry are advertised on the Job Bank page of
the National Council for Young Catholics: http://ncyc.org.nz/ ]

*****************************************************

FROM THE SECULAR PRESS

Success on Catholic Matchmaker New Zealand
http://www.theopenpress.com/index.php?a=press&id=27427
Catholic Matchmaker New Zealand has its first success story. “Cathie and
David� have announced their engagement in the Christchurch Press last month,
and plan an April Wedding...

Fifty years together (photo)
http://tinyurl.com/ytfhnu
Anne Sayegh says she and husband Des are a good match because she likes to
cook and he likes to eat. The couple, who are celebrating their 50th wedding
anniversary, met at an engagement party ...

Bill Sharpe-Dunn, 1936-2007. Educator and historian who looked to God
(photo)
The Sydney Morning Herald http://tinyurl.com/2bnsd6
Bill Sharpe-Dunn, known to his many friends as "Sharpie", was a teacher,
amateur historian, expert on all matters ecclesiastical, a missionary and
pioneer educator, a Catholic Weekly book reviewer and a yarn spinner
extraordinaire. He was a delightful companion on all occasions, despite
years with diabetes and other illnesses...

Anglican Church say enough is enough
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/080119/3/3ngo.html
Anglican Church leaders are lobbying hard against allowing more shops to
open on Easter Sunday, arguing that "enough is enough where the continued
intrusion of the market into our lives is concerned"...

Human Rights Commission. Review shows busy year for interfaith activities
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0801/S00118.htm
A section of the 2007 Race Relations Report will be released at an
Interfaith workshop hosted by Auckland City this Saturday. The review of
interfaith activities reveals a busy and significant year for cooperation
and dialogue for the country’s religious communities...

*******************************************************

'BEING FRANK'

http://www.beingfrank.co.nz/

Blogs about Catholic life in New Zealand, sponsored by 'NZ Catholic'
newspaper.

Some recent topics:

** 'Pampered pets' or, Food for thought (19 Jan)

** 'How open are we'. On attending a Tridentine Mass (17 Jan)

** 'Sad yet?' On seeing the movie 'Molokai' (16 Jan)

** 'Blessed are the humble'. Ed Hillary (14 January)

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ALL THINGS CATHOLIC
Analysis and commentary by John R. Allen

http://ncrcafe.org/node/507

Archbishop Niederauer on cathedral ministries; Allen on church
communication; Update on La Sapienza spat
I was in Saint Augustine, Fla., this week, speaking at a national Cathedral
Ministry Conference. For American Catholics, Saint Augustine is, in a sense,
where it all began; it was here on Sept. 8, 1565, that a Spanish missionary
priest celebrated the first Mass in what would eventually become the United
States...

Also: 'New Jesuit leader a progressive shaped by Asia' .... 'Navarro-Valls
on the pope, science, and La Sapienza' ... 'After protest from scientists,
pope to skip university visit' ... 'The pope, modern science, and a canary
in the coal mine' ... 'Ratzinger's 1990 remarks on Galileo'.


Regular readers of John Allen's column may be interested to read a review of
'Head and Heart: American Christianities', a new survey of the American
religious landscape: http://tinyurl.com/24vkwq

***************************************************

WORLD NEWS OF THE CHURCH (Regularly updated)

http://www.cathcom.org.nz/

http://www.nzcatholic.org.nz/

http://www.romereports.com/ (video)

*******************************************************

EMPLOYMENT

[Teaching vacancies in New Zealand Catholic schools are advertised in the
Education Gazette: http://www.edgazette.govt.nz/vacancy.php ]

[Vacancies in Catholic Youth Ministry are advertised on the Job Bank page of
the National Council for Young Catholics: http://ncyc.org.nz/ ]