The unconditional purchase means the former vineyard will become the parish's new home. The parish's current church and other local sites will be put up for sale in the coming months.

Settlement on the purchase will take place in November in time for the beginning of the Church's new liturgical year.

Growing parish

The parish's consultation document noted that its Mass count is growing. Numbers expanded from 178 in 2003 to 218 in 2013. By 2023 the count had increased to 232 people.

The consultation document also cited Auckland Council projections that Warkworth's population could rise from 5,000 to 25,000 by 2048.

During the consultation process, Holy Name parishioners were able to visit the site, attend a forum about the purchase and complete a survey. This found 85 percent of respondents in favour of the move.

Bishop of Auckland Steve Lowe, who took part in last month's parish meeting and site visit, said it was heartening to hear parishioners looking positively to the future.

"Their bold decision to purchase the property gives them an exciting facility for the parish's future needs and outreach."

The bishop went on to quote Pope Francis who, when declaring 2025 a Jubilee Year of Prayer, said "We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision".

Plans for the land

"The winery property offers a wedding hall that will be adapted and used as a church, with parking, good accessibility, and the capability to become a destination for Catholic weddings" the diocese said. The space and aesthetics of the existing Italian-style building mean a new church could be up and running quickly.

"Under the proposal, the existing restaurant will be repurposed to provide hospitality for parish events, day retreats, community hire and as a space for both church and local groups to gather."

Some land will be set aside for future pastoral use. No decisions have been announced yet about what will happen with the winemaking equipment. Parishioners were consulted about this.

There are plans for a new Catholic primary school to be built on the land but the diocese says that is unlikely for at least 10 years. It will depend on Warkworth's growth.

Price tags

The Catholic Diocese of Auckland has not disclosed the price paid. Sotheby's listing was $7.5 million.

In its consultation document, the parish said the cost of the purchase would be split between the parish and the diocese. The parish share is set at $3,083,584.

The consultation document also stated the estimated capital value of the parish's current property was $3.4 million.

Source

• Local Matters

In a statement, the spokesperson for the Commission, Ms Loraine Elliott acknowledges some of the worst economic times for New Zealanders in many years and is commending the government's efforts.

Elliott is pleased that Budget 2022 is looking to address school attendance issues by supporting initiatives that work for local communities to deal with engagement and attendance.

"This is particularly helpful for Maori and Pasifika communities that have suffered badly from the 2014 withdrawal of funding that would have helped schools to address this," she says.

However, Elliott says there are areas where the Commission believes much more could have been done, particularly in the area of child poverty.

Housing

Elliott said that stable, affordable, warm and dry housing is a fundamental necessity for the well-being of all people in NZ, especially children. She says that despite various initiatives in recent years the Government has not faced the housing crisis head-on.

As of 31 March 2022, there were 26,865 households waiting on the Housing Register; an increase of 13.4% since March 2021.

She says that while the Government is building the greatest number of public housing units of any government for many years, the Register list is not reducing.

While acknowledging some of the measures announced today sound positive, actual delivery is key.

"More information is needed about how they will assist people to purchase their own homes," says the Commission.

The Commission points to inflation and interest rate increases as compounding the problem of homeownership; particularly for first home buyers.

Family and child poverty

The Commission acknowledges the temporary $350 cost-of-living grant for people earning less than $70 000 per year, but is stunned that there is almost nothing to help society's most vulnerable or to help alleviate child and family poverty.

The Commission says New Zealand's most vulnerable families have suffered decades of intergenerational poverty and it is very disappointed that yet again these Kiwis have been ignored.

"It would have been helpful if this initiative had continued this year to enable many families to support themselves with dignity, particularly as costs have increased so much recently.

"The silence of Budget 2022 on this is astounding," she said.

Climate change

The Commission welcomes the Government's support to reduce transport emissions by improving access to public transport, by extending the 50% reduction in fares, and through a vehicle replacement scheme for low-income households.

It supports the emissions reduction plan signalling the beginning of long-term carbon budgets but warns it needs to include agricultural emissions as well.

"We also commend the continuation of the Warmer Kiwi Homes initiative which helps fund heating and insulation upgrades for low-income households," says Elliott.

Communications spokesperson for the diocese, Lyndsay Freer suggests Stuff reporter, Steve Kilgallon seems to have unfairly skewed supplied answers to questions.

On Sunday 12 September Stuff reported the Catholic Church planned to accommodate a priest in a house on the grounds of a primary school; in fact, the presbytery is adjacent to the school, not on the property.

Raass was on bail for sex-messaging a 15-year-old girl.

In her email, Freer also emphasized that at no time did Raass move into the presbytery, but confirmed he used the contact address for bail purposes.

The diocese also told Stuff that while on bail, Raass was suspended from ministry and it understood he stayed with family or friends.

Raass did not tell the diocese where he was residing.

Freer describes the proposed situation as a short-term solution that took advantage of the summer school holidays.

In February, Stuff had already reported Raass had left the priesthood and is in a relationship with a woman with whom he shares a West Auckland home.

Raass was not placed on the sex offenders' register, he pleaded guilty and was told to serve 100 hours of community service for his offending.

In February, Raass told Stuff that he had made a mistake and it had ruined his career.

In answer to another question from Kilgallon about the Church's long-term plan to accommodate Raass, the diocese indicated it was a non-question.

It says there was no point in developing a long-term plan because Raass decided to leave the priesthood and his whereabouts would no longer be the responsibility of the diocese.

Not divulging his sources, Kilgallon said that he had heard there had been a prior complaint against Raass.

Freer acknowledged a complaint, several years ago, from an adult woman who chose not to pursue matters any further after Raass admitted to the truth of the accusation and agreed to undertake professional counselling.

Freer told CathNews that when Catholic dioceses receive a priest from overseas, to minister in New Zealand, they require a written statement to attest that the priest is in good standing.

The statement is received from the diocese from which the priest comes.

"When Sateki Raass came to the Auckland Diocese from Tonga in 2006, the Auckland Diocese received a formal document signed by Bishop Foliaki of Tonga dated 12 May 2006, to say that there had been no complaints against him in Tonga prior to his arrival in New Zealand" said Freer.

Source

• Supplied
• Stuff
• Stuff

James Tibbles, a well-known early music specialist, was the choir director and organist at St Patrick's from 2014 until last December.

At that time the church said he had resigned "to pursue other musical opportunities".

A mass was held to farewell Tibbles in January before he moved to Oxford in Canterbury.

However, it emerged on Sunday this week that besides resigning from his role at the Cathedral, Tibbles had also resigned from his position at The University of Auckland last December 2020.

His resignation from the university came amid an investigation into a sexual conduct complaint from a former student.

A similar allegation was made during his time teaching music at Auckland's St Cuthbert's College more than 20 years ago.

The complainant was 16 at the time of the alleged incidents.

Auckland Catholic Diocese spokeswoman Dame Lyndsay Freer says the cathedral was not aware of any complaints been made about Tibbles in any previous roles or employment.

She says he came with excellent references and records of his musicianship and experience.

"No complaints were ever received about him during his tenure at the cathedral," she says.

He had resigned in December 2020 "to pursue other musical opportunities", Freer said.

The former choir director's troubles first came to light back in 1998, when the parents of a 16-year-old St Cuthbert's College student complained of his inappropriate conduct. Tibbles was the girl's music teacher.

He was suspended, then resigned, but faced no further repercussions.

He went on to work at the University of Auckland.

Last December, Tibbles - who was head of the university's music department - resigned following similar allegations from a former student.

IHe has admitted to the former university student that the "relationship was fundamentally inappropriate and damaging".

"I have made mistakes in my past and now know that my mistakes have hurt people. That was never my intention, and I am deeply sorry.

"I do not believe it is appropriate for me to discuss these matters in detail. To do so would breach confidences in relation to matters that are deeply personal to me and others. Having recognised my mistakes, I have retired from music teaching."

St Cuthbert's former principal Lynda Reid, says the school has now publicly apologised to her former student. In retrospect, the original investigation into the allegations was "not good enough", she says.

"Today, I can assure you that we have robust child protection policies in place to support the safety of our students, and if this situation arose now, we would handle allegations of this nature very differently," she says.

"We would immediately notify the appropriate authorities and ensure the ongoing care and safety of the student concerned.

"Please be assured, the wellbeing of our students is our absolute priority, and we are committed to ensuring that they are able to recognise and call out inappropriate sexual behaviour in any context and would be supported when they did."

Source

• NZ Herald
• Image: YouTube

Auckland diocese spokeswoman Dame Lyndsay Freer said many of Auckland's 189,000 Catholics had not received the ashes as they usually would on Ash Wednesday. This was because of the Covid alert level 3 then alert level 2 restrictions.

At level 2 only 100 people could gather and in Auckland the number was generally too restrictive.

The region has now moved to COVID alert level 1, enabling Catholic congregations to gather together again.

"Lent still began on Ash Wednesday, that 40-day period leading up to Easter did begin," Freer said.

The day involves prayer and fasting, and services where priests apply ashes to believers' foreheads. The ashes symbolise repentance and the dust from which Catholics - and many other Christians - believe God made people.

"Lent is a very special time in the life of the church, it's one of the most important times in the annual calendar.

"It will be wonderful to be able to get back to normal."

Even a short lockdown was a big deal for Catholics, Freer said. May Catholics attend at least one mass a week, while some attend every day.

Most of the other observances of Lent had gone ahead as usual, Freer said.

Source

• Stuff
• Image: Catholic Diocese of Auckland

More than 3,000 filled the Vodafone Events Centre.

The events centre was needed because so many people wanted to attend, the cathedral was not big enough.

Bishop Michael was ordained to be his long-needed assistant by Bishop Pat Dunn, Bishop of Auckland.

On his Facebook page, Dunn wrote: "the joy and excitement was palpable".

"How uplifting to see so many young people involved! The music and ceremony, representing our ancient traditions as well as the culture of the many communities who form part of our Church."

• Click here to see photographs and videos on Bishop Pat's Facebook page
• Click here to see photographs and videos on The New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Facebook page
• Click here to see photographs and videos on NZCatholic Facebook page
• Click here to hear Bishop Pat's homily.
• Click here to hear Pope Francis' letter to Bishop Gielen

Cambridge-born Bishop Gielen (48) is the son of Henk and Maureen Gielen of Mount Maunganui.

He is the eldest of six children. He is a keen sportsman and enjoys cricket, rugby, cycling and golf.

After working in the justice department for a couple of years, Gielen began seminary formation at New Zealand's Holy Cross College in 1992.

He was ordained a priest at the age of 26 for his home diocese of Hamilton in 1997.

Gielen served for four years as an assistant priest in Gisborne.

In 2002, he was appointed pastor of Frankton and Raglan

In 2005, he began to study for a master's in theology at Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio.

On his return in 2007 Gielan was appointed Parish Priest, St. Thomas More, Mt. Maunganui and St. Patrick's Te Puke until 2012.

He then undertook a licentiate in theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

He returned to New Zealand in 2014 and was appointed director of formation at Holy Cross Seminary in Auckland.

Source

• facebook
• scoop.co.nz
• troubonline.com
• catholic.org.nz
• Image: facebook

She converted to Catholicism at the age of 20 and was chosen by Bishop (later Cardinal) Reginal Delargey in the post-Vatican II years to help establish the Young Christian Students (later Christian Youth Movement).

With the encouragement of Bishop Delargey and inspired by the writings and activities of Cardinal Joseph Cardijn's principles for the lay apostolate - "See, Judge, Act" - Jocelyn became heavily involved in the establishment and training of the emerging lay apostolate movement.

She co-founded and was instrumental in the work of the Catholic Overseas Volunteers Service (COVS) as well as Justice and Peace activities.

Encouraged by Bishops Delargey and Mackey, she established the Lay Training Centre over a period of several years in two houses, where young people flatted together and studied at night and weekends after work, focusing particularly on social justice work.

In 1916 Jocelyn published a collection of poems and reflections on her long life of faith and her journey through her later years of failing health, called "Faith and Reflection". In a foreword to this book the late Bishop John Mackey wrote "Jocelyn has been an icon for those who rejoice in the layperson's work … Now in these poems she reveals the depths and richness of her faith."

In recent years Jocelyn has been a resident at the Little Sisters of the Poor St Joseph's Home, in Herne Bay in Auckland.

"We owe a great debt of thanks and gratitude to Jocelyn for her dedication, vision and missionary zeal. Well done thou good and faithful servant," said the bishop of Auckland Patrick Dunn in a Facebook post.

Her Requiem Mass will be celebrated at St Patrick's Cathedral, Auckland on Saturday 12 October.

Rosary and Vigil Prayers at St. Joseph's Home Chapel, Little Sisters of the Poor, 9 Tweed Street, Herne Bay on Friday evening at 7.30 pm.

Source

• Supplied: Lyndsay Freer
• facebook
• nzcatholic.org.nz
• Image: Supplied

"We are concerned that they feel the process following their complaint was not satisfactory," the Church says in a statement.

In 2002 Mike, Gerry and Chris Ledingham went public with their stories of abuse and the Church made a financial settlement with them.

However, the brothers have ongoing concerns about the church's attitude to child sexual abuse.

Mike Ledingham said the church should do more to acknowledge past abuse and prevent future abuse.

"They should be penitent."

On June 1, two of the brothers, Chris and Mike, family and friends returned to Our Lady of Assumption Church, Onehunga, Auckland where and a Maori healer came to cleanse the clergy house.

The cleansing coincided with the launch of Mike's book "The Catholic Boys".

In a speech at the book launch, Chris Ledingham (pictured) said he used to struggle even driving down the road past the church.

"This criminal offender had not only violated my body but crushed my soul and spirit as well," he said of Green.

Chris Ledingham told the group that his 2002 experience meeting with Bishop Dunn, Monsignor Cronin, other clergy and their QCs re-victimised him.

"Our testimony was met within a combative atmosphere, with disdain and disbelief.

"The church circled the wagons and defended itself.

"For them, the church was under attack, and we were the enemy", he said.

Closure and cathartic cleansing

Ledingham said that until Saturday he could not get closure but the presbytery cleansing ceremony, led by tohunga Rehua Ote Rangi Kereama, was a "process of release".

Recently Chris and Mike Ledingham also met Royal Commission's Ali'imuamua Sandra Alofivae, where Chris Ledingham said he was respected, supported and believed throughout the entire process.

"Michael and I came away feeling very glad we had attended. There was a feeling of relief, a cathartic joy of sorts."

Virginia Noonan, Director of the Catholic Church's National Office of Professional Standards, said she hopes the book launch and Maori blessing on the site will be part of the healing process to these survivors.

Noonan says she is happy to meet with the Ledingham brothers "to better understand what happened and if there anything further we can do".

Sources

• Stuff
• Image: Stuff

van Schie has spent the last two and a half years as executive officer for the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference in Wellington.

Immediately prior to that he was director of parish support and development for the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney.

In a statement, Auckland bishop, Patrick Dunn said he is delighted to announced the appointment.

van Schie replaces Mariette van Ryn who finished in August last year.

• Source: NZ Catholic

The 130-year-old brick building has a Category A heritage rating, the highest possible.

It is said by heritage architects to be Auckland inner-city's oldest continually-occupied residence.

An Auckland diocese spokeswoman told the New Zealand Herald last week: "The land on which the Cathedral of St Patrick and St Joseph stands in Wyndham St was granted to Bishop Pompallier by Governor Hobson on June 1, 1841.

The adjacent land where the St Patrick's presbytery stands was purchased some years later by [a] parishioner."

The Presbytery was built in 1888 to an Edward Mahoney design and has served as home to the Cathedral priests for the past 125 years.

Only superficial changes have been made to the building since it was constructed, its heritage listing shows.

It is an earthquake-prone building with its brittle bricks and sea-sand mortar, the roof leaks and the paintwork require attention.

Documents lodged with Auckland Council showed the Hobson St boundary retaining wall will be strengthened, and an outbuilding beside the presbytery will be demolished.

Trenches will be dug for new utilities from Wyndham St, sub-floor ventilation will be improved, and a brick boundary wall built in 1957 to the east will be removed.

Paving from St Patrick's Square will be extended and a 1970s carport will be demolished, along with a trellis wall.

Inside, lowered or false ceilings will be removed, the kitchen extended, a new bathroom and pantry built and plywood diaphragms installed on ground and level one ceilings for seismic strengthening, according to the documents.

Gregory Shanahan, a lawyer and Cathedral Centre Board chairman said they have raised all the funds required to meet the costs of the project.

He said the works are programmed to be finished in June next year.

Source

• nzherald.co.nz
• stpatsappeal.org.nz
• Image: aucklandcatholic.org.nz

NZ Catholic reports that the hui, "Te Iwi Maori Katorika", is to be held at Whaiora Marae in Otara.

It aims to strengthen "Mana Maori" within the Church and the diocese and to "consider what leadership structure might be needed to develop this kaupapa".

The hui will feature three presenters - Sister Tui Cadigan, RSM (the chairperson of Te Runanga o te Hahi Katorika ki Aotearoa), Deacon Danny Karatea Goddard (an advisor to the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference) and historian Professor Peter Lineham from Massey University.

Speaking on behalf of the Diocesan Bicultural Committee for Auckland diocese, Fr Bernard Dennehy told NZ Catholic that "although the 1979 diocesan synod committed the diocese to promote a bicultural church and a bicultural society, there is little Maori participation in the structures of the diocese".

There is no Maori office or spokesperson at the Pompallier Diocesan Centre.

Dennehy said there was a Diocesan Maori Pastoral Council in Auckland during the 1970s and 1980s, but this no longer meets.

"The [present] Diocesan Pastoral Council has two Maori representatives, one for Auckland and one for Te Tai Tokerau.

"The Tai Tokerau Regional Pastoral Council continues to meet a few times a year. Both Maori and Pakeha attend the meetings but the format has changed from an overnight live-in on a marae, favoured by Maori, to a briefer one-day session, favoured by Pakeha."

Given the minimal representation of Maori in the Church, the November hui will be an opportunity for committed Maori Catholics, young and old, to listen to three speakers and work out strategies and plans to move forward.

Source

• NZ Catholic
• Image: Catholic Diocese of Auckland

Fourteen households in Auckland Council-owned rental properties have been given 90 days to find new homes in the city's tight property market.

The council has said it can be flexible about notice requirements.

Monte Cecilia School was moved at ratepayers' expense to allow for expansion of the park.

The council is also progressively buying nearby Liston Village.

A confidentiality agreement with Auckland diocese means the price of land deals is not public.

Continue reading

This historical building is the longest, continually lived in residence in the central city.

A Category A heritage building (Heritage NZ - register 2645), St Patrick's presbytery (or priests' house) has been a familiar feature of the downtown cityscape for generations of Aucklanders.

However it is now badly in need of strengthening and restoring. It is an earthquake-prone building with its brittle bricks and sea sand mortar.

The roof is leaking and the paintwork desperately requires attention.

In order to preserve its heritage status, and provide a healthy, secure home for the clergy who live there, an Appeal to the cathedral parishioners and friends was launched last weekend to raise funds for a major strengthening and restoration programme for the building. It is estimated that the cost will be in the vicinity of 2.75 to 3 million dollars.

Commuters and passers-by will now see promotional hoardings and bandages (skins) around three sides of the presbytery walls along with photos of how it looked when first it was erected over 130 years ago.

The commencement of the project, depending on fund-raising, is scheduled to begin in one year's time. All going well the newly restored residence will be re-opened by mid-2017.

Donations can be received at givealittle.co.nz/cause/stpatsappeal

For more information visit www.stpatsappeal.org.nz or contact
Mr Kevin Sherlock (Cathedral Centre Manager) Ph 303 4509 ext 202, or mobile 021 300 901

Source
Supplied Catholic Diocese of Auckand

Kerry Coleman, Auckland Catholic Diocese general manager, said the new schools at Hillsborough, Drury, Takanini and Riverhead would each cost more than $5 million to build.

Mr Coleman said the first of the new schools at Hillsborough was due to open next year. Continue reading

She said the issues have always been in the church's hands - and not the government's.

Parata was responding to a call by New Zealand First's education spokesperson, Tracy Martin, for the government to get involved in resolving the issues between the School and the Diocese of Auckland.

"If the government says it is committed to 'Maori being successful as Maori,' why does the Minister ignore the needs of this school's students, while pandering to the whims of profit-making charter schools?"

"This is not just a Maori issue, it is an education issue. Hato Petera desperately needs the support of the minister right now."

"If Hato Petera closes its doors it will be because the minister did nothing," Martin said.

Hato Petera's hostel buildings sit on North Shore land owned by the Diocese, which has offered the college a short-term lease extension.

Trespass notices have been issued by Hato Petera College to three of its former board members amid allegations they are part of a smear campaign against the school and its staff.

Hato Petera board members met on Tuesday evening with Auckland's Catholic Diocese Bishop, Patrick Dunn, in an attempt to address issues raised in the media around the school's future.

Bishop Dunn says the impression he got from the meeting was that the board members were united.

He said those former board members issued with trespass notices played key roles in Hato Petera over the past years and he was sad at the current situation.

However, he thought it was perhaps time the new board were given a chance to make their contribution also, "Maybe they just need to stand on the side line and let the new team have the freedom to contribute their gifts to the development of Hato Petera," he said.

Source

• Radio New Zealand
• Te Manu Korihi News
• Scoop.co.nz
• Image: Maori Television

The 5km loop walk on Saturday, March 21 will raise funds for the Society of St Vincent de Paul, to be distributed to Auckland food banks.

The 1-1.5 hour walk starts at the Pompallier Diocesan Centre in Ponsonby and returns there for a sausage sizzle, as part of a community day.

People are asked to gather at 2.30pm for a 3pm start.

Registration is required for the event and there will be a limit to the number who can register.

Anyone aged 16 years or under will have to be accompanied by an adult.

For those sponsoring themselves, a minimum $10 donation is suggested.

Continue reading

On July 25, 1994, he was ordained as auxiliary to assist Bishop Denis Browne in Auckland.

At a Mass at St Patrick's Cathedral last Friday, Bishop Dunn dwelt on two things he found inspirational.

The first were the words of St Augustine of Hippo about being a bishop.

"What I am for you as a bishop, terrifies me. What I am with you, as a Christian, consoles me," Bishop Dunn said, recalling the saint's famous saying.

Bishop Dunn said that during the past 20 years he had been inspired by the faith of the priests, deacons and people of Auckland diocese.

Later that day about 100 diocesan staff gathered at Pompallier Diocesan Centre and presented the bishop with his portrait, which they had commissioned from the Studio of John the Baptist.

In 1995, when Bishop Denis Browne was appointed Bishop of Hamilton, Bishop Dunn was installed as the eleventh Bishop of Auckland.

Sources: Lyndsay Freer and Michael Otto

He was speaking on Pentecost Sunday at St Patrick's Cathedral as he launched the diocesan pastoral plan "Fit for Mission" that has been in preparation for the past twelve months.

In his address to the congregation at the 11am Mass, Bishop Patrick said that we often think of Mission as something for missionaries, those who have left New Zealand to work overseas, or those who have come from other countries to work here.

"This cross fertilisation is always enriching, a reminder to us that the Church is universal," he said. "But this call to mission applies to each one of us. Jesus said, ‘As the Father has sent me, so am I sending you…..receive the Holy Spirit.' In leaving Mass each Sunday, nourished by Word and Sacrament, we hear the command in the dismissal rite to go and announce the gospel and glorify the Lord in our lives, to advance the reign of God, to continue the mission of Jesus."

The bishop expressed his hope is that every person, every parish, every community, every school will look outwards, beyond their own communities to ask ‘Where are the poor, where are people who are suffering in any way and how can I help?'

He affirmed the many ways in which some are already doing this. "We will now be asking every parish and school community to identify one project that they will undertake to serve the wider community and to share and encourage others to do likewise," the bishop said.

Bishop Dunn said that Pope Francis constantly reminds us that we cannot be part-time Christians. He quoted Pope Francis who wrote as follows in his Apostolic Exhortation, Joy of the Gospel. ‘I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and clinging to its own security.'

The bishop said that each one of us is the Church. Therefore when we are "out on the streets" we are truly advancing the missionary work of Jesus.

He prayed that the Holy Spirit will inspire everyone in the diocese to be on mission and witness to the gospel in their homes, workplaces and in all their activities.

The Pastoral Plan is available in 10 different languages.

Source

• The Catholic Diocese of Auckland
• Image: Facebook

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND

Fit For Mission
Takatu Ki Te Mau I Te Rongo Pai

Are we ready to be Christians full time, showing our commitment by word and deed? Pope Francis

In order to engage every Catholic in the diocese to reach out to bring the Good News and love of Jesus to ALL, the Catholic diocese of Auckland urges diocesan agencies, parishes, schools and individuals to grow and become more in the following ways

Go Forth

• Reach out to those outside or distant from our communities
• Go out and share the Word
• Welcome new and returning members

Pastoral Areas for Mission

• Work collaboratively across community boundaries
• Build stronger links among schools, parishes, and families

Leadership for Mission

• Promote shared and co-responsible leadership among clergy and laity
• Acknowledge and celebrate lay leadership
• Support our bishop and clergy

Communication for Mission

• Share the Good News by all means and in all modes
• Create a sense of belonging
• Encourage life-long faith learning

Challenge one another to proclaim the Good News.

Have I left anything out? Oh, yes, there is the little matter of his conversion to Catholicism.

He said: "Were you surprised when you heard I'd become a Catholic?"

Of course I was surprised! Wasn't everyone? But why was I? he wanted to know.

Because it's weird, I said, lamely but truthfully, and we'd been talking about God for a good long time by then and we had both had enough of talking about Him.

Or at least we had both agreed he wasn't going to be able to talk me into faith — "You were raised an atheist? You poor thing!" — and I wasn't going to be able to talk him out of it.

He said, hardly smugly at all, really: "You'll probably, on your death bed, be screaming for the mercy of the Blessed Virgin." I most certainly will not.

"I shouldn't provoke. I shouldn't provoke," he recited, failing miserably at piety.

He can't really believe in the virgin birth, I said, but of course he does. "Absolutely."

He said: 'Why are we talking about religion so much?" Serves him right.

He had said, about our God talk: "It was very Dawkins versus the Bishop of Canterbury ... but maybe scaled down a bit." Huh. Only on his side.

"On my side. More like a stammering convert up against a princess of atheism; a deacon of disbelief!" Continue reading.

Source: New Zealand Herald

Image: Greg Bowker/NZ Herald

A Place to Stand is a leadership development programme for 18-25s who wish to take a more active role in their parish or group community.

The programme was led by The Logos Project on behalf of the Auckland Catholic Diocese.

The programme began in April. There were five weekly sessions, followed by one a fortnight later, then monthly meetings. It included a weekend retreat.

Almost 900 people attended the mass which was prepared and led by the Logos.

One of the people who was there said, "Mass was terrific tonight! Amazing musical group. Will be a regular on the last Sunday of the month!"

Click here to view photo-gallery

Source

• Auckland Diocesan Youth
• Image: Facebook