The classical-style cathedral in Hill St, Thorndon - designed by Dunedin architect Francis Petre and completed in 1901 - has been closed since 2018 because of earthquake risks.

Cardinal Dew says the $16.5 million cathedral project is able to start now thanks to an $8.5 million contribution last month from the Government's "shovel-ready" Infrastructure Fund, a $120,000 Wellington City Council Built Heritage Incentive Fund grant, and $3.3 million raised so far by the Catholic community.

Wellington firm L T McGuinness is the main contractor for the work, which includes base isolators to protect the cathedral during earthquakes; seismic strengthening of the roof; interior and exterior restoration; and refurbishment of the historic Arthur Hobday organ, installed in 1905.

L T McGuinness also did the strengthening and restoration of St Mary of the Angels in Boulcott St, completed in 2017.

Safety fences are already up around the site, ready for work to begin after Friday's blessing. Cardinal Dew said the project is expected to take at least three years and employ up to 300 people.

"Once complete, the cathedral will again be available to serve the Catholic congregation, and the wider Wellington community," said Cardinal Dew.

"Due to its globally acclaimed acoustics, it is a much sought-after musical venue and its historical and architectural merits make it a popular tourist attraction as well as a landmark on Hill St across from Parliament."

Cardinal Dew said everyone is invited to attend the blessing and prayers for the safety of the workers. The event will take place on the piazza in front of the cathedral, or in the cathedral chapel if rain is a problem.

Source

Supplied David McLoughlin
Communications Adviser, NZ Catholic Bishops
Te Huinga o ngâ Pîhopa Katorika o Aotearoa

"I simply do not have anyone suitable to appoint as Parish Priest", the Archbishop of Wellington told a 400 strong crowd, meeting at the Uniting Church, Dr Taylor Tce in Johnsonville.

The Archbishop apologised for the quality of communication about the decision, telling the at-times vocal crowd the communication was not as good as he had wanted.

Archbishop Dew dismissed criticism that he dumped the decision on the parish just two weeks before Christmas, when no one would notice.

He said he had learned only very late in the year of Fr Fitzgibbon's intention to retire.

The Cardinal also said his prior commitments in Rome and standing in for Bishop Dunn at the recent summit on sexual abuse meant it was not possible to meet beforehand.

Cardinal Dew informed the meeting of a report he received earlier in 2018 indicating a possible far-reaching way forward for the St Francis of Assisi Parish, but he understood the parish had not accepted the plan.

The optimistic Archbishop said new circumstances meant resurrecting that plan, at least as a starting point.

Describing the new parish team as "adventurous, creative people with initiative to lead the parish in response to community needs", he thought that, along with the support of the Parish Administrator Fr Peter Roe SM, the St Francis of Assisi Parish "had an even better deal".

Cardinal Dew noted that lay-led parishes are not new.

"20 years ago, when Cardinal Williams was Archbishop, the Archdiocesan Synod approved lay-led parish leaders when the priest is unavailable," he told the meeting.

Moving the discussion forward from a lack of priests to modern day mission, Cardinal Dew referred to a 100-year-old document written by Pope Benedict XV.

"If we are not on mission we are not being Catholic', the pope wrote.

Cardinal Dew reinforced the comment by saying that of nature the Church is missionary.

"The mission is not about our needs but the needs of others.

"A church that focuses on itself becomes self-referential", he said.

Cardinal Dew highlighted Vatican II, saying that just as Christians are all called to holiness, we are all called to mission.

Society of Mary involvement

Provincial of the Society of Mary, Fr David Kennerley SM, told the meeting that the Society is interested in this project because it is leading towards something new.

"Supporting a church coming to birth is something that suits us," he said.

Fr Kennerley said the Marists came to New Zealand having been called by laity who had already established the New Zealand Church.

"We are not the cavalry. We are also not here for the long haul," he warned.

He said the Society's offer, through Fr Peter Roe, is for three years and to work collaboratively with the new parish team in order to call forth a church that is truly lay and truly missionary.

Questions answered

Responding to questions about getting help from overseas, Cardinal Dew said he's been talking with Cardinal Tagle for eight years about supplying priests but Cardinal Tagle says the needs in the Philippines are very great.

Cardinal Dew also indicated that new immigration constraints are proving problematic.

Asked what the Church was doing to get vocations, Cardinal Dew said the Archdiocese had a vocations committee and was doing what it could.

He commented that he did not have any sons and observed if the people want priestly vocations priestly vocations needed to be fostered in families.

Cardinal Dew said the topic of married priests was on the agenda in Rome, and while it takes time, he remains hopeful the issue will come up again later in the year.

Meanwhile, the cardinal encouraged the parish to think of what it can do itself.

"The Church is no longer priest-centred, the priest doesn't have to do everything.

"The question for each of us is what contribution can I make?"

Questioned on how he will judge the success of this new team leadership model, the Cardinal was quick to respond, "As I do any activity of the Archdiocese".

"Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, trustfulness and self-control are the fruits of the Holy Spirit and if the parish if full of people like this we can say the parish is a success."

Archdiocesan priest statistics: 8 priests in parishes, aged 70 - 90. 16 priests in parishes, aged 50-60. 10 priests in parishes, aged 30 - 49, however of these 10, 7 are on loan and can return at any point.

Archdiocesan lay pastoral worker statistics: 29 graduates. 12 in active ministry (Parish 5, Prison 1, Hospital 3, Ethnic 1, Archdiocesan employees 2). 8 not in formal ministry. 9 retired.

The bishops welcomed this appointment and the opportunity this provides for Cardinal Dew to work collegially with fellow bishops in the important area of liturgy and worship.

Cardinal Dew contributes to the universal work of the Holy See as a member of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

He is a respected pastor and bishop and recently attended the IARRCUM Meeting in Canterbury and Rome as a representative of New Zealand, an acknowledgement of his strong ecumenical relationships in New Zealand.

The bishops were also pleased to see representation from Australia in the appointment of Archbishop Denis Hart to the Congregation of Divine Worship.

This coming soon after the announcement that the Oceania region will have another Cardinal in the appointment of Archbishop Sir John Ribat of Papua New Guinea to the College of Cardinals, to be formalised in the Consistory later this month.

Pope Francis has appointed 27 new members to the Congregation for Divine Worship and Cardinal Dew is looking forward to working with them.

In a statement released through the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, Cardinal John Dew, Bishop Charles Drennan, Dr John Kleinsman and Sharon Cole spoke on Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love).

They noted the merciful and pastoral emphasis of the document.

Amoris Laetitia signals the Pope's vision for the Church as a family of families and reaffirms the welfare of the family as decisive for the future of every community and society.

Cardinal John Dew said "I haven't yet studied the document fully, but already I get the sense that what Pope Francis is saying is coming out of a real and very grounded understanding of the difficulties that face families and that the wider Church family is the place where people should find support and accompaniment through these times."

The cardinal noted that Pope Francis took particular care in talking about those who are divorced and in new unions.

There is a need for careful discernment of situations and avoidance of judgment that does not take into account complexities and differing degrees of responsibility.

"The emphasis is on showing love and tenderness and working to integrate all people into the Church community no matter what their situation," Cardinal Dew said.

Among Bishop Drennan's comments were: "Francis says that our theological and pastoral language must reach the hearts of young people in such a way that they take up the adventure of marriage."

The bishop said the Pope stresses that marriage is a treasure for everyone in society, and marriage should be valued publicly as a unique relationship.

Dr John Kleinsman, Director of the Catholic Bioethics Agency, The Nathaniel Centre, is heartened by the "idea that it's not enough to simply stress doctrinal, bioethical and moral issues without knowing the actual situation of families and without encouraging openness to grace".

He is also heartened by the Pope's criticism of excessive idealisation in some of the teaching about marriage, rendering it less attractive.

Sharron Cole noted that Pope Francis emphasised that openness to children lies at the heart of authentic conjugal love and decisions about regulating birth must always respect the dignity of the person.

She also mentioned couples' priorities and the Church's role in allowing couples to form their own consciences.

Sources

• NZCBC
• Amoris Laetitia
• Vatican Radio (summary)
• Image: Church Militant

Br Sir Patrick is leaving the New Zealand Catholic Education Office after 22 years at the helm.

Speakers at the function included Education Minister Hekia Parata and Cardinal John Dew.

Ms Parata praised Br Sir Patrick's "immense contribution to education in New Zealand".

Continue reading

In a letter to parish priests and other parish bodies dated March 3, Cardinal Dew wrote about a consultation process with archdiocese departments last year.

This has resulted in renaming departments as vicariates, so as to better represent the archbishop in what he is seeking to do.

Cardinal Dew wrote that this means supporting him in his mission as archbishop and supporting "parishes and communities build our re-imagined church in the archdiocese".

The vicariates are:-

• Parish Leadership Ministry - led by Mary-Ann Greaney
• Family and Young Church Ministry - led by Dr Chris Duthie-Jung
• Education and Catholic Schools Education Services - led by Jenny Gordon
• Catholic Social Services - led by Lesley Hooper
• Finance - led by Angela Kelly-Smith.

Cardinal Dew added that there will also be the role of General Manager (and diocesan financial administrator), filled by Paul Bayliss.

The cardinal wrote that two new part-time positions have been created in his office - pastoral assistant (stewardship), who will be Lorraine McArthur, and a projects assistant who is yet to be appointed.

The latter position will lead and organise the process to have an archdiocesan synod in 2016/17, and will involve other duties assisting the cardinal.

Cardinal Dew noted that an overall change of this magnitude would be accompanied by some "sad outcomes".

"The Pastoral Services Department that has served us so well will cease to exist at the end of March, and Michael Noonan will be leaving at that time."

In the re-organisation, Cardinal Dew wrote, "we have set out to be more focussed and to have fewer organisational layers between the people working in the Catholic Centre".

The parish leadership ministry vicariate will be responsible for "helping parishes put in place the collaborative pastoral leadership model that is central to re-imagining the archdiocese and supporting the successful creation of our new parishes".

Mary-Ann Greaney is also responsible for the "Launch Out" programme which forms lay leaders for the future.

Sources

• Archbishop of Wellington
• Image: Anglican Taonga (New Zealand Herald)

In a homily at a teachers' commissioning Mass at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart last month, Cardinal Dew said "prayer must be learned and discovered in families".

"I believe one of our major challenges today is to help families to pray together," the cardinal said.

"It will not just happen automatically."

Cardinal Dew linked this challenge with the concept of mercy.

Referring to the book, "The Name of God is Mercy", Cardinal Dew said Pope Francis states that God goes to extraordinary lengths to enter into our hearts.

"It is a powerful thought to know that you and I are able to provide opportunities for God to enter the heart of another: - the heart of your students; the heart of a fellow staff member; the heart of someone you find difficult to get on with; and - our own heart," Cardinal Dew said.

"Are our hearts open and ready to let God in?" he asked.

"Last week I was reading an article in the latest Tui Motu magazine entitled ‘Relentless Mercy'.

"I was quite disturbed to see this in print: ‘It is undeniable that the common perception in the West is that Christianity is the purveyor of judgement, exclusion, condemnation and punishment.'

"I had heard all of that said before but to see these words in print did actually shake me," the cardinal said.

"God does not enter our hearts through judgement, exclusion, condemnation and punishment. God enters our hearts, the hearts of your pupils, through mercy."

"When we truly believe God is kind and merciful, compassionate, generous, loving and forgiving, then we will be like that too, because we imitate the God we believe in," Cardinal Dew added.

"When we are like God then we have the amazing gift as people in Catholic education to enable others to open their hearts so that God may enter in," he concluded.

Source

• wel-com.org.nz
• Image: Wel-Com

Archbishop Stanislaw Gadecki discussed the synod in a recent interview with EWTN Germany.

The archbishop was asked about if there had been a "German-Polish" war at the synod.

Archbishop Gadecki described such talk as a "huge exaggeration".

"The issues represented by the Germans come not only from Germany, but also New Zealand, the French-speaking part of Canada, Switzerland," he said.

"So, it is not only the German side.

"Content-related differences do not comply with languages, but one bishop is of this opinion, the other bishop holds that opinion.

"Conjuring up images of a Third World War at the synod is a little funny."

New Zealand's episcopal representatives at the synod were Cardinal John Dew and Bishop Charles Drennan.

New Zealand lay people Dr John Kleinsman and Sharron Cole also participated in the synod.

During the synod, Bishop Drennan blogged about the positions taken by those raised under communism or who had been trained in seminaries under professors who grew up under communist regimes.

"Ok, inevitably the brutal experience of communism marks the person deeply but can paralysis of thinking lead anywhere?," Bishop Drennan wrote.

"Isn't dynamism inherent to the role of being successors to the apostles?"

Archbishop Gadecki stressed that the synod is "not the final voice of the Church".

"The synod is only a movement towards collegiality between the Pope and the bishops occurring with and under the Pope.

"The synod is useful only insofar as it serves this collegiality."

He also criticised the synod's final document for not clearly offering a real doctrine of the love of God, "which is the starting point, of sin and grace, practically, also of salvation".

"Many synod fathers returned with astonishment, affirming that they have tried to point out that the document does not speak very openly of sin — as if we were ashamed," the archbishop said.

"In order not to hurt the sinner, we have to make use of euphemisms, delicate language that says a certain behaviour is not compliant with rules, with norms."

It has been predicted that Pope Francis's apostolic exhortation on the family will be released this month.

Sources

• National Catholic Register
• Catholic News Agency
• NZCBC
• Pompallier's People blog
• National Catholic Register
• Image: Catholic World Report

On Sunday (Rome time) he will be installed as the titular parish priest of Sant' Ippolito.

All cardinals are made nominal parish priest of a Roman parish.

Next week he will be at the Plenary Assembly of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples.

Msgr Gerard Burns is also in Rome at a Caritas Internationalis meeting.

After that Burns is going on to Peru to attend the beatification of three priests with whom he worked during his years in Peru.

These three priests were murdered by Shining Path members and are being beatified and recognised as martyrs.

Father James Lyons is the acting vicar general during the time both Cardinal Dew and Msgr Gerard are away.

Cardinal Wilfred Napier of Durban told Crux that he shares concerns about "the choice of the people that are writing up the final document" for the synod.

Pope Francis appointed a 10-member commission to put together the final synod document, which will be submitted to the Pontiff.

"If we're going to get a fair expression of what the synod is about, [such as] what the Church in Africa really would like to see happening," Cardinal Napier said, then different people should be chosen.

"We wouldn't like to see the same kind of people on that committee who were there the last time, who caused us the grief that we had."

Cardinal Napier was referring to a controversial interim report in 2014 that seemed to embrace a progressive line on some debated questions.

One reported version of the letter, allegedly signed by 13 cardinals and given to the Pontiff on the first day of the synod, was sharply critical.

It stated the synod process "seems designed to facilitate predetermined results on important disputed questions".

Four of the alleged signatories subsequently said they had never signed the document or supported its arguments.

After he received the letter, Pope Francis reportedly told synod participants not to give into a "hermeneutic of conspiracy" that is "sociologically weak and spiritually unhelpful".

Cardinal Napier acknowledged signing a letter, but said its content was different from that presented in early news reports.

The letter he signed, he told Crux, was specifically about the 10-member commission preparing the final document.

US Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who is a member of the final document drafting commission, defended its make-up.

"It looks to me like it reflects the makeup of the synod," he said.

There have been reports that the initiative to send a letter to Pope Francis complaining about the synod process came from Cardinal George Pell.

New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan, one of the alleged signatories, said a letter highlighting several perceived problems with the synod process was sent to Pope Francis before the synod began.

Sources

• Crux
• Associated Press
• Reuters
• National Catholic Reporter
• Catholic World News
• Image: Irish Times

Summaries of interventions by several dozen synod fathers were posted.

This appeared to be in violation of rules at the synod.

The Vatican is only releasing short summaries of discussions without identifying prelates.

The synod fathers are free to publish their own interventions if they wish.

The postings to the Polish website lasted several days before being taken down.

Continue reading

In an interview with the Catholic News Service, Cardinal Dew said that during his intervention he quoted from a letter issued by the Oceania bishops in 1994.

Cardinal Dew said he told the assembly: "Surely, the Church needs to realise that we are there to be friends to people who are struggling or are in difficulty in any way.

"And even if there is something there which is against Church teaching, we put it in such a way that we're being friendly to them, we're being helpful to them and being supportive.

"It's not denying any teaching or any doctrine, but saying, ‘Look, we're here to help you, to work with you'."

Cardinal Dew also spoke to CNS about his intervention at last year's extraordinary synod.

"I said when we have documents, which talk about ‘intrinsically disordered' (as the Catechism of the Catholic Church describes same-sex attraction) or being evil, that's not going to help people.

"We have to find a way to express what the teaching actually says, but not putting it in ways that people feel they are being branded and they are being told that they are bad or evil," the cardinal told CNS.

Cardinal Dew acknowledged that many bishops at the current synod have used their interventions to insist on the need to "protect Church teaching".

Cardinal Dew's small group at the synod went through the working document, he said, and one member suggested reading the text and every time it referred to "the family", substituting the words, "our family".

"We tried it for a couple of paragraphs and it made a difference because it made it real," the cardinal said.

In recent blog posts and interviews, Bishop Charles Drennan of Palmerston North and Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane also emphasised the need for change in Church language around marriage and the family.

Church language was also a hot topic in some of the small group discussions in the synod's second week.

Sources

• CNS
• NZCBC
• National Catholic Reporter
• National Catholic Reporter
• Image: TVNZ

In a blog post on the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference website, Bishop Drennan said there is a "marked air of openness" at the synod and no topics are off limits.

"Better put, the range of views on the same topics are far fetching and, understandably, this has already led to some impassioned interventions of quite differing positions," he wrote.

"For some, openness invites fear; for others it incites new possibilities.

"And already there is talk of factions, but I think it is fairer to say that already vast differences in pastoral circumstances, preoccupations, and needs are evident.

"All of that though against a backdrop of globalisation," he added.

Speaking to media on Wednesday, Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia said bishops at the synod are dividing amongst themselves to form lobbying groups in favour of various positions.

But this wasn't unusual at a Church gathering, Archbishop Chaput said.

"We shouldn't be scandalised or surprised by that, as long as it's done open and honestly and not in a way that tries to win than to arrive at the truth."

"We're not here to win anything, we're here to arrive at the truth that the Lord, through his Holy Spirit, is guiding the Church towards," he said.

Dr John Kleinsman from New Zealand, who is at the synod as an auditor, wrote that he had been amazed at the breadth of the interventions so far.

"For many of the countries represented, the issues affecting the family centre on the basic struggle to survive" Dr Kleinsman wrote.

Cardinal John Dew wrote about an intervention that had identified the family as the first place where the "dance of grace" is discovered.

Sources

• NZCBC
• National Catholic Reporter
• NZCBC
• NZCBC
• Image: Catholic Herald

The synod, which runs from October 4-25, has as its theme: "The vocation and mission of the family in the Church and the contemporary world."

Its final document is expected to be voted on and presented to Pope Francis on the last day of the synod.

Synod secretary-general Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri told reporters he did not know whether Pope Francis would decide to write an apostolic exhortation based on the synod's final document.

But Cardinal Baldisseri said the synod bishops would give the Pope "a document, not a list of propositions".

He also said the ten members of the drafting committee would also be charged with guarding against manipulation of the discussions by any group of individuals.

One report stated that the 10-member committee - which will have representation from five "continents" - will "supervise the work of the synod" over the three weeks.

The Vatican said a "new methodology" will be used for the overall synod in order to facilitate more dialogue and discussion between the prelates.

Each week will begin with open discussion on a theme and will conclude with small group discussions on that theme.

The bishops will repeat the cycle for the three weeks of the synod, dealing with the three main sections of the synod working document in turn.

The three sections of the working document, or "Instrumentum Laboris", are titled "Listening to the challenges of the family", "Discernment of the family vocation" and "The mission of the family today."

The 13 small discussion groups will present written observations, to be made public, at the end of each week.

But individual texts of bishops' remarks will not be made public, as they must feel able to speak freely.

There will also be no synod mid-term report as there was last year.

Sources

• Catholic World News
• National Catholic Reporter
• National Catholic Register
• National Catholic Register
• Image: Church Militant

Before leaving he asked Catholics to "remember all who will participate in the Synod especially our own participants from New Zealand and Oceania - Sharron Cole, Bishop Charles Drennan and John Kleinsman, as well as Cardinal Soane Paini Mafi (Tonga) and Archbishop Peter Loy Chong (Fiji), and Archbishop Mark Coleridge (Brisbane), Bishop Eugene Hurley (Darwin) and Dr Maria Harries from Australia."

"It is a real privilege, and responsibility, that Mrs Sharron Cole and Dr John Kleinsman will be with Bishop Charles Drennan and me at this Synod of Bishops." he said.

The working document for the synod was published in June and outlines the three main areas of reflection for the synod:

1. Considering the challenges of the family, such as the socio- cultural contexts of families today, the special needs of the elderly, disabled, migrants, and the family as the place of first formation in affectivity, friendship and love.
2. Discernment of the Family Vocation, examines family life as image of the Trinity, the bond between church and family, and also addresses the fear of marrying among many young people.
3. The Mission of the Family today, celebrating "a symphony of differences".

The next Synodal assembly is entrusted to the Holy Family of Nazareth, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, who urge "us to rediscover the vocation and mission of the family" (Francis, General Audience, 17 December 2014).

The working document provides the following prayer:

Prayer to the Holy Family

Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
in you we contemplate
the splendour of true love,
to you we turn with trust.

Holy Family of Nazareth,
grant that our families too
may be places of communion and prayer,
authentic schools of the Gospel
and small domestic Churches.

Holy Family of Nazareth,
may families never again
experience violence, rejection and division:
may all who have been hurt or scandalized
find ready comfort and healing.

Holy Family of Nazareth,
may the approaching Synod of Bishops
make us once more mindful
of the sacredness and inviolability of the family,
and its beauty in God's plan.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
graciously hear our prayer.

Amen.

Paragraph 95 of Laudato Si' reads: "The natural environment is a collective good, the patrimony of all humanity and the responsibility of everyone. If we make something our own, it is only to administer it for the good of all."

"If we do not, we burden our consciences with the weight of having denied the existence of others."

"That is why the New Zealand bishops asked what the commandment "Thou shall not kill" means when "twenty percent of the world's population consumes resources at a rate that robs the poor nations and future generations of what they need to survive".

Cardinal John Dew, chairman of the New Zealand Catholic bishops' conference says that the Bishops are humbled to have been quoted by the Pope in his encyclical.

Dew said the Bishops are looking forward to "studying and reflecting on the message and engaging in dialogue with politicians, our own parishes and schools, and the wider community".

He invited everyone "to read these words."

Read complete text of Cardinal Dew's statement

Source

• catholic.org.nz
• Image: catholicworldreport.com

In Laudato Si', on Care for Our Common Home, released on June 18, Francis urged the world to embark upon a revolutionary ethical rethink and change of heart in its relationship with the earth.

The encyclical letter also lambasted global political leaders for their "weak responses" to the issue.

The document also shows a reorientation of the Church's understanding of the human person, from a being that dominates to one that responsibly serves creation.

Human life, the Pope wrote, is grounded by three relationships - those between God, neighbour and earth.

"We are not God," he wrote.

"The earth was here before us and it has been given to us."

The encyclical rejects the belief that population control is the solution to environmental problems.

It also cites abortion as part of the throwaway mentality that has damaged the planet.

The title Laudato Si' comes from St. Francis of Assisi's famous 13th-century prayer "The Canticle of the Creatures".

In English, it translates as "Be praised" or "Praised be".

The encyclical is addressed to every person on earth.

Among other main issues and themes touched upon by the letter:

• Environmental degradation causing lack of access to drinking water, loss of biodiversity, and decline in quality of human life;
• Global inequity that leaves billions experiencing "ecological debt";
• The search for long-term solutions to replace fossil fuels and other unsustainable energy sources;
• Linking the ecological crisis with a global social crisis that leaves the poorest in the world behind and does not make them part of international decision-making;
• Changes in global lifestyle that could "bring healthy pressure to bear on those who wield political, economic and social power".

The encyclical cites reports from bishops' conferences around the world, including a 2006 document by New Zealand's bishops.

The president of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, Cardinal John Dew, welcomed the encyclical, noting its emphases on urgency, life and hope.

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand director Julianne Hickey said: ""We welcome and accept the wero (challenge) [the Pope] gives to all of us to take urgent and radical action to protect our planet and its people."

Sources

• The Tablet
• National Catholic Reporter
• Laudato Si'
• NZCBC
• Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand
• Image: Catholic World Report

He encouraged Catholics "to take some time to inform ourselves and to delve more deeply into the reasons why Catholics should be opposed to euthanasia."

Cardinal John is now promoting talks organised by Euthanasia-Free NZ.

He said these talks are fully approved by Care Alliance of which the Nathaniel Centre - the NZ Catholic Bioethics Centre - is fully involved in.

He has asked parishes to advertise the talks "so that as many people as possible have the opportunity to learn about this important issue affecting all of us."

AUCKLAND - Monday 18 May, 7.30 - 9:00 pm

Mt Albert Senior Citizens' Hall, Mt Albert War Memorial Reserve, corner of Wairere Ave and New North Rd, Mt Albert, Auckland Map

(The name of the building is obscured by a tree. The Senior Citizens' Hall is a separate building opposite the Bridge Club and next to the playground. There is a Kumon sign next to the entrance.)

Wheelchair accessible. Free onsite parking is available off both streets.

HAMILTON - Tuesday 19 May, 7.30 - 9:00 pm

The Western Community Centre, 46 Hyde Ave, Nawton, Hamilton Map

Wheelchair accessible. Free onsite parking is available.

WELLINGTON - Wednesday 20 May, 12:15 - 1:30 pm

Talk: 12:15 - 1 pm

Questions and Answers: 1 - 1.30 pm

Elim International Church, 22 Tennyson Street, Te Aro, Wellington Map

The venue is wheelchair accessible.

Parking is available on Tennyson Street ($4/hour, 2 hours maximum), in the Wilson car park next to the Century City Hotel, 70 Tory Street ($4/hour, 3 minutes' walk away) and in the Wilson car park at 10 Alpha Street ($3/hour, about 5 minutes' walk away).

KAPITI - Wednesday 20 May, 7.00 - 8.30 pm

Meadows Church, 1 Realm Drive, Paraparaumu Map

Wheelchair accessible. Free onsite parking is available.

Source

• Supplied
• Euthanasia Free New Zealand
• Image: Euthanasiadebate.org

The bishops released a statement on February 24, the same day Prime Minister John Key officially announced the deployment of up to 143 personnel.

The deployment, likely in partnership with Australia, will probably start in May.

The bishops' statement opens by saying New Zealand can no longer "watch from the sidelines as the Islamic State continues to inflict immense suffering and brutality on the people of Iraq".

The bishops go on to cite Pope Francis who said it is "licit to stop an unjust aggressor".

On behalf of the bishops, Cardinal John Dew said: "If by providing training to the Iraqi Army we can assist them to stop the aggressor in their land, then as a matter of promoting the common good we should provide that assistance."

"Substantial humanitarian support should also be part of New Zealand's involvement in Iraq," Cardinal Dew said.

He noted that New Zealand's place on the United Nations' Security Council gives this country a unique place of influence in global affairs.

This could be "used to advocate strongly in the UN forum for further sanctions and other actions which will stop the flow of arms to ISIS, and prevent it making money from Iraqi assets it has captured", Cardinal Dew said.

"We urge Christians to pray unceasingly for the people of the Middle East and we pray for global leaders in their efforts to stop those who inflict this brutality on others," he added.

Two weeks before Mr Key's announcement, Peace Movement Aotearoa released an open letter opposing deployment of New Zealand military personnel in Iraq and Syria.

Among the 30 representatives of peace, justice and faith organisations and academics who signed the letter were Pax Christi's Kevin McBride and Fr Peter Murnane, OP, of Waihopai Ploughshares.

The letter stated that "further involvement of western armed forces in the Middle East, whether in a training or combat capacity, will do nothing but bring more violence, killing and hardship to the peoples there".

"Military trainers will add nothing of value to peace processes in the region."

In a statement to Parliament, Mr Key noted that New Zealand would step up humanitarian and diplomatic efforts.

Sources

• New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference
• Scoop
• New Zealand Herald
• Image: TVNZ

It turned out to be a series of messages carrying prayers and congratulations after his name was included in a list of 20 new cardinals in the Catholic Church, announced by Pope Francis.

Now Archbishop John is in Rome accompanied and supported by family and friends, for the Consistory, and to receive his red hat.

The Consistory on Saturday 14th Feb, as well as the Pope's Mass with the Cardinals on Sunday 15th Feb, will be streamed live.

The New Zealand Catholic Bishops' conference has supplied these instructions for those who may wish to view the live streaming.

Rome is 12 hours behind NZ at present so the Consistory will be from 11pm-12.30am NZ time on Sat 14 Feb. The Pope's Mass with the Cardinals will be from 10pm-11.30pm on Sun 15 Feb.

To access Vatican Player:
Either follow this link
www.vatican.va/video/

Or google Vatican player.

If using google, click on "Vatican Player - La Santa Sede"

The Vatican Player page may open in one of three ways depending on your computer:

1. The player may appear. There will be pictures and times etc. You can skip 2 and 3 below.
2. There may be a small blue and white button at the top left corner saying "Download Microsoft Silverlight". In this case click on the button. When a box appears with "Run" in it click Run. The player with pictures and events should appear after a short time.
3. A grey box may appear which says Silverlight needs your permission to run. You may have a bar above the player which says "Run this plugin". If so click on it. If not right click your mouse and click on Run this plug-in.

The player will open at the next event to be live-streamed.

The boxes to the right are future events, and to the left are past events.

Try a past event by clicking on the box to the left. When it comes to the front, click on "video on demand" underneath it.

Click on the small white triangle on the left to start showing the event.

If you want to make it full screen click on the small black and white box on the right side opposite the white triangle.

If you want to get out of fullscreen mode tap Esc top left on your keyboard.

You can adjust volume on the player using the fuzzy arrow to the left of the small black and white box or using your computer's volume control.

If you want to watch it after the event then go to the player and click through the boxes on the left side until you find it.

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• Supplied Archdiocese of Wellington
• Image: Stuff.co.nz