Whangarei consistently shows up as one of New Zealand's highest donor centres, Blood Service collection team leader Scott Sinclair said. Read more

Hamilton Catholic Bishop Steve Lowe visited St Patrick's Catholic Church in Te Awamutu this month to present the Benemerenti Medal and a certificate to the 84-year-old.

Over the last three decades Mrs Reymer has worked polishing brass, making curtains, washing and ironing linen, gardening and creating floral arrangements for local Catholic churches. Continue reading

CWL National President, Kay Blackburn made the presentation during the League's recent annual conference in Alexandra, Central Otago.

The $10,766 donation, on behalf of the 70 CWL branches throughout New Zealand, was gratefully received by Loves-Me-Not writers, Lesley Elliott and Bill O'Brien.

Loves-Me-Not

Loves-Me-Not is a one-day workshop for Year 12 students to explore healthy relationships and the sometimes difficult subject of relationship abuse and consent.

Loves-Me-Not focuses on equal, relationships as opposed to controlling ones.

The long-term outcome sought from Loves-Me-Not is that young people live their lives free from the harm of unhealthy and abusive relationships.

Good relationships are key

The Catholic Women's League is pleased to make the donation.

"The League is keen to foster good relationships in young people", says National President, Kay Blackburn.

"We are assured that the welcome donation will be put to good use in the development of Loves-Me-Not resources".

Sophie Elliot Foundation

The Sophie Elliott Foundation was founded following Sophie's death at the hands of a former boyfriend.

After her death it became clear that she had been in an abusive relationship but neither Sophie nor her mother, Lesley, was able to see where things were going wrong.

The programme's founders are keen to help young people see the qualities of positive relationships and by contrast, relationship abuse.

Following on from this year's donation, the 2017 focus of the CWL Mission at Home Appeal is PILLARS.

PILLARS is a National Charitable Organisation supporting the children of prisoners throughout New Zealand.

PILLARS aims to break the cycle of crime and help secure a positive future for children of prisoners.

"PILLARS goes right to the heart of the Vision and Mission of CWL; the welfare of women and children", says Blackburn.

Attentive to the Church's social teaching, the New Zealand Catholic Women's League regularly researches social issues, particularly those affecting families, women and children, and it draws members' attention to these issues and canvasses their thoughts and ideas.

The League raises in excess of $200,000 annually for its social concerns.

Sources

• Catholic Women's League Aotearoa New Zealand
• Sophie Elliott Foundation
• Image: Sophie Elliott Foundation

In an interview on Radio Australia Father Seluini Akauola said opposition to ratifying CEDAW is very strong.

Akauola said the suggestion that there should be a referendum is a "diversion from having to talk about the issues."

He said he saw little point in having a referendum because "all you need to do is to look at the petitions the people are making."

"It is going to be a very expensive exercise and there is no need for the country to waste its energy on this."

Akauola denied accusations made on social media calling into question the credibility of petitions made to the Government and to the King in recent weeks.

He said he had not heard anything to suggest the church was threatening to excommunicate those who did not sign the petitions, as had been suggested on the social media.

The church groups are opposing the ratification of CEDAW because they believe it will open the way to the legalisation of abortion and same gender marriage.

Tonga's Prime Minister 'Akilisi Pohiva believes there will be a referendum and he will be discussing it with the cabinet.

However the prime minister says the exercise will cost time and money.

Tonga currently has no legislation to allow referenda.

The acting Attorney General says there would need to be new legislation and resources for such an exercise.

Source

• radioaustralia.net.au
• radionewzealand.co.nz
• Image: images.tvnz.co.nz

Parliament opens 28 May. The government announced to the UN in March this year that it intended to ratify CEDAW.

The main reasons for their opposition is that they believe that the convention, which seeks to eliminate discrimination against women, clashes with their Christian faith and does not concur with the fundamental values of Tonga's family life.

Lady ‘Ainise Sevele, the Assistant President of Tonga's Catholic Women's League with the Vicar-General Monsignor Lutoviko Finau and other church members led the march of about 300 people. Lady Sevele said the petition had more than 2000 signatories.

The government has faced mounting pressure since announcing it would ratify CEDAW.

Three separate christian groups have submitted petitions to parliament objecting to the ratification process with many worried it would open the door for same sex marriage and abortion.

MP Samiu Vaipulu is putting forward a parliamentary resolution asking the Tongan government to stop going ahead with the ratification.

Vaipulu says the people have done all they can and now the issue is between parliament and the government.

Source

• Matangitonga
• Radio New Zealand
• Image: Matangitonga

NZ Catholic reported that one group raised the idea of women deacons.

CWL national chaplain Sr John Bosco Kendall then suggested the group put this idea to their bishops.

"Why don't you ask them to take that suggestion to Rome," she reportedly said.

The NZ Catholic article noted that Sr John Bosco said the issue of women deacons is being discussed worldwide.

She interpreted the Pope's remarks about women needing more clearly defined roles in the Church, as referring to roles that carry some authority.

But Sr John Bosco lamented the fact that there wasn't sufficient time for deeper reflection on the issue at the conference, NZ Catholic added.

A 2002 study by the International Theological Commission concluded that the role of women deacons in the early church cannot be considered equivalent to that of ordained male deacons.

It also concluded that the permanent diaconate belongs to the sacrament of orders - which the Church says is limited to men only.

But there have also been suggestions there could be a form of diaconate for women that does not involve ordination, but some other type of commissioning.

German Archbishop Robert Zollitsch and Cardinal Walter Kasper both proposed something similar last year.

Elsewhere at the Auckland conference, outgoing CWL president Anne Joyce said the league needs to attract more 50-70 year old women who are ready for further church involvement, now that their children have grown up.

The CWL was also challenged as to how it can attract more Pasifika and Filipino members, as these communities are experiencing strong growth in the Church.

The CWL's new president is Kaye Blackburn.

Sources

• NZ Catholic
• CNS
• Image: National Catholic Reporter