Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa, our Apostolic Nuncio, has been moved to Kenepuru Hospital from Wellington Hospital to begin his rehabilitation proper, following the stroke he suffered last month.

Because of the intense rehab work Archbishop Novatus is doing, we have been asked to say that visits are not advisable for the moment. Thank you for keeping Archbishop Novatus in your prayers.

Article supplied

Dempsey brings a strong justice and mission lens and executive management experience to the appointment. He was a member of the Society of Mary for 25 years, working in formation, education, and community development in New Zealand and in Asia.

Since 2020, Dempsey has been Director of Challenge 2000 in Wellington, leading a team of 40 youth, community and social workers.

NZCBC Vice President and Bishop of Auckland, Stephen Lowe, says the bishops are delighted to appoint Dempsey, someone with a strong understanding of the Church and a commitment to giving practical witness to the Gospel.

Dempsey replaces Siobhan Dilly, who is leaving after four years in the role.

Source: Supplied NZCBC

The campaign was developed after diocesan communications and pastoral staff noticed an increase in suspicious activities on Church social media pages.

The Staying Safe on Social Media campaign starts next Monday, 20 March.

It features special posts each day for seven days on Church Facebook and other social media. These suggest precautions for social media users.

One suggestion, for example, is: "never accept a friend request from someone you don't know personally".

Suspicious activity
Recent suspicious activity includes comments, "likes" and emoji symbols such as "hands in prayer" being posted on Church social media pages from fake profiles; the infiltration of Catholic Facebook groups by fake profiles; and the sending of friend requests and private messages to people within the Catholic community from these fake profiles.

All six Catholic dioceses have noticed suspicious activity on parish and other Church social media.

Though Church communications staff check and block these fake profiles as they are noticed, new ones keep appearing.

Palmerston North Diocese communications coordinator Isabella McCafferty helped initiate Staying Safe on Social Media.

The main concern is that people might not be aware of the possibility of fake profiles, and therefore risk being taken advantage of, she says.

"Our campaign aims to draw attention to ways in which people can keep themselves safe on social media. We have come up with seven key points, which we will share across all Catholic social media pages in the country - one point a day from Monday March 20 to Sunday March 26," McCafferty says.

"We are looking for help to ensure this campaign reaches as many people as possible. If you run a Catholic social media page, please download the campaign resources and share them across your pages during the campaign.

"They are clearly labelled so you will know which one to put up on which day. Alternatively, if you don't run a social media page but know someone who does, please send these resources on to them."

Source

• NZ Catholic Bishops Conference

It told CathNews that Caritas' focus was not New Zealand, but on helping fund development and emergency relief work worldwide.

However, Caritas' comments seems to run counter to the information the charity provides on its website.

Catholic Caring Foundation Appeal

Caritas' non-involvement in the post-cyclone relief effort also runs contrary to some Catholics' expectations, who told CathNews they thought at least some money raised through the Bishops' Lent Appeal would be going to the relief effort.

Caritas sent the following statement.

"Caritas joins with the Church and all people of goodwill in Aotearoa in prayer and solidarity with all those affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other recent extreme weather events in our country.

"As soon as we heard about the flood, Caritas, the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference and affected dioceses discussed the best approach and agency to run a focused, streamlined appeal to most effectively receive and distribute funds.

"The Catholic Caring Foundation of Auckland was already up and running with an appeal for the Auckland rain of 27 January; and Bishop Steve offered to expand it to cover the damage in the Hamilton and Palmerston North dioceses (ie Coromandel, Gisborne, Napier/Wairoa).

On Monday the Bishop of Auckland, Steve Lowe, launched his Catholic Caring Foundation appeal, saying that neither Hamilton nor Palmerston North has the necessary infrastructure to host a national appeal.

He noted that both dioceses are currently without a bishop.

"We have reached out to them to offer our support."

And, "After receiving their approval, I have asked my Caring Foundation to accept donations for families and individuals who have suffered unimaginable damage in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle".

Catholics that CathNews spoke with were puzzled because also on Monday, the Diocese of Palmerston North launched its own separate appeal.

About the Catholic Caring Foundation

As Bishop of Auckland, Denis Browne established the Catholic Caring Foundation back in December 1998.

The Foundation's purpose is to support emergency services in the event of local disaster and to promote the funding and assistance of the charitable activities of the Catholic Church of Auckland.

The Foundation's rules cite it will work with other charitable organisations within the Diocese of Auckland.

They also provide for the Caring Foundation to "co-operate with the charitable activities of other dioceses of the Catholic Church, particularly those located in the South Pacific region".

The Foundation's rules give it ample scope to be generous in meeting a very wide range of needs, and even give it the authority to raise a loan to meet the needs, should the Bishop of Auckland agree.

However, while in terms of need, the rules specifically say the Foundation will not discriminate in regard to class, colour, sex or creed, the rules seem only to provide for cooperation with the charitable activities of other Christian churches in the Auckland diocese.

The distribution of resources is undertaken under the governance of the Foundation's Board comprising the Bishop of Auckland, a priest from the Auckland diocese, the Auckland diocese Co-ordinator of Caring and a minimum of five other people appointed by the bishop of Auckland.

Where to give?

It is Caritas' recommendation that "New Zealanders who wish to give locally give through Catholic Caring Foundation Donate - The Catholic Caring Foundation".

Source

• Supplied - Caritas Aotearoa NZ and NZCBC
• Caritas
• Charities Commission last accessed, 23 February, 2023

After the Government lifted all restrictions this week, the bishops followed suit. At the same time, they issued an invitation.

We are happy to extend an enthusiastic invitation for all Catholics of Aotearoa New Zealand to return to full and active participation in Sunday Mass, they say.

All the faithful should come back.

When Covid-19 first emerged in 2020, the bishops followed Government health and safety measures to halt the virus's spread.

For Catholics, these measures included a dispensation from attending Mass on Sundays.

Although many have already returned to Mass, others might like to take it as an opportunity for a fresh start, the bishops hope.

It would be an ideal time for people who may have been away from Mass for many years or decades to return, they say.

It is up to parish communities to decide about the changes they wish to make now the Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted. Keeping in mind those who are most vulnerable is important.

"It is important to remember… the lifting of all Covid-19 restrictions does not remove the risk of transmission of infections from Covid-19 or other viruses.

"We therefore ask every community and each community member to be prudent in retaining particular restrictions as deemed necessary in the interests of continuing to protect the most vulnerable."

Times have been tough for everyone since March 2020, the bishops acknowledge. Yet there have been some bonuses as well, they suggest.

"Throughout this time our personal relationship with Jesus Christ has sustained us and we have continued to pray together in innovative
and creative ways including social media resources.

"However, we have longed for the time when we could once again worship together.

"In recent months this has been possible to an increasing degree and with the lifting of all restrictions we welcome all Catholics of Aotearoa to return to weekly Sunday Mass."

Source

• NZ Catholic Bishops' Conference
• Bishops Letter to Parishes

They are being retraumatised during the process, Aotearoa-New Zealand's chapter of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) told Francis in a letter last week.

SNAP, a global organisation, went on to accuse New Zealand Church officials of breaching procedures for managing abuse complaints.

"Most sadly, we are being harmed by the very Church office set up to provide healing," says Christopher Longhurst, SNAPs national leader.

His complaints to the Pope focus on the National Office for Professional Standards (NOPS) - the New Zealand Bishops'-appointed group tasked with administering Te Houhanga Rongo (A Path To Healing) redress process.

Longhurst told Francis New Zealand's apparent "open hand to the hope of healing" isn't the view victims see.

In reality, they are traumatised for a second time by NOPS officials violating the established procedures, he says.

He describes these violations as a denial of adequate investigative process; a denial of fair review of process; stalling and divergence; and a general lack of compassion.

"Given the lack of an authentic and honest path to healing in New Zealand's Catholic Church, we would like to ask for Your Holiness to intervene," Longhurst wrote.

The New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (NZBC) says it is continually updating and improving its complaints and disclosure processes to help survivors of abuse.

Catholic Church leaders have listened to survivors throughout the current Royal Commission of inquiry into abuse hearings and have implemented changes, the NZBC says.

We will continue to engage actively on improvements throughout and beyond the Royal Commission's scheduled completion in 2023, Bishop Stephen Lowe told media.

A total of 1,680 reports of alleged abuse by church entities from 1950 to 2021 met the Royal Commission's definition of abuse, a report https://www.catholic.org.nz/assets/Uploads/20220201-Tautoko-IGP-Fact-Sheet-1-Feb.pdf prepared for the Royal Commission says.

So far, about 470 child abuse survivors have been paid $16.8 million in pastoral or ex-gratia payments by New Zealand Catholic Church entities.

More could be done though, say critics.

Sonja Cooper, Principal Lawyer and Partner at Wellington-based Cooper Legal, which is currently handling over 2,000 cases of child abuse victims involving state and faith-based institutions, says she hasn't seen any changes in the way the redress process is run.

"It's not a process that exercises any natural justice. And if they can find anything to make a decision that is against the survivor, they will."

Using ex-police officers for the interview process was deeply problematic for many survivors, she says.

"The Church seems to be operating from a position of not believing and the burden is put on the survivor to prove that they are telling the truth. The process is very geared towards protecting the Catholic Church and its clergy."

An interim report from the Royal Commission inquiry notes no redress process audit has been carried out yet.