These words have always appealed to me, challenged me and inspired me to try to be a ‘living reflection of the face of Christ'.

I suppose they are words that we could use to describe a saint.

I am sure that when John Paul wrote them in 2001, he would not have dreamed that just a little over 13 years later he would be one of the canonised saints of the church.

On Sunday, two popes of our time will be declared saints, Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II.

In that same letter John Paul wrote of holiness: ‘Holiness, whether ascribed to popes well known to history or to humble lay and religious figures from one continent to another of the globe, has emerged more clearly as the dimension which expresses best the mystery of the church' (NMI 7).

Both popes are being recognised for their holiness and for their incredible contribution to the church.

It is their holiness that tells us something about the church, as does the holiness of people from our families, friends and wonderful devoted and prayerful parishioners. Continue reading.

Archbishop John Dew is archbishop of Wellington, and President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Conference.

Source:

• Wel-Com
• Image: Catholic Community Network

The citation for the award states: "This is the best local newspaper. It seeks to cover the activities of the district from a Catholic perspective and yet is accessible to those who are not part of the district, or of the Faith. However it needs to cover stories from all points of view. That said - the paper is engaging and gives a clear presentation of community views and how the Catholic community responds to local needs and issues."

There are two major ACPA Bishop Philip Kennedy Memorial Prizes. One for a Magazine, one for a Newspaper.

Wel-com has won the award for the Best Editorial.

The citation states that Cecily McNeil's editorial, "Living with the Least" which was published in February, "This well written, concise editorial made a claim about the treatment of workers in New Zealand under the John Key led government, backed it up with apt quotation, related this claim to a then current union-led Living Wage campaign, and applied the topic to Catholic social teaching as articulated in a 2010 NZ Catholic Bishops Conference statement, Working for Life.

"It integrated appropriately, some telling remarks from a couple of interestingly relevant union leaders.

"The editorial was bold enough to come to a strong conclusion underwritten by a clear moral purpose and designed unabashedly to influence its readership."

Other New Zealand Publications to receive awards were:

New Zealand Catholic
Highly Commended: Best Editoral Feature - Peter Grace

Marist Messenger
Highly Commended: Best Editorial - Brian O'Connell
Highly Commended: Best Feature Story - Brian O'Connell

Tui Motu
Winner: Best Article on Catechesis
Highly Commended: Best Original Photograph - Paul Sorrell
Highly Commended: Best Front Cover - Magazine - Donald Moorhead

Tui Motu and The Marist Messenger also each received an award from the Australiasian Religious Press Association, whose conference preceded the ACPA one.

Full list of Awards click here

Source

• Cathnews.com
• Image: Screenshot CathNews.com

Initially published as a newsletter in early 1984, eventually the publication became an eight-page tabloid in June 1987. Fr Bernie Hehir at the time commented on the challenges he faced, as an experience ‘that helped me appreciate Jesus' words to the disciples at the Last Supper: "'...but your sorrow will turn to joy. A woman in childbirth suffers because her time has come; but when she has given birth to the child, she forgets her suffering in her joy that a man has been born into the world.'

"As the infant paper grew, we suffered the succession of joys and pains that most parents experience."

As well as sharing news around the diocese, Cardinal Williams wanted progress reports on the cathedral project and diocesan finances published.

Wel-Com became a monthly, 20-page tabloid within two years and, by the 150th issue, the print run had risen to 24,400 after the Palmerston North Diocese started taking it in 1998.