Kete Korero May 2020

PILGRIMAGE TO HIRUHARAMA MAY IS MARY’S MONTH SUGAR CANDY GOD

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF HAMILTON

MAY-JUL 2020

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Inside this Issue

MAY-JUL 2020 Catholic Diocese of Hamilton Kete Korero is an official publication of the Catholic Diocese of Hamilton, New Zealand.

On the Cover

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Bishop’s Letter - Beyond Lockdown...

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The name, Kete Korero, means ‘basket of talk’. The name was given by the late Auxiliary Bishop of Hamilton, Most Rev. Max Takuira Mariu sm.

May is Mary’s Month

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From the Editor’s Desk

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Sugar Candy God

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We are happy to accept contributions or feedback to Kete Korero.

Common Good Foundation

Chanel Centre, 51 Grey St, P.O. Box 4353, Hamilton East, Hamilton 3216 P: 07 856 6989 Editor: Brigid Conroy E: kete@cdh.org.nz ketekorero.cdh.nz Sponsorship and advertising: David Barrowclough E: davidba@cdh.org.nz Layout & Design: Catholic Diocese of Hamilton ISSN: (print) 2357-2221 & (online) 2357-223X Member of the Australasian Religious Press Association (ARPA) and Australasian Catholic Press Association (ACPA)

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Photo Essay: Episcopal Ordination of Michael Gielen 12 Good Shepherd Sunday, 3rd May

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Miha Māori 21 Rangiaowhia 22 NZCBC Press release - Abortion Law

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NET returns to Hamilton

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7 tips for living life to the full...in self-isolation

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New Beginnings 28 Principals on Pilgrimage 30 Suzanne Aubert Catholic School, Papamoa East

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Learning-Through-Play: Invented by Catholics!

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M A K I N G O R U P D A T I N G Y O U R W I L L ?

A Gift in Your Will is a Testament to Your Commitment to the Ministry of Jesus

LEAVE A LEGACY TO YOUR CHURCH

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF HAMILTON

bequest.cdh.nz fredr@cdh.org.nz 07 856 6989

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ON THE COVER To celebrate Mary during the month of May, I thought this image of our lady was appropriate to celebrate our joy with which the people of Aotearoa received the Good News of Mary’s son with great joy. As an Easter people, we have been gifted Mary as our mother by Jesus. Hopefully this issue of the Kete Korero brings you closer into relationship with the one who is “blessed above all women”.

Southern Madonna, by Julia Bridget Lynch (Sister Mary Lawrence, RSM), ca. 1953-1954. Southern Star Abbey, Kopua, Hawkes Bay. Used with permission. Copyright: Nga Whaea Atawhai o Aotearoa Sisters of Mercy New Zealand.

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Image: Bishop Steve at Ngāputahi with altar server. Photo by Jacob Te Kurapa Used with Permission.

Beyond Lockdown...

Thomas Poynton had been transported to Australia as a convict in 1822 after defending the land rights of tenant farmers. After his incarceration lockdown he met Mary Kennedy and in 1828, they moved to New Zealand. It was at their house that Bishop Pompallier celebrated the first Mass in Aotearoa New Zealand on the 13th of January 1838. Until Pompallier’s arrival, there was no Catholic priest in New Zealand.

The Poyntons had previously sailed to Sydney to have their first two children baptised and in 1835 Thomas Poynton returned to Sydney to ask for a Catholic priest to serve the Catholic community in New Zealand. As it happened a decision had been made in Rome two years prior for a priest to be sent to New Zealand… it just hadn’t yet happened.

For many of you I had the privilege of celebrating Mass “virtually” in your home during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Even though there was the pain of not being able to receive Holy Communion, hundreds each weekday and thousands on Sundays connected online because of your desire for the Eucharist. I was heartened to hear from so many of you how the online Masses had deepened your appreciation of the Mass. In addition to this, in many homes throughout the Diocese, individuals and

families found new ways to pray and develop their faith life. It is such desire and hunger for the Mass that has built the Church in Aotearoa New Zealand.

It is such hunger and desire for Eucharist, for the other sacraments and for a deepened spiritual life that we will need to rebuild our faith communities postlockdown and in time, post-Covid-19.

The pandemic will change everything.

Our world, our communities, our families and our parishes won’t be the same. We will have to rebuild. What our tupuna, our ancestors in the Catholic faith in New Zealand, teach us is that the basic building blocks are found in recognising the importance of faith and the passion to share that faith.

Already your priests and many of you have been involved in this as you engaged in various works of outreach during the lockdown. Can I take this opportunity to thank all those people who connected with parishioners with various initiatives to respond to the spiritual, physical, social and emotional needs of our people. May your efforts bear much fruit!

Bishop of Hamilton Facebook: Bishop Steve Lowe Postal address: Chanel Diocesan

Centre, 51 Grey St, P.O. Box 4353, Hamilton East 3247 Diocese a wonderful opportunity to re”vision” what and how we do things as believers and in our faith community.

In particular, what each of us and each community needs to ask is how we “connect” and “reconnect” with the wider community. I have been so heartened by the stories I have heard of how this happened during lockdown.

Our challenge now is to bring the phone or social media connection to a physical connection with the parish.

In the same way we need to reflect on how effectively our parishes and liturgies “connect” and “reconnect” with the people in our communities.

What might I and we do better?

We went into lockdown in the season of Lent and came out in the season of Easter. We went from cross to resurrection. May 2020 not be just the year of Covid, but rather a year of transformation of ourselves and our communities of faith.

Coming out of lockdown and slowly moving towards the new normality, whatever that looks like, offers us in the

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Image: Bishop Steve at Ngāputahi w/ Deacon Ben Pomare & altar servers. Photo by Jacob Te Kurapa Used with Permission.

On the 21st of December 1836, Bishop Pompallier, our first bishop, set sail from the French port of Le Havre… After over a year of being locked down on various ships, on the 10th of January 1838, he arrived at the home of Thomas and Mary Poynton at Totara Point, Hokianga in the far north.

Bishop Steve Lowe

May is Mary’s Month Reflection by Rev Carl Telford sm

The point: devotion and love for Our Lady is not outdated, not old fashioned.

Our present Pope, not one to be accused of being old fashioned, has a great devotion to Our Lady. Soon after his election, I read of his love for the Rosary, which he attributes to the example of St Pope John Paul the Great. Pope Francis began to pray all 15 decades of the Rosary and all his writing concludes with a tender filial invocation to Our Lady.

THE POINT: DEVOTION & LOVE FOR OUR LADY IS NOT OUTDATED, OLD FASHIONED. A very moving example was the recent ordination of Bishop Michael Gielen.

He showed his great devotion and love to Our Lady by dedicating his episcopal ministry to her during the Ordination Mass as we sang Mo Maria (this hymn dates back to the very beginning of the Faith in New Zealand, which was brought here by Bishop Pompallier and the Marists). Bishop Michael has chosen as his motto Totus Tuus, meaning all

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yours Mary. These two bishops have a contemporary deep love for the Mother of Jesus as does our Bishop Steve. So, I suggest, we also renew the place of Our Lady in our lives this month.

I mentioned that love for her is not outdated. In these testing times, there is a case to be made that love for her was never more needed. There is the worrying threat to our country by those stubbornly pushing abortion on demand (already 13,000 a year, many more than deaths by coronavirus) and also what will become widespread use of euthanasia of the vulnerable and disabled as the culture of death prophesied by St John Paul spreads.

No stable country will survive long with those threats.

So by a deep Catholic instinct, without being dramatic or negative, these are the days to make Mary, Maria Salus Populi Aotearoa, protector of this country. Covid-19 is a danger but more dangerous is the threat to our future evil laws imposed on us all. Only prayer, especially the Rosary will protect us.

This is not the time to bury our heads in the sand.

INVITE HER INTO OUR PARISHES, OUR HOMES, OUR MARRIAGES, OUR FAMILIES & OUR HEARTS. One does not need to be a Catholic to know that abortion and euthanasia will certainly bring a bitter harvest of disregard for life in our beautiful country.

That will happen in New Zealand unless we pray, the infallible spiritual weapon of ordinary people. Prayer is the greatest power in the world.

Remember Our Lady, especially in May; invite her into our parishes, our homes, our marriages, our families and our hearts. She will inspire and nourish our love for Jesus and His Church and she will protect us against real danger.

Hail Mary… pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

Editor’s Note: Just prior to publication, the Holy Father, Pope Francis has written to the faithful encouraging us to rediscover the rosary. He also provides two prayers that can be recited at the end of the rosary. These can be found on the Vatican News website

Image: Maria, Salus Populi. Used with Permission.

The image on the right is that of Our Lady, Maria, Salus Populi Romani, meaning Mary the Protectress of Rome; this is an icon of venerable history. It has been part of the history of the Church of Rome since that time especially in times of plague and great need.

It was venerated recently by Pope Francis on Easter Sunday 2020 for the extraordinary Urbi et Orbi blessing. It was brought by him to the Vatican and so to the world for Mary’s help during this pandemic. But it has also been part of the life of Pope Francis since he became Pope seven years ago. He goes to venerate this image in St Mary Major before each overseas pastoral visit and leave flowers.

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK Ko Ngongotahā te maunga Ko Rotorua-nui-aKahumatamomoe te awa, Nō Te Arawa ahau, Ko McLeod tōku whānau.

E noho ana ahau i te rohe o Tainui/Kirikiriroa hoki, Ko Brigid Conroy ahau.

My name is Brigid and I come from the beautiful sulphur city of Rotorua, daughter of Stephen and Stella McLeod. I now live in Hamilton and am happily married to Patrick Conroy and also happy to be working for Bishop Steve Lowe at the Chanel Diocesan Centre.

You might have noticed our new look and wonder why I am here and why the change?! My usual day-to-day role is in the Pastoral Services team as the Diocesan Events Coordinator.

communication across the Diocese. As a Catholic publication, it is also truly effective when it attractively presents the teachings of the Catholic Church in a way that leads to an encounter with the person of Jesus Christ.

However, I write to you from home on Level 3 of the New Zealand lockdown and this has certainly meant a big shift in what I do day-to-day. I can’t wait until we can gather safely together again.

Mike Smith, editor of the Kete korero for the last seven years has resigned and the previous edition published was his last issue. Thank you, Mike, for your contributions to the life of the diocese!

I am here as editor temporarily whilst this pandemic continues. Due to the restrictions on printing and distribution, this edition is only available online.

With a background in communications, marketing and media, I will do my best to ensure Kete Korero’s purpose is upheld during my stint as editor.

I’ve enjoyed putting this edition together and would love to hear your thoughts on the new look and layout.

Editing this edition has also highlighted that a lot was happening across the diocese before we all went into lockdown. Despite the restrictions, there are some wonderful displays of creativity and generosity happening in this time. It gives me great hope that as a Catholic people we will come out of this pandemic more resilient and ready to share the gospel to those we will get to meet with, in-person very soon.

Kete Korero, our local basket of stories, is a significant communication medium in the diocese. It assists Bishop Steve in the ministry of his Teaching Office, in the evangelisation and shepherding of his flock. Kete Korero also has a key role in connecting and supporting Parishes in sharing news and increasing

Happy reading!

Brigid Conroy Pastoral Services Team Catholic Diocese of Hamilton e: kete@cdh.org.nz

Ana-Maria Richardson F U N E R A L S E RV I C E S “Serving the community since 1999.”

Hamilton Catholic Diocese Parishioner I am dedicated to providing Catholic families with genuine personal care consistent with traditions and practices of the Church.

Phone:

07-211 4654 Email:

or

021 881 229

ana@ana-maria.nz

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Image: Stephen McLeod, Bishop Michael Gielen, Brigid Conroy, Bishop Gielen’s Episcopal Ordination. Used with Permission.

Kia ora Tātou,

Sugar Candy God

Kerygma Series Part 1 of 2

By Jil Miller.

A good friend of mine and Catholic speaker, Bob Lesnefsky, once told me a story about his son Toby.

Toby is one of seven kids and, truth be told, he has always been a quirky kid. One day Bob and his wife Kate decided to go out to dinner with the family, and as you can imagine that’s a huge challenge to take on when you have a large family. At the time Toby was about five years old and during dinner, Bob and Kate decided to do a quick headcount only to realise that one of the kids was missing. To no one’s surprise, it was Toby.

moment Bob decided to make this a teaching moment. “Toby, you have a question to answer. What do you love more, sugar or God?” Toby looked down with great intensity and shame. Then, he slowly put up his hand and said, “Sugar number one.

Candy number two. God number three.” Bob looked at his son with horror, and responded, “God number three?! What’re you talking about ‘God number three’?”

I wanted to share this story with you because I think that if we are honest with ourselves, we will admit that there’s a little bit of Toby inside all of us.

Maybe not all of us relate to his love of sugar, but we can certainly relate to putting things before God. How do we do this? It usually isn’t just a decision we make one day to bump God down our list. In my experience, it’s usually a slow turning away.

“THE DESIRE FOR GOD IS WRITTEN IN THE HUMAN HEART...ONLY IN GOD WILL HE FIND THE TRUTH AND HAPPINESS HE NEVER STOPS In our world today we often encounter SEARCHING FOR.” (CCC 27) two ways of living. The first is that God doesn’t exist so we are free to do anything we want because nothing matters. The second is living with the belief that God does exist and that we shouldn’t do anything that we want because what we do has meaning and consequences. Sometimes we might

“TOBY, YOU HAVE A QUESTION TO ANSWER. They frantically scanned around the WHAT DO YOU LOVE MORE, restaurant, only to find him hidden SUGAR OR GOD?” under their long table hoarding packets of sugar, eating them as quickly as he could. Bob grabbed Toby from under the table and to spare the restaurant from his looming public meltdown, they ordered takeaway trays and decided to cut dinner short.

On the drive home, it was oddly silent.

Bob looked in his rearview mirror, to see Toby grabbing handfuls of sugar packets from his coat pocket and eating them. He thought to himself, “you have got to be kidding me”, angrily pulled over on the roadside, and let out a frustrated, “Toby!” Toby looked up at him with puppy dog eyes, and at that

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relationship with God. God created us to be in relationship with Him and to share in His goodness. The very first thing that Catechism says is that “God, infinitely perfect and blessed in Himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make Him share in His own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength” (CCC 1). Shortly after it goes on to say that, “The desire for God is written in the human heart because man is created by God and for God, and God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for “ (CCC 27). In short,

get caught up feeling like life would be easier if we could live in ignorance and do whatever we like. It allures us with a delusion that losing is impossible, but what we fail to recognise is that if nothing matters then winning is also impossible.

Picture yourself in a swivel chair facing God. Let’s say that this represents our

God created you, and because you are here, you have meaning.

God creates us to be in relationship with Him, but He doesn’t force us to sit in our swivel chair facing him. In His authenticity, God says that we can choose. A lot of us start out facing Him, but then things start to catch our peripheral, and we slowly swivel our chair. We get so distracted that we look around to orient ourselves and we find that God is nowhere to be seen.

God has not abandoned us, those distractions have caused us to swivel our chair so that we cannot see Him sitting behind us, waiting for us to turn back to Him and make Him number one again.

This turning away from God is a familiar

“PICTURE YOURSELF IN A SWIVEL CHAIR FACING GOD.“ theme we see throughout salvation history and all of the covenants (promises). The Old Testament is a story of God making covenants with man, and man failing time and time again. God never gives up on man, He always has a plan to bring us back to Him. We see this culminate in the new covenant with Jesus. This is the story of salvation history, but also the story of our own lives. God creates us in relationship, we turn away, God reaches out to us, and we respond.

Over and over again this is the pattern of the spiritual life. I have found myself at times turned away from God. I’ve had times of being angry and frustrated with God, but He never abandoned me. He never held that against me. He wasn’t offended by my anger and resentment. He has never hesitated to reach out to me in my woundedness and is never afraid to get His hands dirty. He just wants to be with me, and He wants to be

Adam and Eve lost for us. It is in this relationship that our physical world takes on new meaning. Our faith is beautiful because, like God, it is incarnational.

As we continue to celebrate Easter, I urge you to reflect on the Kerygma.

The foundation of our faith and what that means for us. Reflect on your own story, the times when you’ve swivelled your chair. The times when the Lord has pursued you. And lastly, I want to leave you with a challenge: Open Scripture to the book of Acts and read Acts 2:14-36. This is the first kerygmatic proclamation of Peter. As you read it, maybe multiple times, let Peter proclaim it to you. What does it mean to you? What are you feeling?

Think about when you first heard the Kerygma proclaimed to you and let our Saviour tenderly speak to your heart.

I URGE YOU TO REFLECT ON THE KERYGMA. THE FOUNDATION OF OUR FAITH AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR US. with you.

Image: Photo by Ron McClenny on Unsplash.com

“The Word became flesh so that thus we might know God’s love (CCC 458).” This is the greatest act of love in history. He who is clouded in irreproachable light, the unmoved mover, the uncaused cause, the Creator of all, takes flesh and does so as movement to our heart. That in His suffering and death He bridges the gap between heaven and hell created by sin. In His resurrection, He destroys death and gains for us eternal life and leaves us His Spirit, His Word, and His Church so that we can have the relationship that

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Who we are

No one can flourish in poverty. Many charities that reach out to families and communities who struggle with the effects of poverty and hardship, know this all too well.

Now the effects of the coronavirus is only putting more pressure on already strained situations and compounding the need for extra resources, both materially and financially. The Common Good Foundation, on your behalf as Catholic Care in action, can provide assistance to groups working in the community, to make a difference.

The Common Good Foundation is the rebranded version of what was originally the Hamilton Catholic Foundation formed

by Bishop Gaines in 1983 and then renamed Catholic Care some 20 years later. Though the Foundation has changed its name several times, its focus has always remained the same to help provide the resources to enable individuals and groups within the Hamilton Diocese to seek out and assist those that are in need. Fundamentally, we act as a bridge between those who can provide resources through donations, pledges and bequests and those who actually require support by way of funding or assistance.

The restructure of the Foundation undertaken last year, to reduce our costs in administration, now ensures every dollar raised through donations will be funding programmes in local communities, and not used for management purposes, excepting of course actual costs in fundraising.

Each year the Foundation distributes accumulated funds from our return on investments and the generous donations received from appeals and monthly donors to charities working with those in our community. The Foundation also receives an annual allocation

from the Tindall Foundation (via the Catholic Bishops Conference) to distribute on their behalf to worthy causes. We are particularly keen to support programmes aimed at helping people help themselves. Over the past 9 years these charities have included those working in the areas of mental health, elder care, the homeless, foodbanks, youth and children, refugees and immigrants, rehabilitation of prisoners, pregnancy counselling, the abused and victimised, poor families and welfare budgeting, to name a few.

Our mission The mission of Common Good Foundation is closely aligned to the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. We believe in preserving human dignity, in providing for the needs of the poor and vulnerable, in assisting local communities to resolve local issues and promoting the concept of the common good, as we are all created in the image of God.

Broadening our focus to include Parish-based initiatives While we will continue to assist Catholic Family Support Services and other recognised charities, it is envisaged funds raised during our annual appeal will be allocated to parish or chaplaincy based initiatives that address the needs of the poor, marginalised

Principles of Catholic Social Teaching (from NZ Bishops’ Conference website) Human Dignity - Every person is to be valued and be worthy of respect, having been created in the image of God. Human Equlity - we each have different talents, and those are to be used for the common good.

Respect for Life - Human life at every stage is precious and worthy of protection.

Right of Association - people achieve fulfilment by association with others Right of Participation - people have a right to participate in society and to become full members

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to it, through work, education or even political participation.

people to help themselves - giving them a leg up!

Solidarity - as one human family working together for justice for all.

Common Good - (as defined by Pope Saint John XXIII) “the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfilment more fully and easily�

(Pacem in Terra)

Protection of the Poor and Vulnerable - the needs of the poor and vulnerable (as intsructed by our faith) must come first.

Stewardship of Creation - we also have responsibility for the environment, our personal talents and the resources given to us by God. Subsidiarity - local issues are resolved by local people and communities who are closer to the problems. A case of helping

The good is common because only together as a community, and not simply as isolated individuals, is it possible to enjoy, achieve and spread this good. All people are obligated to work towards making the common good a greater and greater reality.

or disadvantaged within the greater community of each parish. In this way, the Common Good Foundation will have an impact in smaller communities in every corner of the Catholic Diocese of Hamilton. It is Bishop’s express wish for funding help to be well distributed and to reach those on the periphery of society.

The Common Good Foundation is the conduit through which applications can be received by completing the application form on our website: www. commongood.org.nz/supportothers/grants The next funding round opens on 1st of September (closing on 30th September) so this will give you time to develop a project and prepare your application. All information can be found on the Common Good Foundation website.

How you can help Together we can make an impact.

Every dollar received helps make a difference and will be used for the purposes of helping those in need. For the Foundation to be truly effective, we need the financial assistance of caring donors who wish to promote the principles of Catholic Social Teaching in their local communities. This is Catholic care in action!

Ways to Donate: 1. Donate online www.commongood.org.nz/ donate

2. Donate by Direct credit or automatic payment Common Good Foundation Account no: 02-0342-0062180-00

Reference: your name

3. Donate by cheque

Common Good Foundation PO Box 4353, Hamilton East Hamilton 3247

All donations are tax deductible.

Please send us your name and address in an email to: admin@commongood.org.nz so we can send a receipt.

As a caring donor, you will help the Common Good Foundation provide grants to social service providers and parish-based initiatives who care for the vulnerable throughout the Hamilton Diocese.

one. Our Annual Appeal will be held on Caring Sunday (late July) and we ask you to give generously.

Look out for the brochures when they come out in the parishes.

also bringing elderly residents to Mass at St Mary’s, submitted this comment along with a letter of appreciation from one of its customers.

With Thanks

“By contirbuting to the general running expenses of our organisation, it enabled us to continue to provide a high level of professional servece to the elderly and diabled people of Gisborne. Many of these people would not be able to leave their homes without our specialist door to door service.”

As all the grant funding is subject to accountability, we will also often receive notes of thanks expressing how the funds have made a difference for the people they serve. One such group, the Sunshine Services Inc in Gisborne who run a disability van,

We are truly appreciative of the funds received over the years from our committed donors and invite you to join the campaign to help others.

Previously Common Good Foundation/Catholic Care held several appeals during the year.

This is now being reduced to just

The Board Members of the Common Good Foundation Chris Grace (Chair) Betty-Ann Kamp (Deputy Chair) William Durning Julie Hardaker Brendan Cullen John Coulam Mark McCabe

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EPISCOPAL ORDINATION OF

MICHAEL GIELEN

AS AUXILIARY BISHOP OF

AUCKLAND

7TH MARCH 2020

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P. 12: The newly ordained Bishop Michael Gielen. P. 13 From Top, L-R: Priests from Auckland and Hamilton Dioceses get ready to process in; Rev Prakash Somu receives his lei made by the Samoan community; Hamilton deacons getting ready; Samoan volunteers who made and distributed the leis to clergy; some of the retired priests of Auckland.

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From Top, L-R: A packed out Vodafone events centre in Manukau which seats approx. 3,500 people; Tangata Whenua singing waiata during the opening powhiri; Isaac Fransen, seminarian, leads the procession swinging the thuribil; Pa Jack Smith gives a rousing mihi with Samoan choir in background; Parents, Maureen (with granddaughter) and Deacon Henk Gielen, Rev Michael Gielen and Bishop Steve Lowe.

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From Top, L-R: Pa Jack Smith; Address given by on behalf of Pope Francis; Bishop Steve Lowe as Bishop of Hamilton hands over his spiritual son to Bishop Patrick Dunn, Bishop of Auckland.

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From Top, L-R: Tongan community processes in the book of the Gospels; Michael’s sister, Anna, reads the first reading; Deacon Henk Gielen (father) assists Bishop Patrick Dunn during the ordination; Samoan community processes in the offetory; Samoan choir packs out bleaches; the book of the Gospels is placed over Michael’s head; Bishop Michael Gielen and Rev Richard Laurenson; some of Bishop Michael’s family.

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From Top,clockwise: Laying on of hands by Bishop Patrick Dunn, Bishop of Auckland; Bishop Steve Lowe, Bishop of Hamilton; Bishop Emeritus Denis Browne; Cardinal John Dew, Archbishop of Wellington; Bishop Michael prays before an image of our Lady, Maria Salus Populi Romani, after communion.

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From Top, L-R: Bishop Gielen with his whanau; Bishop Michael and his father Deacon Henk Gielen; many parishioners from across the Hamilton Diocese came including Tokoroa parishoners where Michael’s family grew up.

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GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY 3 MAY

Written by Rev Joe Stack, Diocesan Vocations Director

Lord Jesus, in your risen body you brought the good news of salvation to the women and the apostles; let us be your witnesses in this present age.

Lord, grant us the blessings of your resurrection.

You appeared to the apostles and breathed the Holy Spirit upon them; pour out on us the Spirit who creates and renews.

Lord, grant us the blessings of your resurrection.

You promised to be with your disciples until the end of time; stay with us throughout this day and remain with us forever.

Lord, grant us the blessings of your resurrection.

(Intercessions at Morning Prayer – Easter Tuesday)

You are reading this in the Easter Season, and hopefully not too far distant from the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday, 3 May in 2020, a day of prayer for vocations on the National Calendar for New Zealand.

The Pope publishes a reflection on this day, usually on some aspect of Christ the Good Shepherd, because the Gospel is always a passage from John 10, wherein the evangelist reflects on the Shepherd image as applied to Jesus.

Not that it matters too much when you are reading this, as long as it encourages you to pray urgently, earnestly, unremittingly for vocations to the ministerial priesthood; especially, but not only, for our Diocese of Hamilton.

You may also have an opportunity, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to talk to a (young) man and ask him a question. The question you would ask is, “Are you listening?” Not to you, but to the voice of God. Who is this man? Someone from your own family perhaps, an acquaintance, a work colleague, a locking partner in the scrum (when we get back to playing sport), someone you’ve met in the local hardware store queue; in short anyone! It is a common experience of those helping young men to discern a call from God that very few aspirants to the priesthood enter the Seminary out of a family experience that is a stable, harmonious, Catholic household where everything is tidy and perpetually

POPE FRANCIS NEVER MENTIONS SHEPHERDING...

INSTEAD, HE HAS A WATERBASED FOCUS FOR HIS MESSAGE. cheerful!

In brief, it may take years of prayer and discernment before your candidate may get to the Seminary and through the study to ordination. What a gift though to be able to introduce someone to the process that will lead him to the heart of Christ!

May 3rd is the day that Holy Cross Seminary acknowledges as its foundation day. This year it is also Good Shepherd Sunday; ordinarily, it would be the Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles. When Holy Cross College was founded in 1900, it was a feast of the Discovery of the Holy Cross, acknowledging the uncovering of the cross upon which Jesus was crucified,

by Saint Helena (mother of Emperor Constantine); at the site of the hill of Calvary in Jerusalem (now where the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre stands).

And there is another change this year!

Yes, the Gospel on the Fourth Sunday of Easter still takes up the Sheep and Shepherd imagery, but in his reflection, Pope Francis never mentions shepherding or the apparatus a shepherd uses to keep his flock safe and secure. Instead, he has a water-based

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Image: Lorenzo Veneziano: Christ Rescuing Peter from Drowning, 1336. Public Domain.

Day of Prayer for Vocations

focus for his message. He uses the account from Matthew’s Gospel of Peter stepping out of the boat to go to Jesus who is walking on the water (Matt 14:22-32).

Pope Francis’ message is constructed around four words that were the foundations for another letter he wrote to priests around the world in August last year on the 160th anniversary of the death of the Cure of Ars, Saint John Vianney. The four words are (in no particular order) pain, gratitude, encouragement, praise.

Gratitude: Pope Francis describes this as the first word of vocation. Jesus accompanies and guides us, and prevents us from running aground on the shoals of indecision, and even enables us to walk on surging waters!

Encouragement: When Jesus walks towards the disciples on the sea, they think he is a ghost and become filled with fear. Jesus immediately reassures them with words that should constantly accompany our lives and our vocational journey, “Take heart! It is I; Have no fear!” (Mat 14:27).

sinful acts is great. He speaks of “these present times of ecclesial purification,” and of, “our humble repentance and the unfathomable grandeur of God’s forgiveness as the beginning of a renewal of our holiness.” Take heart, do not be afraid, Jesus is at our side, and if we acknowledge him as the one Lord of our lives, he will stretch out his hand, take hold of us and save us.

Praise: Even amid the storm-tossed waters, our lives become open to praise. It is an invitation to cultivate the interior disposition of the Blessed Virgin Mary; grateful, faithful, courageous.

She made of her life an eternal song of praise to the Lord.

On Good Shepherd Sunday let us do as Pope Francis asks each of us, and continue to pray for and promote vocations. Let us use his message for World Vocations Day as a basis for our prayer and reflection, asking the Lord to guide us in our endeavours, specifically to be alert for someone to ask if he would be open to discerning a call to be a priest in our Diocese.

The Regina Coeli is said in the Easter Season (rather than the Hail Holy Queen or The Angelus). A suggestion is to pray it as part of your daily prayers, asking our Blessed Mother for guidance and understanding before and after you read Pope Francis’ message. Pray

it before you approach those young men whom the Lord is calling to be priests from out of the midst of their often messy, complex lives.

This reflection was written at a time when the Diocese has farewelled four priests in the space of a few weeks. All of these men over many years of sailing in the Barque of Peter amidst turbulent seas and seemingly diminished (“in the eyes of the unwise”) returns whenever they paid out the net for a catch, laboured generously and tirelessly for the sake of Christ and the people he had entrusted to their care. May Monsignor Des McCarthy, Monsignor Michael Browne, Father Graeme Alexander and Father Nick Hoogeveen rest in peace; may their good deeds reap a rich harvest.

References: Vultus Christi (website with a translation of and reflections on the Rule of St Benedict) Letter to Priests on 160th Anniversary of the Death of Holy Cure of Ars, St John Vianney, (4th August 2019 – Pope Francis).

Message for 2020 World Day of Vocations - 3rd May 2020 (8th March 2020 – Pope Francis).

(Editor’s note: 3rd May was also planned to be the Day for the National Appeal for Holy Cross Seminary, Auckland. Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 National Lockdown, the annual seminary appeal is currently on hold”)

Image: Photo by Xavier Coiffic on Unsplash.com

Pain: Pope Francis would like to amend it this year to fatigue, which can overwhelm us. In last year’s letter, he was specific about where this pain came from: it is not only caused by the challenges of one’s pastoral situation, but also by the pain inflicted on individual parishioners and the Church as a whole by the abuse perpetrated by a few. The frustration and disheartenment caused to brother priests, and the laity, by those

PRAY FOR... YOUNG MEN WHOM THE LORD IS CALLING TO BE PRIESTS FROM OUT OF THE MIDST OF THEIR OFTEN MESSY, COMPLEX LIVES.

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Miha Māori Nā Hinetapuarau Ioane me Arama Pou.

Sacred Heart Church, Murupara Sunday 23 February 2020. Myself, Arama and our homestay student from Japan, Tomoki, travelled from Hamilton to Murupara to attend Miha Māori (Māori Mass) celebrated by Pīhopa Tīpene (Bishop Steve). Arama and I have close affiliations to this area, Ngāti Mānawa. My Great Grandmother, Peti came from this iwi.

She married Hetaraka Merito. They lived at Wairaka Marae (Te Whare o Toroa). My grandmother was one of their daughters, Parehuia but she was brought up in Te Whānau-ā-Apanui.

Her Dad was a katekita at Wairaka, Whākatane. He and the other whānau who lived around the Marae at that time were very staunch Catholics and still are today. I looked forward to attending the Mass and meeting up with my whānau who lived in and around Murupara and who are also mokopuna (grandchildren) of Peti and Hetaraka.

Pīhopa Tīpene was given a warm welcome by the kaumātua. Pīhopa Tīpene said Mass in te reo Māori with much enthusiasm, meaningfulness and his pronunciation was tino pai (very good). Miha Māori has been a central part of my life’s journey, growing up in Opotiki, here (where I live) in Hamilton at Hui Te Rangiora, and in other places across the diocese. I hope that with the leadership of Pīhopa Tīpene that Miha Māori will take its place more often within our Hāhi (within our faith).

How one conducts oneself during Mass is with much reverence. However, when it comes to Miha there’s a tendency to be a bit relaxed at the sign of peace. Instead of shaking hands and saying “peace be with you” it is full of beaming smiles, hugging, shaking hands, greeting each other with kia ora!

In Murupara, for a minute we forgot where we were and it was not until one of the aunties started singing the Lamb of God before we realised we needed to get back to being reverent again!

Church of Hato Pāora, Ngāputahi Sunday, 9 March 2020. It was a great privilege to again attend Mass (celebrated by Pīhopa Tīpene) but this time further into the Urewera at a tiny place called Ngāputahi. The night before, Arama and I stayed with my sister who lived at Ruatahuna and it was with great joy that she and my nephew were able to attend Mass too.

Above: Sacred Heart Church, Murupara.

Bottom Left: Church of Hato Pāora, Ngāputahi.

See more pictures from this visit on p3.

Photos by Jacob Te Kurapa Used with Permission.

On both occasions, Mass was attended by parishioners who came from Rotorua, Hamilton, Ngāputahi and Murupara. After Mass, it was time for whanaungatanga (relationship, connection), manaakitanga (hospitality), wairuatanga (spirituality), kaitiakitanga (trust), kaitāhi (food) and most of all sharing our faith with one another.

He mihi tenei ki a koe Pīhopa Tīpene mo to whakahaere i roto i te Miha Māori.

Ngā mihi nui, ngā manaakitanga ki runga i a koe hoki. (With much thanks Bishop Steve for leading our Māori Mass. Much greetings and blessings).

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Written by Cynthia Piper At 9 am on 21 February, the Pompallier bell rang out over lush Waipa farmland.

It called the descendants of Ngāti Apakura, Ngāti Hinetū, representatives from the Catholic and Anglican Churches, school children, local body, and government officials, to gather in prayer and commemorate the invasion of the peaceful village of Rangiaowhia in 1864.

Rangiaowhia, situated between Cambridge and Te Awamutu, has a special place in the history of both the Anglican and Catholic communities of the Waikato. The centre of the Waikato Catholic mission from 1844 until 21 February 1864, Rangiaowhia was a thriving and prosperous village of over 5000 people. From Rangiaowhia, Ngāti Apakura and Ngāti Hinetū provided the Auckland and Australian

markets with fresh produce, wheat, and flour from four mills in the area. Māori and Pākehā lived side by side, sharing languages, trade, education, and religion. Rangiaowhia was an indication of what the future of Aotearoa New Zealand might have been like. It ‘was a source of Māori pride and European envy,’ but it was ‘coveted by Auckland’s merchants and settlers alike.’

In February 1864, the village paid the ultimate price of its success when it was invaded by the Crown, determined to destroy the Kingitanga movement.

At dawn on 21 February, over 1000 troops and cavalry attacked the village.

Many people were killed, including some who sheltered in a whare karakia (raupo church), which was set on fire by the soldiers. Others were taken prisoner.

Those who survived the attack fled, and the land confiscated by the Crown.

The 2020 commemoration began at dawn with karakia (prayer) led by kaūmatua Tom Roa (Ngāti Apakura), overlooking a paddock where women and children died in the burning church. Roa asked the people to keep the women and children as the focus of the day and called on all to meet in ‘a spirit of reconciliation, a spirit of remembrance, that [Rangiaowhia] was a place that was starting to realise the potential, the promise of the Treaty of Waitangi.’ As a result of the invasion, Ngāti Apakura and Ngāti Hinetū have no home. They have marae, but on land gifted by Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Hikairo, and Ngāti Tuwharetoa.

Roa hoped that when redress for the invasion happens, descendants will be able to rebuild a home to which they can whakapapa - ‘it will be our cradle.’

Following a liturgy of remembrance led

by Bishop Steve Lowe, school students

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Images: Bottom left - Bishop Steve w/ St Patrick’s Catholic School, Te Awamutu students; Top - Bishop Steve w/ St John’s College, Hamilton students and DRS Marcel Bormans. Used with Permission.

RANGIAOWHIA COMMEMORATION

lamented that: ‘all Rangiaowhia is to be given to strange Europeans in our place. Where is them, O Governor, the land for us to cultivate, and grow food on for me and my children? I do not believe that you would let me die for want of land to grow food upon, that is the reason I now cry to you.’

Above: Sacred Heart Girls’ College, Hamilton students with Bishop Steve. Used with permission.

spoke about the invasion. Libby Kearins-Te Whare, Helena Shearer, Ngahuia Salmond, Ebony Phillips and Zoe Rawles from St Joseph’s Catholic School, Te Kuiti, read a very moving account of the invasion by Moepatu Borell (Ngati Apakura). Dedicated to the children of Rangiaowhia and written from the point of view of a child who survived the attack, the story was inspired by Borell’s grand-daughter, who having heard of the prosperity of Ngāti Apakura and the invasion said: But nana, why don’t they teach us this at school?

You must tell the children,… you must let them know!

Senior students from Sacred Heart Girls’ College, Hamilton, highlighted the ways the invasion of Rangiaowhia broke the articles of the Treaty of Waitangi, including the fourth, unwritten article on freedom of religion. At the end of their presentation they challenged the Crown to redress the wrong that was inflicted on Ngāti Apakura and Ngāti Hinetū.

After lunch, descendants of women who survived the attack spoke about their tupuna. How Rahapa Te Hauata wrote to Governor George Grey recounting how the soldiers stole her food, animals and even her children’s clothing. She

The attack on Rangiaowhia is often included in overall accounts of the conflict in the Waikato. But this was not a battle between armed combatants.

Rangiaowhia was not a palisaded defence pa, it was an undefended peaceful village where the women, old people and children had been sent for their protection. The Crown used over 1000 troops to invade an undefended village where it knew people were sent for security. Roa reminded the people that ‘knowing the stories of our past, sharing the memories passed down by our tupuna will help us understand who we are as New Zealanders.’

Note: The commemoration was attended by hundreds of students from: St Columba’s, Frankton; St Peter’s Catholic School, Cambridge; St Patrick’s, Te Awamutu; Bishop Edward Gaines School, Tokoroa; Marian Catholic School, Hamilton; Sacred Heart Catholic Girls’ College, Hamilton; St John’s Catholic College, Hamilton.

The Pompallier bell was gifted to the Holy Angels Mission, Rangiaowhia by Bishop Pompallier. It was an “observer” to the invasion and is now kept at St Patrick’s Catholic School, Te Awamutu.

References:

Chris Pugsley, “Walking the Waikato Wars: Farce and Tragedy at Rangiaohia: 21-22 February 1864”, New Zealand Defence Quarterly, Winter 1997, p.32. https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/119708108/ reconciliation-called-to-officially-recognise-war-crime-at-rangiaowhia Retrieved 8 April 2020 https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hamilton-news/ te-awamutu-courier/news/article.cfm?c_ id=1504325&objectid=12315508 Retrieved 8 April 2020

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NZ Catholic bishops deeply disappointed at abortion law’s disregard for rights of unborn 19 Mar 2020 | Media Release from the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference The New Zealand Catholic Bishops are deeply disappointed with the Abortion Legislation Bill passed by Parliament last night by 68 votes to 51.

“This Bill totally ignores the fact that there are always at least two human lives involved in every pregnancy,” said a spokesperson for the NZ Catholic Bishops Conference, Ms Cynthia Piper.

“There is no longer any recognition of the rights of the unborn child in this new law,” said Ms Piper, a lecturer for

the Church’s Te Kupenga - Catholic Leadership Institute, speaking on behalf of New Zealand’s Catholic bishops.

“That is a travesty of human rights. To hold that the fetus is not a legal person ignores the reality that a genetically unique human life has begun which is neither that of the mother or the father.

That the law fails to recognise this does not change what is a biological and human fact.”

The Bishops Conference also believes the new law will fail many women.

“Those of us who have experience of supporting women with so-called unwanted pregnancies, or women who have had abortions, know only too well the coercive realities that drive many women to have an abortion that they later regret,” said Ms Piper.

“That is why we have argued consistently that it is in women’s best interests that the legal pathway to an abortion needs to be robust. This law

does nothing to help those women who, for a variety of reasons, choose an abortion because they feel they have no other choice, whether that is because of partner pressure or for economic or social reasons.

“Neither does this law do anything to reduce the overall number of abortions, something that a majority of New Zealanders have consistently said they want. It has been rushed through and is ill-considered in so many ways.”

Furthermore, the bishops are absolutely dismayed that MPs voted down a host of sensible amendments that would have made the new legislation much more compassionate, said Ms Piper. “These included amendments that would have required babies born alive to be cared for like any other child, a ban on sex selection abortions and a ban on disability discrimination abortions.”

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NET RETURNS TO HAMILTON DIOCESE Written by Brigid Conroy, Editor.

Two decades since the diocese last had a NET team, the Pastoral Services Team is pleased to announce that 2020 marks the return of National Evangelisation Teams (NET).

A team of five enthusiastic, hearts-onfire-for-Jesus young adults have arrived

in our Diocese to share their passion for Jesus and personal testimonies with the young people of our diocese at schools and youth groups near you!

The last time NET was here in Hamilton Diocese they were based in Rotorua and I was in my last years of primary school. I have wonderful memories of having a bunch of joy-filled older brothers and sisters, as my parents ensured we visited the team’s house regularly (smart move, Mum and Dad!).

Their genuine interest and aroha for me (and my family) has left a lasting impression. I am certain they are part of the reason I still hold firm to the faith today.

I encourage all parents, teachers, parishes to make the most of this opportunity that presents you to support the faith of our future generations. Here are labourers for the harvest and that harvest will be rich in rewards in the years to come.

HOW DOES NET WORK? National Evangelisation Teams (NET) has been pursuing their mission of evangelising young people in hundreds of schools and parishes since 1988.

NET teams have contributed to revitalising the faith life of schools, parishes and university communities in more than 40 locations. This missionary pursuit has allowed NET to spread the message of the Gospel to more than 500,000 young people. NET is a peer to peer ministry that believes in the ability of authentic witness to transmit our faith to young people in generations to come!

EQUIP THE CALLED

PURSUE THE MISSION

MEETING YOUNG PEOPLE

Each year NET accepts 4050 spirit-filled young adults who have heard a strong call in their lives to proclaim the Gospel to the next generation.

They are trained for six weeks and mentored by NET staff throughout the year. These missionaries, known by many as ‘Netters’, experience community life in teams, a deepening of their personal faith, and the joy of ministering to other young people.

Young people need to be pursued and know they are an important part of the Church!

NET make an impact through three key missions, all of which occur in a unique context. They offer “Encounter Events” like retreats, youth groups and more, for schools and parishes to book throughout the year.

NET also offer long-term missions where a team will serve your school, parish and university communities for 2-6 years.

Young people need to be met where they are at, without judgement or expectation. No longer can we wait for them to come to us, but we need to go out to meet them. NET Teams are trained to do this through the three areas that form the core of NET’s ministry tools. This includes fellowship, proclamation, and invitation, and together they lay the foundation for the effectiveness of our teams in their mission fields.

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Introducing NET Hamilton 2020

John Foxon How’s it Digeridoing, I’m 18 from Brissy Australia, I love basketball, long walks on the beach and banana milkshakes.

Since joining NET a few months ago I feel like I have a new purpose in my life. I’m excited for this year of youth ministry and can’t wait to share my love of Jesus with the young people of Hamilton.

Tammy Botha (Team Leader)

John Paul Schryvers

(Team Leader) Hey everyone, I am from Australia and am 19 years old. I feel so blessed to be here in New Zealand, this is my second year of NET and I really love letting young people know that they are loved by Jesus so I’m so excited to be here in the Hamilton Diocese.

Kia Ora! I’m 19 years of age, from sunny Nelson, and now serving as a NET missionary for my second year. I love music, the outdoors, making friends, and my huge family! I also can’t wait to meet, and share my faith with, the young people of this diocese!

Fiona Pelosi

Diana Pinsker

G’day everyone! I grew up in Sydney and decided to do NET after encountering Jesus while studying Psychology and Human Resource Management at university.

I’m excited to get to know the young people in this Diocese and spread the Good News!

Hey everyone, I’m 19 years old from Brisbane Australia and this is my second year of NET. I am so excited to be in New Zealand and super keen to share with the young people of Hamilton how much Jesus loves them and that the Church is a place they can feel at home.

Preparing Young People for Life Written by Diana Pinsker, NET Hamilton.

This year’s NET Hamilton team has run retreats at Aquinas college Tauranga, St Mary’s Putaruru and St John’s college Hamilton as well as supporting youth groups and other youth ministry initiatives since our arrival in the diocese in February.

This year we will be working closely with the St John’s College community to help support students in their personal journey of faith. The first retreats the team ran at St. John’s college was for the year 12s, their senior leadership retreats.

The team really enjoyed getting to know the students and were able to journey with them throughout the retreat days.

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To get a better idea of how the retreats at St Johns went, one of our team members John Foxon has written a small reflection about his experience on one of the days: “Throughout the retreat day, the students break up into smaller groups and will be with one of the team members.

It’s an opportunity for them to have conversations with their small group leader and peers about the topic of the day and chat about faith and life.

On one of the retreat days I had a student in my small group who was pretty quiet and wouldn’t go into much detail when I asked the group questions.

Throughout the day this boy remained quite reserved in small group.

As we entered into the final session of the day we gave the students the opportunity for prayer. I would go up to

Book ‘Em In!

Book in the NET team by contacting our Youth Office Manager Jil Miller e: jily@cdh.org.nz or p: 07-856-6989

HE SHARED WITH ME HOW HE SAW THE BENEFITS OF A REAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS. each student during the reflection time and talk to them about how their day was and also give them the option to pray if they would like to.

I went to talk to this student and during this time we were able to talk deeply about areas he wanted to grow in and he shared with me how he saw the benefits of a real relationship with Jesus.

After he shared this with me we prayed to invite Jesus into his life. I never would have expected that this student would have wanted to do this and to share with me the area’s he wanted to grow in, but it just goes to show that Jesus can work in anyone.”

7 TIPS FOR LIVING LIFE TO THE FULL...

IN SELF-ISOLATION

We live in a crazy age.

The last few weeks have, for many, been a time of uncertainty. Some embrace the changes with excitement, while others don’t know how they’re going to put food on the table. Here’s our top 7 tips for living out our faith in selfisolation.

1. GET TO THE HEART BEFORE YOU START. Let’s get things straight: Not all of us are morning people. Nevertheless, there’s no better time to heed the proverb: “Early bird catches the worm.” than in prayer. Spending quality time with the Lord before the day begins (whether it’s an Angelus, scripture reading, prayer of thanksgiving or simple contemplation) is a strong spiritual foundation on which the practicalities of day-to-day life can stand.

2. RECOMMIT TO GETTING FIT. Here’s the sign you’ve been waiting for!

St. Paul urges us to “offer [our] bodies as a living sacrifice”, and “do all to the glory of God” in everything we do. In exercising, we give thanks to God for the gift of our physical health.

3. YOUR COMMUNITY NEEDS YOU! Remember that you’re not alone. Many in our wider community and even in our own family are reaching out for a helping hand, whether it’s with groceries or a simple check-in over the phone with words and prayers of hope and encouragement. One thing that’ll never be cancelled is the invitation to love those around us.

4. THE HOLY MASS IS STILL OFFERED - FOR YOU Don’t forget that Mass is available online; Even in your physical absence, Jesus Christ still faithfully offers his sacrifice on the altar - body, blood, soul and divinity - for you. Our Lord knows your inner desire to receive the Eucharist. Make a prayer of spiritual communion. Perhaps bring your family together, light a candle, dress, respond, kneel, listen and pray as you usually would. You may even find that your devotion to the Holy Eucharist increases over this time.

5. DON’T FEAR THE UNCLEAR. Many confronted with pain or suffering find themselves asking “why me?”.

Chances are, the same people hear the words “trust in God” so often that they easily forget their meaning. Eventually, we must all face the mysterious yet simple truth that a loving and merciful God

is still in control. We’re called through both the challenging and mundane, to surrender our own expectations of life to him. As Jesus said: “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Matt 6:27)

6. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SILENCE. St. John of the Cross once stated: “Silence is God’s first language.” It’s unsettling that many people in today’s society have no problem compromising what this fact calls for. Perhaps they feel that before they can make time for silence they must read, talk, eat, move and worry until everything’s perfectly “in order”. Spend some time today with the Lord, not just talking, but listening.

7. BUILD A FIRM SPIRITUAL FOUNDATION. As humans, we’re creatures of habit, though you might find this time of turbulence becomes a blessing in disguise. Use this time to pick up those new skills and habits you wished you had time for. Build a routine of prayer, gratitude and discipline, so that when things return to normal, you’ve got a spiritual rock to stand on.

Image: Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash.com

Written by John Paul Schryvers, NET Hamilton.

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New Beginnings Every year, I ask God to give me a word to focus on. In my prayer, it seemed God wanted to teach me about the word ‘new’ in 2020. It made sense; a few months back, I started anew by moving cities, changing jobs and making new friends. It really felt like God was honing in on this word when I was tasked to organise an event called ‘New Beginnings’. This event was aimed at young adults who were going through similar life changes and was hopefully a way to celebrate new adventures and welcome them into the fold.

It’s crazy to think that New Beginnings was the first event of the year for our Pastoral Services team, yet also the last one before lockdown. Upon reflection, I realised that what I learnt as a newcomer to Hamilton and through organising New Beginnings were also the same lessons I’ve been learning anew in lockdown.

DO YOUR BEST… Upheaval, changes and crises like COVID-19 have a funny way of exposing truths about yourself, and sometimes these truths are hard to look at. When I first moved to Hamilton, I thought I had things everything falling

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into place. Then disorientation hit; I no longer knew where the ‘go-to’ places were and had to meet new ‘go-to’ people. It felt like I had to begin again, and that meant going back to basics.

I couldn’t help but empathise with the young adults who we were ministering to at New Beginnings, the vulnerability of being the ‘new kid on the block’. I empathised because these difficulties were on display when I was organising the event, and recognised the need to make new connections and learn new skills.

Importantly, I also learnt was that it was okay to be a beginner and feel like I didn’t have everything together. There is an adjustment period when being ‘new’ and it might be a bit uncomfortable for a time. Learning that I just need to do my best was a great comfort, and it’s a lesson I’m hearkening back to in lockdown, having to think on my feet and adapt to a new way of working and living.

...AND LET GOD DO THE REST. When doubt is easily experienced and comfort is hard to come by, our need for God is more keenly felt. These new situations are perfect examples of this.

I prayed so much during my move, not because I thought it was the right thing to do, but because I felt this need so much, with everything being in flux and God being the only constant.

In the first few months in my job, I had the privilege of journeying with a young adult who was going through a similar thing and was still seeking this constant.

I could see how it would be so difficult not to have God in these moments.

I leaned on God a lot too as I organised New Beginnings, as a lot of the work required my initiative! I didn’t know what would work and what wouldn’t, and this anxiety made me realise that it was God’s work, and I was just His vessel.

The results were His, I just needed to pray and work with diligence. Through this, I became more aware of the ‘little nuggets’, His Providence. For example, I had planned for people to play frisbee on the field, yet I completely forgot the frisbee! Being so close to the opening of the event, there was no way I could get one in time, but a friend of mine told me he found a frisbee on the roof of the school we were setting up at! How amazing, God gifted us a frisbee from the sky!

Lockdown can teach us this lesson too.

With the restrictions including not being able to access the Sacraments and the difficulties we face from being at home in our bubbles, we are learning about our deep need for God. It’s been a blessing having God at the centre of my days at home, being more intentional and having set prayer times.

Even though we can’t go to Mass, we can let this hunger change our hearts and seek Him out more and more.

COMMUNITY

IS

CRUCIAL.

Not only was I reminded to lean on God, but I also learnt the importance of leaning on others. Nothing grounds you quite like community, and this was something I was blessed to dive into when I moved to Hamilton, through

Photos by Hayden Graham, Diocesan Resource Designer. Above, Shana Llorando.

Written by Shana Llorando, Young Adults Coordinator.

the nature of my work. Often people who are new in a city, job or any situation can find it hard to meet new friends or establish a support system.

This was one of the main aims of New Beginnings, to cultivate an environment where people felt welcome and could make friends more easily.

I enlisted the help of many groups in the Diocese so that our young adults would be well connected, focused on the important aspects of the day that brought people together; the Mass, great food, a hospitable environment, great people (who were intentional about making people feel welcome).

The bells and whistles wouldn’t have mattered if these things weren’t in place. As the organiser, the biggest joy I had out of New Beginnings was not only seeing everyone enjoy themselves and connect, but it was so amazing to see many generous people come together for one purpose: Hamilton Dove Fellowship donating baking, young adults providing sound gear and expertise, volunteers manning the barbeque and sign-up stall, and my team helping with all of the above and everything between. Many hands make light work, and it also made my heart swell with gratitude.

GOLDEN LESSONS. Haven’t we found this blessing in lockdown, the fact that we have more time to catch up with our friends and give them a call? Isn’t it funny that now we can’t see each other, our need for community is on display? It’s a golden lesson I’m certainly hoping to put into practice post-lockdown.

Speaking of golden, Christ knew what He was talking about when He commanded us to love Him with all our heart, soul and strength (meaning do your best!) and love your neighbour as yourself. This golden commandment will never change, even when life brings us to new adventures. Let’s cling to the Word when we are called to begin again.

Left: Students gathering, Cathedral in background; students socialising; Fr JP Maldanado, the new University of Waikato chaplain; Juanita Raman, one of the talented performers.

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Principals on Pilgrimage Written by James Murray, Principal, St Mary’s Tauranga and Helen McGuigan, principal, St Mary’s Gisborne

Our Hamilton Catholic Principals’ Association had a three-day Pilgrimage to Jerusalem, Hiruharama, Whanganui at the beginning of March 2020. Our spiritual leader, and facilitator for this hikoi, was Father David Gledhill sm. Twelve of our Principals from the Hamilton Diocese attended along with Dianne Porter, Religious Education Advisor, from the Diocese.

This pilgrimage was a long time in the planning to coincide with the new Suzanne Aubert school opening in our diocese in 2021. This was to give us an understanding of Suzanne Aubert’s journey and her strong relationships and connections with local Māori.

The pilgrimage also immersed our group of Catholic leaders in ‘Te ao Māori’, the Māori world, as we explored the interconnectedness and interrelationship of all living & nonliving things, including spirituality, from

... HELPS US APPRECIATE THE DEPTH AND BREADTH OF OUR CATHOLIC COMMUNITIES AND THE HISTORY OF KATORIKA MĀORI IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MOTHER SUZANNE AUBERT. a Māori perspective. The sacredness and significance of the Whanganui river played a huge part in this learning as well as the work of early Missionaries along the river, both Catholic and nonCatholic.

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who attended as we got to appreciate the wairua and the love of the people and the area. This pilgrimage would be highly recommended for our fellow colleagues to embark on. Not only does this give you wonderful opportunities to connect on a different level with people, but it also helps us appreciate the depth and breadth of our Catholic Communities and the history of Katorika Māori in the footsteps of Mother Suzanne Aubert, now venerable.

Images by: Shaun O’Leary Photography. Used with permission.

We had three Masses and four powhiri as we visited four maraes along the river. One of our Masses was in a historic Anglican church. We really felt at home during this ecumenical experience, at one with our hosts, who came from a variety of faith backgrounds. Our group also visited the local primary school, Te Wainui a Rua, where children from Jerusalem attend. That was potentially a daunting experience for the first time principal having twelve experienced principals turn up at her wee school with fairly short notice - she coped admirably and her students and staff welcomed us with such warmth and manaakitanga.

Sisters from the Home of Compassion also ran a session on Suzanne Aubert and her influence on the Whanganui River. Father wanted to have a strong Māori perspective on the pilgrimage so we could get an understanding of Māori Spirituality in the area, how Catholicism came about on the river and why Suzanne Aubert ended up at Jerusalem.

A very humbling experience for all

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Images by: Shaun O’Leary Photography. Used with permission.

Suzanne Aubert Catholic School, Papamoa East The Establishment Board of the school has recently advertised for a foundation principal and over the course of this year will be advertising for a Deputy Principal, a Director of Religious Studies and five other teachers.

Background Information Suzanne Aubert Catholic School is a new, Years 1 – 6 Catholic Primary School that will open in February 2021.

The maximum roll will be 250 students by the end of 2024. The school is situated in Papamoa East and serves a large, emerging suburban population.

It is part of the All Saints by the Sea Catholic Parish.

The All Saints by the Sea Parish, Papamoa Coast was created in 2018 from the amalgamation of St Thomas More Parish, Mount Maunganui and St Patrick’s Parish Te Puke (which included

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St Peter’s Church Maketu). The parish is vibrant and community-focused, with a great mix of young families, empty nesters and a large retirement community.

Suzanne Aubert School and the existing St Thomas More School in Mount Maunganui will be key parts of the ministry of the parish. We see both schools developing a very close relationship and building on the existing family relationships within the parish.

The catchment area for the school is deemed to be, but not exclusive to, Parton Rd Papamoa, south, through Te Puke and as far as Pukehina beach.

Suzanne Aubert, after whom the school is named, is the founder of the religious order, the Sisters of Compassion, the only home grown order in Aotearoa New Zealand. The characteristics of

the order that will be the charism focus of the school are: Divine providence, simplicity, action with the poor, social justice and partnership.

LEARNING-THROUGH-PLAY: INVENTED BY CATHOLICS! sewing, or looking at bugs under a Articles and photo by Shelly magnifying glass.

AS A TEACHER TELLING THE Fitness, Principal St Patrick’s One thing you can be guaranteed to STORIES, GODLY PLAY IS A Catholic Primary, Te Awamutu “Learning-through-Play” seems to have swept through our primary schools like wildfire and it is actually a very Catholic concept. Perhaps one of the most well-known learningthrough-play philosophers was Maria Montesorri who was a devout Catholic.

It is little spoken about these days but Montesorri’s educational philosophy was her attempt to apply the Catholic Faith to education.

St Patrick’s Catholic School in Te Awamutu consider themselves a ‘learning-though-play school” and children from the ages of five to 13 all have play incorporated into their school day. Play is perhaps most evident in the Colgan Learning Hub where the Year 1 and 2 students begin playing even before the bell rings in the morning and continue with their play-work until

“PLAY IS DOING THE STUFF YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO DO.” - BRAX, AGED 5 lunchtime each day. Walking through The Hub on an average morning you will likely see students building blanket forts and marble runs, role-playing mums and dads, doctors or police officers, building with blocks and lego, drawing and painting, hammering and

see is that every child will be deeply engaged in their learning and happy.

As Brax, age 5 puts it, “Play is doing the stuff you actually WANT to do.”

Shelly Fitness, principal at St Patrick’s, believes it is this element of choice that has made a big difference for her new entrant students. “Our kids can’t wait to get to school each morning. They love it here!”

Paula Carr, Team Leader of The Hub, says that she has also noticed how happy the students are, “When they start school they already know how to play because this has been the main focus of their preschool experiences and it’s just such a natural part of the age and stage they are at. They get to work with others who are interested in similar things. By observing the play, we see lots of cooperation, sharing, negotiating and problem solving.

Without time to play our kids would be missing out on so much.”

Play has now also become a key part of the school’s Religious Education programme with three of the teachers training as Godly Play facilitators last year. Godly Play is a worldwide movement, created by Jerome Berryman, based on Montesorri ideals, through which children encounter and “play” with biblical stories and concepts.

‘CHILDLIKE’ BUT SPIRITUAL WAY OF COMMUNICATING THE BIBLE STORIES. Gabrielle Balemi, Director of Religious Studies, says, “As a teacher telling the stories, Godly Play is a ‘childlike’ but spiritual way of communicating the Bible stories. Because the stories are told in a visual, kinesthetic and oral way, it seems to make them come more alive for children.” After the story the children are actively encouraged to play with the story parts and to express their particular spirituality in their own play forum. Gabrielle says, “Each time I’ve told a Godly Play story the kids appear more engaged and even fascinated by the telling. Godly Play seems to me to be a more thoughtful and personal way of feeding children’s spirituality.”

Shelly Fitness would love to see Godly Play introduced into more Catholic schools. “We would never have known about Godly Play if our parish priest had not stumbled across it on the internet and encouraged us to find out more. It’s the kind of thing you really have to experience to understand. Any teachers are very welcome to come to one of our Godly Play sessions at any time.”

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Catholic Diocese of Hamilton F: @Catholic Diocese of Hamilton E: kete@cdh.org.nz Chanel Centre 51 Grey Street PO BOX 4353, Hamilton East, Hamilton 3216