A NEW BIRTH In a few days we start our four-week Advent journey to Christmas when once again we will celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace. Wouldn’t peace be a great gift to give this Christmas? That is, of course, God’s gift to us, the Prince of Peace. Our country and our world certainly needs peace. For quite a long time I have been preaching about the divisions in our society and the intolerance that is growing. As I reflect on the Prince of Peace I see it in his story too. 01
BISHOP STEVE LOWE | DIOCESE OF HAMILTON, NEW ZEALAND
As he started to speak, as he began his ministry there were some who started questioning in their minds. Then they started speaking behind his back and trying to trap him with their questioning. And this continued to grow until the crowd grew to an incited mob who demanded, “Crucify him.” As he was being crucified, having been beaten, spat upon, whipped and crowned with thorns, he said “Father, forgive them, they know not what they are doing.” He was the Prince of Peace to the end. Notice how it starts with thoughts, progresses to words and then disintegrates into actions of violence and hate. That’s how the evil one works. He always sows seeds of dissension and division that work best when there is rumour or false prophets. He also encourages us to lose sight of the other, to demonise and to even hate. He certainly must love social media. I really feel for Pope Francis and for the prime minister how they are portrayed by many in our world and country. They never say or do anything that is going to please everyone all the time but there are a lot of people who expect that and when they fail, watch out. I know I certainly get a few
letters that I would never dream of writing to anyone, letters from people who have lost sight of basic human respect or courtesy let alone Christian charity. Please don’t get me wrong, I certainly don’t get everything right. In this complex age and world, I struggle to find my way through and to know what the right thing is to say or do. And please don’t think I’m writing this so people feel sorry for me. No, my purpose in writing this is to bring this issue into the light. Because works of darkness lose their power in the light. God’s gift to us this Christmas is the Prince of Peace. And if we want his peace to reign in our world then it has to reign in our minds and hearts. It has to reign in our thoughts and words, in what we do and what we refrain from doing. Because if Christ is the Prince of Peace, and I totally believe he is, then we must pray with St Francis of Assisi:
Lord make me an instrument of your peace Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy. O divine master grant that I may Not so much seek to be consoled as to console To be understood, as to understand. To be loved, as to love. For it’s in giving that we receive And it’s in pardoning that we are pardoned And it’s in dying that we are born... To eternal life. May the Prince of Peace be born anew in you and in our land this Christmas.
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Contents NOV 2021 - JAN 2022 PUBLISHER: Bishop Steve Lowe Diocese of Hamilton, New Zealand EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & ADVERTISING: Brigid Conroy EDITOR: Samuel Harris samuelh@cdh.org.nz LAYOUT, DESIGN, FRONT & BACK COVER IMAGES: Taila Burton-Gollop WEBSITE:
01
LETTER FROM BISHOP STEVE
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SERVICE HONOURED: SHIRLEY PAGE
04
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
Cynthia Piper
04 QUIZ
19
NEW DEACON FOR HAMILTON: ADAM KIRKEBY
FEATURES
Michael Otto
21
LIFE TEEN RETREAT
05
LOVE IN THE DWELLING
Juanita Raman
Fr Carl Telford, SM
07
23 LOVING THE POOR AND STAYING OPTIMISTIC DURING A MARGINALISED: TOUGH SEASON BL. SANDRA SABATTINI
Prepare/Enrich
Hannah Brockhaus
NEWS
25
SAINTS AND SOLEMNITIES
ketekorero.cdh.nz EMAIL:
kete@cdh.org.nz
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THE SYNOD ON SYNODALITY
11
COMMON GOOD
POSTAL ADDRESS: PO Box 4353 Hamilton East 3247
Betty-Ann Kemp and Chris Grace
ISSN 2357-2221
14 CATHOLIC SCHOOLS DAY IN ROTORUA
PHONE: 07 856 6989
03
Bernadette Hall
15
COMMISSION FOR JUSTICE, PEACE AND AROHA
David Colquhoun
ARTS AND CULTURE 26
A STORY OF THE FIRST CHRISTMAS: TV REVIEW
Brigid Conroy
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KIDS’ PAGE
EDITOR’S DESK
A huge thank you to those who contribute to Kete Kōrero we simply couldn’t put this magazine together without your willingness to be involved.
A slimmed-down digital edition of the magazine this month, due to pandemic restrictions: it’s tricky to put a magazine together when the team is working from home. In this issue Fr Carl Telford reminds us of the humility and simplicity at the heart of the Christmas story, and there are items about diocesan organisations, marriage, ordination and the current synod. Don’t forget that many pieces from the magazine are published as separate, shareable articles (email them to a friend or share on your social media) on our pages on the diocesan website at ketekorero.cdh.nz
To finish, as we head into Advent and Christmas, here are some words from Pope Francis, from his Christmas Day homily two years ago:
Can we suggest a visit to tinyurl.com/KeteXtmas which is the issue from last November: we think the feature articles in there from last Advent are worth re-reading. We welcome Taila Burton-Gollop to the team as our new art director responsible for layout and design. She’s hit the ground running: you might have seen her excellent work already in our bonus issue in September about schools and education (available online). Kete Kōrero is a member of two professional bodies Australasian Religious Press Association (ARPA) and Australasian Catholic Press Association (ACPA). Both these organisations recently held AGMs and awards nights, and we were pleased and proud to pick up some awards. The ACPA judges gave us a runner up award in the “Best Content: Education” category for Shelly Fitness’ article Godly Play in the May 2020 issue and Carmela Nepomuceno was awarded runner up in “Best Original Artwork” for her illustration of Bl. Carlo Acutis from November 2020. ARPA gave us a silver award in “Best Original Photograph” for Chad Fernando’s shot in November 2020’s issue, and, the one we’re particularly proud of, a bronze for “Best Regional Publication” - an award selected from entries from publications outside major centres in Australia and New Zealand. 04
“Today is the right day to draw near to the tabernacle, the creche, the manger, and to say thank you. Let us receive the gift that is Jesus, in order then to become gift like Jesus. To become gift is to give meaning to life. And it is the best way to change the world: we change, the Church changes, history changes, once we stop trying to change others but try to change ourselves and to make of our life a gift. Jesus shows this to us tonight.... Dear brother, dear sister, if your hands seem empty, if you think your heart is poor in love, this night is for you. The grace of God has appeared, to shine forth in your life. Accept it and the light of Christmas will shine forth in you.”
QUIZ 1. What links these three names: Jorge, Karol, Josef? 2. While praying the Rosary, what prayer is traditionally said while holding the crucifix? 3. St Clare of Assisi is the patron saint of what? a) music b) television c) weather d) horses 4. Does Matthew’s gospel tell us how many magi visited Jesus after his birth? 5. How many stars appear on Bishop Steve Lowe’s coat of arms? a) 6 b) 5 c) 4 6. What is significant about the main doorway in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem? 7. How many huhu grubs appear in the Kiwi version of The Twelve Days of Christmas? 8. In the Christmas carol Hark! the Herald Angels Sing, what does the Sun of Righteousness bring? 9. In which country did the tradition of decorating trees at Christmas begin? 10. Which tree is often referred to as the New Zealand Christmas tree? Answers on page 14.
FEATURE
LOVE IN THE DWELLING
BY FR CARL TELFORD, SM
Surely we cannot be thinking about Christmas already! But yes, hopefully we will gather with family soon to celebrate the birth of the Lord. And what a year it has been! Sometimes times of trial make us revisit spiritual wisdom and rediscover the truth. God’s ways are mysterious. Perhaps the first truth to reflect on is that the first Christmas was not what Mary and Joseph wanted it to be. They had to introduce their newborn son with no room in the inn but instead into a smelly stable. In poverty the Lord was born. What does that teach us? As we ponder the message of the stable we are reminded that it is not the dwelling or externals but the love in 05
the dwelling that matters. As we watch another home improvement show, beware. As we renovate our homes, first remember the call to renovate our hearts. There was never more love surrounding the Lord than in that Bethlehem stable.The eyes of Mary and Joseph were on the newborn. We can always begin this day to walk in the way of love. So as we get ready for Christmas let us ask the Lord for more loving hearts. The second truth is that the Lord’s work is never done with noise and loud attention-seeking behaviour. The Lord always comes in peace and gentleness: in a hidden cave outside Jerusalem the Saviour was born. You will not find
IMAGE BY WWW.SALTANDGOLDSTORE.COM | @SALTANDGOLDCOLLECTION
which becomes a tree or like the yeast that changes the flour. Jesus prefers humble things and humble people. We also know he does not use the proud. The history of the Catholic faith coming to New Zealand is a story of a long delay due to Napoleon and the imprisonment of the pope. These were events outside the Church’s control. So when the Catholic missionaries finally came the missionaries from other church communities had been here for years. Yet God gave the increase. The best present we - the humble, the few, the weak and the small - give each other is a loving attentive heart: sometimes easier said than done. Hence the grace of Advent and Christmas to change our hearts and give us peace as, longing for a saviour, we reflect on the story of salvation in the midst of our lives.
the birth of the Lord as primetime news. The noise of life can exclude the necessary contemplative heart. Surely we can all say, ”If only I had listened more!” The holy season of Advent stops us and helps us to listen and ponder more. Third, God always uses the weak to confound the strong. Part of the mystery of God’s plan is that he prefers to use the minority, the little ones. In many ways this is a time of diminishment of the public image of the Church. We do not have the numbers or the strength. But Jesus is the man of few numbers, as Cardinal van Thuan says. Moses confounded the power of Pharaoh, Judith defeated Holofernes, Gideon overcame the Philistines, St Catherine of Siena helped bring the pope back from Avignon to Rome. The history of the Church is full of examples of little ones doing great things for God. One of the miracles for the canonisation of St Thérèse happens far from Lisieux. It happened that a priest had been waiting in vain for years for converts. He prayed to her and asked for her intercession and there was the sudden arrival of Inuit people seeking catechesis and the real beginning of the mission. Fourth, Jesus is the man who prefers the few. Remember the story of the abundant feeding of the five thousand. From five loaves and two fish came a feast. Jesus looks out for little people: the Samaritan woman, Zacchaeus, the pagan Syro-Phoenican woman, the adulteress to give a few examples. We do not find him in a palace. He teaches that the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed PHOTO FROM PEXELS
@CATHOLICDIOCESEOFHAMILTON | CDH.ORG.NZ
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FEATURE
STAYING OPTIMISTIC DURING A TOUGH SEASON Prepare/Enrich is the marriage preparation programme offered in our diocese: this article is from their blog. Find out more at cdh.org.nz/marriage What is a tough season? Well, that’s going to be different for everyone. It could be the years when your children are young and you aren’t feeling connected. It could be a period of time when you’re struggling financially or facing career uncertainty. It might be a phase in which roles feel out of balance or your family is going through a transition. While the circumstances are all unique, the common thread is that when you’re in the thick of it, it feels hard. It’s easy to get discouraged, and you might begin to question how you’re going to make it through. Here are some tips for staying optimistic during a tough season. 07
UNDERSTAND THAT IT ISN’T PERMANENT It might feel like it will be this way forever; chances are, it won’t be. Even if some aspects of the situation are here to stay (at least for the foreseeable future), that doesn’t mean that every aspect of it is. For example, if you just moved to a new city away from all of your family and friends, you’re probably going to feel out of your element for a while. Gradually, however, you’ll meet people and form new connections, carving out a life together in your new city and home.
VALIDATE EACH OTHER’S STRUGGLES You might share the same struggles, or they might be very different. Talk them out with each other, and validate them, even if you’re not experiencing the same things yourself. Maybe you’re going through a really stressful period at work and feeling guilty about working such long hours. Maybe your spouse is feeling burnt out from handling the bulk of the household and parenting responsibilities. It can help just to know that your spouse is in your corner and recognises what you’re going through – and that you’re going through it together.
RECONFIRM YOUR VALUES AND PRIORITIES
SET SMALL GOALS TO PROPEL YOU FORWARD
If you stay true to your values and are aligned on what’s most important, then you have a roadmap to guide you when things feel especially difficult or uncertain. For example, if you rely on your faith during hard times and your main priority is doing what’s best for your family, keeping this front and centre can help you maintain perspective while also strengthening your bond through a shared purpose.
Even if you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, it can feel pretty far away. That in itself can be discouraging. So instead of focusing on that giant leap, set up winnable, incremental goals or markers to keep you going. Maybe you’re living with your in-laws as you save up to purchase your first home. You’ve both been working long hours, and it’s been hard on your relationship. Create smaller savings goals as you work towards the greater amount (maybe even make one of those fundraising charts you fill in), so that you are able to see and feel your progress. Even if your end goal isn’t as tangible as saving a specific dollar amount, you can still celebrate milestones (all kids out of nappies!) or create checkpoints to reflect on your journey (first year of med school complete!) All couples go through tough seasons – you are not alone! Whether it’s directly related to your relationship, the life stage you’re in, taxing circumstances, or any combination of these factors, it’s easy to feel discouraged. It’s normal to have periods of time that feel like a struggle. Maintaining a sense of optimism is key to getting through these times with your relationship intact. It helps you and your spouse keep the bigger picture in focus, while providing opportunities to stay connected to each other. Originally published at prepare-enrich.com September 22 2021. Reprinted with permission.
If, after reading this article, you feel the need for some support in making your marriage the best it can be, the diocese has a list of marriage counsellors we can recommend. Email brigidc@cdh. org.nz for more information. PHOTOS BY UNSPLASH
@CATHOLICDIOCESEOFHAMILTON | CDH.ORG.NZ
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NEWS
POPE FRANCIS IS CALLING THE ENTIRE CHURCH TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SYNOD ON SYNODALITY. What is a synod? What does synodality mean and why should I be involved?
WHAT IS A SYNOD? WHAT DOES SYNODALITY MEAN? The word “synodality” means “walking together.” Pope Francis is inviting us to reflect together, with guidance from the Holy Spirit, on what this walking together looks like for the Catholic Church and each one of us as members of the Body of Christ. Learn more about synodality and what it is by walking through the preparatory document with Bishop Steve, in a mini-series of five short videos available on our synod website synod.cdh.nz
WHAT IS THE AIM OF THIS SYNOD? The big questions that the synod is trying to answer are: A synodal Church, in announcing the Gospel, “journeys together.” How is this “journeying together” happening today in your local Church? What steps does the Spirit invite us to take in order to grow in our “journeying together”? In plain words: How do Catholics “journey together”? How might we do it better? So, Pope Francis is telling us that we all need to get better at listening - to the Holy Spirit and also to each other, recognising that we are all temples of the Holy Spirit. He is asking that we be not afraid to share with one another, our own journeys as members of the church, seeking understanding and to be a Church that goes out. 09
“On the synodal journey, the most important thing is the process, because it is already the result.”
- Monsignor Luis Marín de san Ma r t ín
HOW IS THE SYNOD TAKING PLACE LOCALLY? HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED? Here in the Diocese of Hamilton, New Zealand, the opening Mass for the synod was celebrated by Bishop Steve Lowe on Sunday October 17 via a livestream (due to alert level restrictions). Now the synod is open, all the faithful (clergy and laypeople) are invited to get involved and participate! In our diocese, the main way for people to contribute is via small groups physically and online to discuss and discern key themes highlighted by the synod. These small groups will be the main way for people to learn how to be more synodal, to listen to each other, to walk with one another. Registrations have now closed for 2021 and small groups are taking place throughout the month of November. So have you missed out? No! The diocesan phase has been extended until August 2022. So watch this space for a second round of small groups in the first half of 2022. The other ways to take part in the synod over the next few months are to contribute via our online response tool and to pray for the fruits of the synod. • Respond via our online response tool - if you are currently unable to participate in the group sessions, we still want to hear from you! This is available from Monday November 8. • Pray - use the synod prayer on this page to pray for the synod, asking the Holy Spirit to pour out grace upon the Church, all the People of God.
WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE? Visit synod.cdh.nz to learn more, to participate and to journey with us as we become a Church that walks together and listens to each other on the journey to becoming a Church that better companions others to encounter the love and mercy of Christ. @CATHOLICDIOCESEOFHAMILTON | CDH.ORG.NZ
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NEWS
COMMON GOOD BY BETTY-ANN KAMP AND CHRIS GRACE
The Common Good Foundation has been focused on helping numerous families and communities in need throughout the Hamilton Diocese over the past year. Various organisations and groups have partnered with Common Good and used our grants to make a difference to the people they work with. Following is a brief account of how some of those people’s lives were transformed through your support of Common Good. Waikato Family Centre Trust helped young mothers suffering from anxiety and depression after the birth of a child. The Graeme Dingle Foundation worked with young children in low-decile schools teaching them resilience and 11
PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY COMMON GOOD FOUNDATION
Above: Hot meals were provided in takeaway cartons to the needy during alert level 2.
general life skills through the Kiwi Can program. Parenting Place delivered a program in both Aquinas and John Paul Colleges covering relationships, dealing with the influence of alcohol and drugs and improving mental health and overall wellbeing amongst adolescents. Zeal, Te Tamawai Trust and Waikato Youth Empowerment Trust all worked alongside disenfranchised youth, mentoring them and helping them manage relationships. They offered feedback that one young person who came from very humble beginnings made enormous strides in breaking the crime and poverty cycle that was prevalent in their upbringing – a really positive outcome.
During lockdown foodbank stocks move quickly from shelves at the Hamilton Combined Christian Foodbank.
Common Good also supported Catholic Family Support Services (CFSS) who reach out to struggling families in both the Hamilton and Tauranga areas. CFSS provides a comprehensive suite of wrap-around services, including budgeting, food preparation and advocacy work. CFSS worked closely with the Hamilton Christian Foodbank to supply much needed food parcels during the Covid lockdowns – funded in part by Common Good. We supported the Raglan Foodbank which also came under immense demand. St Vincent de Paul in Hamilton received our support to increase the number of hot meals they could provide to the needy. Similarly, St Vincent de Paul Thermal Lands received a grant to supply 350 lunches per week to Rotorua schools and kindergartens which did not qualify for the free lunch programme offered by the Government. Common Good also partnered with Sunshine Services in Gisborne to assist the elderly and disabled by offering a transportation service to allow them to attend appointments and worship throughout the week. We also gave a grant to enable a Prison Chaplaincy service offering pastoral support and counsel to the imprisoned. We received feedback that the chaplain’s dedication led a number of inmates to deeply reflect on their spirituality and the direction they would like to take in order to “break the cycle.”
Mothering support at Waikato Family Centre. @CATHOLICDIOCESEOFHAMILTON | CDH.ORG.NZ
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Common Good also assisted the Waikato Refugee Whanau Reunification Trust in their support of the family of an Afghan interpreter who despite being granted visas, were unable to leave Afghanistan because of Covid restrictions. The family were eventually evacuated by NZDF in August but left with just the clothes they were wearing. All of these people, from the very youngest to the oldest, from the newest residents to those who have found themselves incarcerated, found hope and comfort through those supported by Common Good. Through your financial support we made a huge difference in their lives and the lives of their children and extended families. The power of compassion proves that when people care, change is more than possible. Change is what Common Good delivered and we are extremely grateful to all of you who have allowed us to do that. Our thanks also extends to our funding partner, the Tindall Foundation, for their generous financial contribution to our work. Our outreach has only been possible through the generosity of countless donors and supporters throughout the Hamilton Diocese. Collectively we have been the bridge between those who have the greatest need and those who can help. Thank you all. Check out more stories at: www.commongood.org.nz/ support-others/stories
An attentive class at Huntly West School absorbing the values and life skills education being presented.
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PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY COMMON GOOD FOUNDATION
Older clients in the Gisborne region are being transported by Sunshine Services to attend events and appointments.
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS DAY BY BERNADETTE HALL St Mary’s Primary School, Rotorua, celebrated Catholic Schools Day, as did many schools around the country, with a variety of co-operative fun activities and learning about our faith story. Our day began with karakia and waiata followed by collaborative activities. Classes also tuned into Bishop Steve’s livestreamed Mass. Students spent time learning more about the history of some of our Catholic missionaries - Bishop Pompallier, the Mill Hill Fathers and St Mary MacKillop. Classes wrote letters of thanks to those in our school community who help us in different ways and especially to those who guide us in our Catholic faith journey, our priests. It was a great occasion to learn more about what makes a Catholic school special and how as a Catholic community we are all connected.
Bishop Steve celebrating Mass with help from some students. PHOTOS BY MICHELLE MCINTYRE
St Mary’s students enjoying the games of the day.
QUIZ ANSWERS 1. They are the baptismal names of the last three popes 2. The Apostles’ Creed 3. b) television - “It’s said that one Christmas Eve, Clare was too sick to attend Mass and was overcome with emotion at being bedridden. The Holy Spirit came to her rescue, however, and projected the images and sounds of Mass on the wall of her room, in order to allow Clare to be ‘present’ to the Mass.” - aleteia.org Naming Clare as the patron of tv in 1957 Pope Pius XII said, “This wonderful instrument - as everyone knows ... - can be the source of very great wealth, but also of deep troubles.” 4. No, but the description of the three gifts has led to the widelyheld idea that there were “three wise men” bringing the gifts. 5. c) 4 6. It’s very low: just over four feet. This was to make the entrance easy to defend in times of conflict: no one could ride in on horseback. The effect of this now is that pilgrims entering the church have no choice but to bow low to get through: hence the nickname “the door of humility.” 7. Four 8. Light and life to all: “Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! / Hail the Sun of Righteousness! / Light and life to all he brings, / Risen with healing in his wings.” This verse is an adaptation of Malachi 4.2. 9. Germany 10. The pōhutukawa
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COMMISSION FOR JUSTICE, PEACE AND AROHA FOR THE HAMILTON CATHOLIC DIOCESE
NGĀ MĀNGAI MĀ TE TIKA, MĀ TE RANGIMARIE, ME TE AROHA BY DAVID COLQUHOUN Early this year, Bishop Steve appointed the members of Ngā Māngai mā te Tika, mā te Rangimarie, me te Aroha, Commission for Justice, Peace and Aroha for the Hamilton Catholic Diocese.
WE SERVE THE DIOCESE BY: • Studying Catholic Social Teaching (CST) and working to make CST widely known and implemented in social, economic, and political spheres. • Applying CST to relevant issues and working for integral human development through education, advocacy, and action.
OUR MANDATE INCLUDES: • Researching issues and conditions to do with social justice, both within our diocese and throughout New Zealand. • Preparing submissions on bills currently before parliament. • Providing information as needed to the bishop. • Making public statements, approved by the bishop, following consideration of particular social justice, peace, development, and ecological issues.
THE PRINCIPLES OF CST THAT GUIDE US ARE: • Human Dignity - every person is created in the image of God and has inalienable rights. • Respect for Human Life - at every stage of life every human being is worthy of protection and respect. • Human Equality - which comes from our inherent human dignity • Solidarity - we are all part of one human global family. • The Common Good - social conditions must allow all 15
• • • • •
people to realise their human dignity and reach their full potential. Subsidiarity - problems and issues must be resolved at the “lowest level.” Stewardship - responsibility to care for the gifts we received from God, and for God’s creation. Association - we are social beings who reach our fulfilment in association with others, especially within the family. Participation - all people have the right to participate fully in society. Universal Destination of Goods - the earth and all it produces is for the benefit of all.
We already had links with Caritas, and support both the Caritas Lenten programme and the Social Justice Week in September, and also with the Nathaniel Centre, working with them on Support Life Sunday.
SUBMISSIONS MADE BY THE COMMISSION THIS YEAR INCLUDE: Hamilton City Council re the establishment of Māori Wards. • We supported this proposal, and stated our hope that full partnership between Maori and Tauiwi (Pakeha, etc) will follow. Contraception Sterilisation and Abortion (Safe Areas) Amendment Bill. • We opposed the proposed limitations on the freedom of people, including the freedom of association. We referred to the Bill of Rights, and emphasised the innate dignity of every human being, including the unborn.
Department of Justice Proposal on the Incitement of Hatred and Discrimination in Aotearoa New Zealand. • We believe the purpose of this bill is positive, but we had reservations over the definition and use of certain terms, and how the law may be applied. “While we recognise the necessity for the state to legislate, we agree with the United Nations declaration that human rights depend on a belief that the ultimate authority for human rights exists outside the power of the state.” Justice Select Committee on the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill. • We emphasised Catholic Church teaching against coercion. We expressed reservations about a number of aspects of the bill, including the vagueness of terminology used, the possible undermining of parental responsibilities, the prospect that genuine and legitimate expressions of opinion may be affected, and that the bill, in emphasising the changing of gender as normative, is anti-heterosexual. Among the duties of the commission is forming links with parishes, by encouraging the formation of social justice groups and/or social justice animators in each parish. Social justice groups currently exist in the Rotorua and Morrinsville/Te Aroha/Paeroa parishes.
IF ANYONE WISHES TO BE INVOLVED OR TO HELP FORM SOCIAL JUSTICE GROUPS IN YOUR COLLEGIAL AREAS, YOU ARE VERY WELCOME TO CONTACT US. David Colquhoun, Chairman - Te Aroha • Phone - 07 884 8408 • Mobile - 027 884 8408 • Email - dave.colquhoun@ctra.co.nz Bev Simpkins, Deputy Chair - Rotorua Robert Garan, Secretary - Hamilton - CDH Fr Joe Stack, Chaplain - Te Awamutu Renee Rewi - Catholic Family Support Services - Hamilton Shona Woodhead - Tauranga Paula Robb - Rotorua Glenn Clunie - Taupo Mike O’Loughlin - Whakatane Cynthia Piper - Matamata Maggie Gribble - Paeroa Dolores Edge - Mount Maunganui
@CATHOLICDIOCESEOFHAMILTON | CDH.ORG.NZ
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NEWS
SERVICE HONOURED
NEARLY FORTY YEARS OF SERVICE IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH WAS HONOURED ON 8 AUGUST WHEN SHIRLEY PAGE RECEIVED THE BENEMERENTI MEDAL FROM BISHOP STEVE LOWE BY CYNTHIA PIPER The papal award was a complete surprise for Shirley who wondered why Bishop Steve and Fr Richard Laurenson turned up at her daughter’s home where Shirley was celebrating her ninetieth birthday. Shirley was heard to ask, “What’s he [the bishop] doing here?”
Shirley cutting her birthday cake.
Shirley was born, went to school, married, and raised her children in Hamilton. She is a life member of Rotary, was very active on the St Peter Chanel Catholic School Parent Teacher Association and served on the local kindergarten committee. Shirley is a member of the Art Society and the Hamilton Patchwork Guild. Initially employed by her parish priest to keep the parish books in 1979, Shirley became the notary and record keeper for the diocesan marriage tribunal when Monsignor Duggan became the judicial vicar of the tribunal in the diocese. As the notary and record keeper Shirley liaised with auditors and applicants and kept pre-nuptial records. She worked in the tribunal office until she retired in December 2020 aged 89. Shirley’s knowledge of tribunal procedures, her 17
PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY CYNTHIA PIPER
understanding of the many situations in which people find themselves and her ability to lend a sympathetic and encouraging ear is a great loss to the Hamilton and New Zealand Marriage Tribunal. Reflecting on this very special role Shirley said that although the procedure in the marriage tribunal is the same, more recent changes mean the process is not quite as rigid as it once was. When cases were sent to Australia for judgment the process took a great deal longer. Now cases can be judged in New Zealand. Improvements in technology also made contacting people and recording and transcribing information a great deal easier. Shirley’s experience and understanding of the situations in which people find themselves helped when encouraging people to go through the process. Those wanting to examine their marriages can go through a priest, but they can also approach the tribunal office directly. They often needed encouragement “because it is very traumatic to suddenly tell their story … it seemed to be my job to sort of encourage them and suggest they take a step back and just take it step by step. The biggest hurdle is the first interview because that is naturally hard. You are going over your life history and that can be quite traumatic. But once people get that over it can be quite therapeutic. I remember one woman who said she had a stiff whisky before she came. Most people have never really considered why things went wrong but after discussing their marriage they quite often go away relieved.” Even though some cases can be complicated and difficult this important process makes such a big difference to so many other people’s lives by having someone actually listen to the whole story of the marriage which helps them to move on. For nearly forty years Shirley gently advised
Shirley with Bishop Steve, Fr Richard and her children.
and guided people through the marriage tribunal process, listened to their stories, and shared their joy when they were able to subsequently marry in the Church. It was indeed a job very well done. Established in the eighteenth century the Benemerenti Medal is a papal honour originally awarded to soldiers in the papal army. Since 1925 it has been awarded as a mark of recognition to people in service of the Church, civil and military, lay and clergy alike.
Shirley’s official certificate and Benemerenti Medal. @CATHOLICDIOCESEOFHAMILTON | CDH.ORG.NZ
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NEW DEACON FOR HAMILTON DIOCESE BY MICHAEL OTTO
The ordinations to the diaconate of Deacons Alfred Tong, Adam Kirkeby and Monty Bamford took place under different circumstances from what was originally planned, but this was seen as symbolically appropriate for their future ministry. Originally, the three were to be ordained as transitional deacons in Auckland on September 18, but that was not possible, because of Covid-19 restrictions. Instead, they were ordained a fortnight later at St Mary’s 19
Archbishop Paul Martin with new deacons Alfred Tong, Adam Kirkeby and Monty Bamford.
Pro-Cathedral in Christchurch, with only 100 people present under alert level 2, instead of being in a packed church, which it would have been under alert level 1. Deacon Tong is for Wellington archdiocese, Deacon Kirkeby is for Hamilton diocese, and Deacon Bamford is for Christchurch diocese.
PHOTOS BY PETER FLEMING | CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH
Archbishop Paul Martin, SM, who had been scheduled to preside in Auckland, told the Christchurch congregation and those watching on a live-stream that “these ordinations today are taking place in a more humble setting, but in a strange way, it is an appropriate symbol of what we are called to be our whole lives as ministers. Because it is not about us, but about God”.
deacons make which are different from others of God’s people”.
Archbishop Martin said that, all going well, the three will be ordained as priests at some point in the future. However, “the order of deacon is a fundamental nature that will sit with them for the rest of their lives, and hopefully shape how they think and how they act”.
The second commitment is to living a celibate life.
Archbishop Martin reflected on aspects of the ministry of deacon, including service, charity and proclaiming the Word.
“These men who are ordained today are committing themselves to being celibate for the sake of the Kingdom of God. Why do they do this? Because, in choosing this life, they are making their primary relationship in life that of [being] one with Christ. He is the exclusive and primary focus of their energy and love. It is the choosing of a way of life which allows the deacon to be free for the Gospel, to go where he is needed, to be able to respond with full attention to the needs of his brothers and sisters. It also allows him to be able to love charitably all God’s people.
“The deacon is to be a man who prays on behalf of his brothers and sisters to God.” There is a promise to pray the divine office of the Church, carrying out a ministry of prayer for God’s people.
“Much is talked today about the demands of celibacy, but not enough is said of the great gifts that it brings,” Archbishop Martin said.
“It is a calling that creates a heart for others, to see where the need is, to do all that is possible to ensure that those needs are met. We see that call in the Gospel of Christ – to love one another as I have loved you. The life of the deacon is focused so clearly on this. “This is a ministry in the Church which allows that reality to be honed for this work. For there are so many other distractions which can lead us away from it. But the deacon has the clear calling to make these realities his priority, his way of living . . .”
“It is a consecration to Christ in a special way and, when lived well, embedded in a life of prayer and healthy and loving relationships with God’s people, it is a beautiful expression of God’s deep love for us. We pray today for you men as you embark on this journey for the rest of your lives.”
The archbishop dwelt on “two commitments that these
Archbishop Martin encouraged the three he was about to ordain to “really make the most of this time of being a deacon, because it is the foundation of your life of service. Take the time to thank God for this state, and to really embrace all it means in these coming months”. The archbishop also counselled them to “keep looking for the signs that God will give you through the people whom you will serve”. Originally published October 18 2021 by NZ Catholic. Reprinted with permission.
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PHOTOS BY PETER FLEMING | CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH
The three candidates are called forth. 20
LIFE TEEN RETREAT
BY JUANITA RAMAN Pope Francis calls us to unite with Christ and be the living stones that build up our Church. But to be living stones, we need to be strong in our faith. We need to be curious enough to ask these tough questions, but also courageous enough to uncover the answers. The “Search” retreat, October 2 – 4, was a weekend full of questions for twenty-five teens from Life Teen youth group at the Cathedral. Instead of shying away from the big questions that surround our faith, we chose to dive head first into our search and find out more about our Catholic faith. Through asking questions such as what is love, what is happiness, what is my purpose, what is the point of the Church and where is my place in the Church, our teens were encouraged to critically think about the faith that they were raised in and make it their own. Our five sessions, which were structured around these questions, were accompanied by small groups. These groups encouraged us to break our big questions down and make sense of them together. 21
PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY LIFE TEEN HAMILTON
“A TRUE EXPERIENCE OF HEAVEN MEETING EARTH.” “Hood Time” was a highlight for a lot of our teens, giving them the opportunity to meet as a sisterhood or brotherhood to further strengthen their bonds not just socially but also through the power of prayer. The teens prayed over each other, reminding themselves that they are not alone in this faith journey. Singing around the bonfire, a big family Rosary and our talent night were moments where we got to grow in communion together and share our gifts. The teens experienced several beautiful times for the sacrament of reconciliation, Mass and adoration. A true experience of heaven meeting earth. However, nothing bonded us more than finding out that our families were being sent into level 3 while we were having the time of our lives in the Kaimais! By the end of camp we had formed a family unit. Our perfect camp bubble! Over the weekend we got to see the true manifestation of the body of Christ, one where everyone played their role in making the camp experience as fruitful and fun as it was. Us leaders witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit as we saw our teens grow in confidence, friendship, and love of Christ. Although the return from our high energy camp back to level 3 was slightly sombre, we returned with enthusiasm for our faith and a burning desire for more! Please pray for our Life Teen and Edge youth as they continue to journey together in faith.
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LOVING THE POOR AND MARGINALISED: BL. SANDRA SABATTINI BY HANNAH BROCKHAUS The Catholic Church’s newest blessed is Sandra Sabattini, a 22-year-old woman who devoted herself to helping the poor and disabled before she was killed by a passing car in 1984. She was beatified on October 24 in the Cathedral of Rimini in northern Italy. Originally planned for June 2020, the postponed beatification Mass was celebrated by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, the prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints. Sabattini’s holiness consisted of “opening herself up to sharing with the least, placing her whole young earthly existence at the service of God, made up of enthusiasm, simplicity, and great faith,” Semeraro said during the Mass. 23
PHOTOS BY WIKIMEDIA (PUBLIC DOMAIN)
The young woman “gave those who needed it hospitality without judgment, because she wanted to communicate the love of the Lord,” he added. The young medical student had just stepped out of a vehicle on her way to a meeting of the Pope John XXIII Community when she and a friend were hit by a car. She was rushed to a hospital where she spent three days in a coma before dying on May 2, 1984. Three days before the accident, Sabattini had written in her diary: “It’s not mine, this life that is developing, that is beating by a regular breath that is not mine, that is enlivened by a peaceful day that is not mine. There is nothing in this world that is yours.” “Realize, Sandra!” the entry continued. “It is all a gift on
which the ‘Giver’ can intervene when and how he wants. Take care of the gift given to you, make it more beautiful and full for when the time comes.” Sandra Sabattini grew up on the Adriatic coast of Italy. She was baptised the day after her birth, on August 20, 1961. When she was four years old, her family moved to the city of Rimini, to be in the parish run by her uncle, a Catholic priest. She developed a love for the Lord while she was still a young child, and she often carried a single-decade rosary in her small hand. Recalling her when she was seven years old, one camp leader said: “Often I watched her when she entered the chapel alone, with a doll in one hand and a rosary in the other. She knelt in the last pew and bowed her little head. She stayed there a little, then she went out and happily rejoined the group.”
stayed before Jesus in adoration. She loved to pray sitting on the ground, as a sign of humility and poverty.” Besides doing well in school, Sabattini liked to paint, play the piano, and run track. At the age of 12, she met Fr. Oreste Benzi and the group he founded, the Pope John XXIII Community, which emphasizes service to the poorest and weakest of society. Sabattini felt called to join in their activities to help people in need. In 1974, she took part in a trip to the Dolomites, a mountain range in northeastern Italy, where teens accompanied people with disabilities. The time spent in nature and helping those with disabilities left a big impression on Sabattini, who told her mother after the trip: “We broke our backs, but those are people I will never abandon.” Originally published October 15 2021 by Catholic News Agency. Reprinted with permission.
While she was still in elementary school, Sabattini was sometimes found in contemplation before the tabernacle, even in the middle of the night. “She rose early, early in the morning, perhaps in the dark, to meditate alone before the Most Holy Sacrament, before others arrived in the church,” her uncle Fr. Giuseppe Bonini recalled. “The first day of the year, from one to two at night, she
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ARTS AND CULTURE
A STORY OF THE FIRST CHRISTMAS BY BRIGID CONROY I’m a little late to catch on to all the hype around The Chosen series. Season 2 is well underway, and at the time of writing this, I’ve only just finished episode four of Season 1. I’m officially hooked. Despite all the recommendations I was uninterested at first, with an “I’ve seen it all before” attitude, but finally I decided that if they were bothering with a second season there might just be some substance to this new take on the life of Jesus. So where did The Chosen all begin? At Christmas. In 2019, director Dallas Jenkins was originally just wanting to film a Christmas movie for his local church community. However, he then became convicted by the thought that perhaps a wider audience could benefit not only from what he was creating, but from a much larger multi-episode series on the life of Jesus. So Jenkins started a crowdfunding project that quickly raised over USD$10 million to get the first season off the ground. What was the pilot episode that helped attract that level of funding? The Shepherd - A story of the first Christmas. This 30-minute episode walks through the eve of the birth of Christ through the eyes of a young shepherd. This first 25
PHOTO FROM THE SHEPHERD
episode is a fresh reminder that our Lord came to save the least, the last and the lost; that it was some rogue shepherds on the outskirts of Bethlehem who were the first to hear the good news of the birth of the Messiah. To speak both about this episode and more broadly about The Chosen, this isn’t your average cheesy Christian film with bad acting to boot. This isn’t a Mel Gibson The Passion of the Christ remake either. The way in which The Chosen gives flesh to the life of not only our Lord but the friends and characters closest to him is inviting and remarkably relatable. For instance, in the main series Peter is portrayed as an ordinary man - a husband, a brother and a bit of a hothead - who is struggling to pay his taxes and who always seems to find himself in trouble. The last person one might think would be chosen to lead the apostles. This series gives one the ability to “binge-watch Jesus” as Jenkins would say and go more deeply into the life of our Lord. Jenkins employs a clever amount of artistic license into imagining who these characters were while still remaining faithful to the Gospels, enabling viewers to enter into the scene - which is what we are asked to do when
reflecting on scripture ourselves. “If you wish to get close to Our Lord through the pages of the Gospels, I always recommend that you try to enter in on the scene taking part as just one more person there. In this way (and I know many perfectly ordinary people who live this way) you will be captivated like Mary was, who hung on every word that Jesus uttered or, like Martha, you will boldly make your worries known to him, opening your heart sincerely about them all no matter how little they may be” - St Josemaria Escriva, Friends of God. Whether you are an ardent fan or have never even heard of The Chosen I recommend starting with The Shepherd episode, where it all began. The whole series is available to view for free on YouTube, or by downloading The Chosen app. Like the Gospel message itself, this series is suitable for all ages and stages. Highly recommended. The creators of The Chosen have just announced that they will be releasing a 2021 Christmas edition, which will be first released in US cinemas. No word on when it will be available online yet. You can watch the trailer here.
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SAINTS & SOLEMNITIES November 2nd is All Souls Day. Traditionally, Catholics pray all throughout the month for the faithful departed. Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
NOVEMBER 12 - St Josaphat 15 - St Albert the Great 16 - St Margaret of Scotland, St Gertrude 17 - St Elizabeth of Hungary 18 - Dedication of the Basilicas of St Peter and St Paul 21 - Christ the King, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary 22 - St Cecilia 24 - St Andrew Dũng-Lac and Companions 25 - St Catherine of Alexandria 28 - First Sunday of Advent 30 - St Andrew
DECEMBER 3 - St Francis Xavier 4 - St John Damascene 5 - Second Sunday of Advent 6 - St Nicholas 7 - St Ambrose 8 - Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary 9 - St Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin 10 - Our Lady of Loreto 12 - Third Sunday of Advent: Gaudete Sunday 13 - St Lucy 14 - St John of the Cross 19 - Fourth Sunday of Advent 25 - Christmas Day 26 - The Holy Family 27 - St John 28 - The Holy Innocents 27
IMAGE BY TAILA BURTON-GOLLOP
JANUARY 1 - Mary, Mother of God 2 - Epiphany of the Lord 9 - Baptism of the Lord 13 - St Hilary 17 - St Antony 21 - St Agnes 24 - St Francis de Sales 25 - Conversion of St Paul 26 - Sts Timothy and Titus 28 - St Thomas Aquinas 31 - St John Bosco
This is not the full or official liturgical calendar for New Zealand - it’s a list of some highlights, some members of the communion of saints to pray with and be inspired by. There are various resources available online to learn more about particular saints and their feast days, including www.nlo.org.nz
KIDS’ PAGE CHRISTMAS WORDFIND
HELP THE MAGI FOLLOW THE STAR!
ANGEL CHRIST GABRIEL GOSPEL JESUS
PHOTO BY UNSPLASH
JOSEPH MAGI MANGER MARY MESSIAH
NATIVITY PRAYER REJOICE SHEPHERDS STAR
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O KEY OF DAVID, OPENING THE GATES OF GOD’S ETERNAL KINGDOM: COME AND FREE THE PRISONERS OF DARKNESS! O RADIANT DAWN, SPLENDOUR OF ETERNAL LIGHT, SUN OF JUSTICE: COME AND SHINE ON THOSE WHO DWELL IN DARKNESS AND IN THE SHADOW OF DEATH. O KING OF ALL NATIONS AND KEYSTONE OF THE CHURCH: COME AND SAVE MAN, WHOM YOU FORMED FROM THE DUST! O EMMANUEL, OUR KING AND GIVER OF LAW: COME TO SAVE US, LORD OUR GOD!
The Church has been singing the “O antiphons” since at least the eighth century. These antiphons accompany the Magnificat canticle of Evening Prayer in the last week of Advent.
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