“The future of the Church is in good hands,” Kitty McKinley, founder of Challenge 2000, says. McKinley is the founder of Challenge 2000, a youth development organisation based in Johnsonville, Wellington. On ANZAC weekend Challenge staff, volunteers, gap students and locals produced moving performances that recognised and remembered those who gave their lives and fought for Read more
Eight people who took part in the 2014 Challenge Marist Gap Year graduated in a ceremony that took place at St Joseph’s Church in Mount Victoria in Wellington last Sunday. The event was attended by the Gap year students’ families and friends as well as representatives and friends of Challenge 2000 and the Society of Mary. Each Read more
I arrived at Challenge 2000 in Johnsonville, a night with friends in a cosy cardboard box beneath a starlit sky was too good to pass by. The Wellington wind had fled; stillness paired with the embers crackling, huddled closer, marshmallows devoured in flame as stories swept us elsewhere and nothing mattered anymore save each other, Read more
The 2013 Challenge-Marist gap-year students graduated on Sunday 1 December in a ceremony held at St Joseph’s Church in Wellington, New Zealand. Parents, friends and former gap-year students listen as each of the 8 “Gappies” described the challenges they had faced and related the lessons learned in the course of the year. They spoke enthusiastically Read more
On Wednesday afternoon, 8 Marist Challenge 2000 Gap year students who have recently returned from their month-long pastoral placements, reported back to their friend and colleagues gathered at Pa Maria in Wellington. This year the ‘Gappies’ went to a variety of placements around New Zealand and overseas. They were sent to the far north of Aotearoa New Read more
Some of the staff of Challenge 2000, a youth development agency, are excited by the election of Pope Francis because he is a man who has a proven track record of serving the poor and working for social transformation. “At a time where the world is struggling with many issues it is heartening to hear of the example Read more
On Monday eight gap year students began their course with a powhiri at Challenge 2000 in Johnsonville, Wellington. Challenge 2000 says the Gap Year programme helps prepare people for future employment, or tertiary study. All the participants will have an opportunity to develop all the elements that are required for a positive, successful and balanced Read more
Six young people who completed a Gap Year programme in Wellington received their certificates at a graduation ceremony on Sunday. The participants are all people who have recently left College and are about to take their next step – work, study, or university. This year they came from from Auckland, New Plymouth, Waipukurau, Wainuiomata and Read more
If there was one theme that permeated the National Catholic Conference for Youth and Young Adult Ministers (13-16 November) it was unity. It was expressed in the Gospel about sharing talents, in Bishop Peter Cullinane’s message that discipleship is possible only if we are united by Christ, and in keynotes addressing Christian unity and the Read more
Former St Patrick’s College Wellington rector, Gerard Tully is the new rector at St Patrick’s College Silverstream. The decision was described as “straightforward” by Board of Trustees Chairperson, Denis Boyle. The board viewed Gerard Tully as an extraordinarily well-credentialed person who will bring a wealth of experience to the College. “Most importantly he embodies the Marist charism Read more