Comments on social media also say the Church "actually made excuses not to be included" and it "fought against inclusion".

In a statement on social media, a Catholic communications advisor clarified that the bishops and congregational leaders of the Catholic Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand, formally wrote to the Government in March 2018 asking that the Church be fully included in the Royal Commission.

The full text of the March 2018 letter was published on the NZCBC website

The Royal Commission's final report is expected in March.

Supplied

• NZCBC

Primarily targeting Catholic educators, "Aroha and Diversity in Catholic Schools" is the opposite of so many policies which have harmed students and upset school communities in recent years, Shine comments.

The document clearly shows the bishops' core concern is young people's safety and well-being, not with defending church teaching, he says.

He sees the guideline as exciting "as it provides Catholics worldwide with an opportunity to grow in understanding and to improve pastoral practice."

First, most importantly, the bishops address LGBTQ+ issues primarily through the lens of social justice, Shine says.

"The text stresses repeatedly values like respecting human dignity, advancing solidarity, and promoting the common good.

"At the document's heart is the clear statement, 'How we as a Church treat those members of the LGBTQIA+ community should reflect Catholic social teaching.'"

Shine notes the bishops recognise this commitment to social justice is central for young people.

"Such a social justice-focused approach is different from nearly every other diocesan or national gender policy, which sadly focus instead on upholding orthodoxy and imposing LGBTQ-negative prohibitions."

Second, and linked to the first point, there is a repeated emphasis on the need to end discrimination and curtail bullying, Shine notes.

He says he likes the guideline's practical advice, which includes general principles like:

• "Ensure that school is a safe place - many young people may not feel accepted anywhere else ... school may be their only ... sanctuary."
• "Acceptance of others sets a very ‘low bar' - Catholic schools need to be centres of welcome from all the community. . ."
• "Ensure ... procedures and guidelines on how homophobia, sexism, racism, and other forms of violence are unacceptable and how they are to be addressed ...".

The third point is the role an informed conscience has in handling personal, complex issues like gender and sexuality.

"Catholic schools are called to help form the consciences of the young people in their care, while recognising that parents, caregivers and whanau have a role to play in this area. . ."

Practical suggestions include encouraging staff to educate themselves about LGBTQIA+ people, to develop relevant resources and revise gender-related dress codes. It also provides practical guidelines for young people themselves.

The final section - "Tools for Decision Making" - includes questions on how to hold events or promote resources.

On the minus side, Shine says the document reiterates... a conservative interpretation of church teaching!

"Yet, the document does so in a way that is far more limited than other policy documents on this subject."

Catholic education worldwide can now study the guidelines, he says. By being so focused on localised decision-making, the bishops end up offering universal principles and tools for reflection.

New Ways Ministry has locked horns with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the US bishops for its dissent from Catholic teaching on homosexuality.

Pope Francis, however, has praised its founder in a handwritten letter.

Source

• New Ways Ministry

Cardinal John Dew and Bishop Patrick Dunn identified the option in messages to pastoral leaders and people in their respective dioceses.

"If the Alert Level changes back to Level 1 on Wednesday night, we will look at having the belling and distribution of the ashes at Masses next Sunday", Dew wrote.

Meanwhile, there will be no liturgical events nor parish gatherings in the Archdiocese, including weekday Masses, until the Alert Level changes back to Level 1.

Bishop of Auckland, Patrick Dunn is also looking to the possibility of transferring Ash Wednesday celebrations.

"I need to advise you that all weekday and Ash Wednesday Masses are to be postponed in the Auckland region until at least Thursday", Dunn said on Facebook.

However, he also is not ruling out distributing the Ashes at Sunday Mass.

In contrast, the Coadjutor Archbishop of Wellington and Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Christchurch, Bishop Paul Martin SM is calling on Christchurch Catholics to sacrifice the liturgical celebration of Lent and asks the people of Christchurch to pray for those in Auckland, especially those affected by the latest COVID outbreak.

Given what Ash Wednesday means Martin said it is a source of sadness for people in the diocese to be unable to mark the beginning of Lent in this way.

Despite the short notice, he asks that no Ash Wednesday liturgies take place this year, however, notes that Catholics can still begin a time of fasting, prayer and almsgiving.

He has undertaken to distribute a prayer resource to parishes for use at home. The resource will be available today to anyone who calls into a parish to collect one.

Michael Dooley, Bishop of Dunedin, acknowledges the disruption to the start of Lent but calls on Catholics in the name of the common good to use the denial of Ash Wednesday to draw closer to God.

Dooley says that it is over to the parishes to determine whether there will likely be too many in attendance to meet social distancing requirements and the 100 person limit.

He told Dunedin Catholics that there will be no public gatherings of more than 100 people.

However, in an interesting twist, Dooley noted that although the 100 person restriction obviously means most schools will not be able to join with parishes for Ash Wednesday, they will be able to hold their own school liturgies.

Mindful of the 100 person limit and social distancing, Palmerston North parishes are doing their own thing.

Where possible, due to numbers, some will proceed, while others with larger congregations are either opting not to hold an Ash Wednesday ceremony or will work on a first come first served basis and lock the doors once the 100 person limit has been reached.

Officially the Diocese remains in wait for the announcement of a bishop, however as one parish priest told CathNews today, "We don't need a bishop, we're getting on nicely as we are."

The Bishops met early Monday morning to discuss the latest Covid-19 alert level restrictions and given the limited time between the Prime Minister's announcement and Ash Wednesday decided to respond best they could for each diocese.

Their first concern was the safety of people.

In making their decision the bishops noted the potentially volatile nature of the situation and agreed that if necessary, they will meet again later this week to consider what action is needed pending the further expected Government announcements.

The need to change Ash Wednesday arrangements came about due to the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern's Sunday announcement that from midnight Sunday, Auckland would move to alert level 3 and the rest of New Zealand to alert level 2.

The increase in alert levels follows the diagnosis of a south Auckland, mother, father, and daughter with the UK variant of Covid-19.

The new alert level status remains at least until 11:59pm Wednesday 17 February.

Source

• New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Conference
• Supplied: Archdiocese of Wellington, Diocese of Auckland, Diocese of Christchurch, Diocese of Dunedin, Diocese of Palmerston North.
• Image: Crosswalk.com

Cardinal John Dew, Archbishop of Wellington, is still the apostolic administrator of Palmerston North pending the appointment of a new bishop by Pope Francis. Read more

The worldwide human family recently experienced this belief as we watched with bated breath the heart-warming rescue mission of the Thai boys trapped in a cave. How fitting it was that all the boys, soon after their rescue, went to a monastery for a month's retreat as an act of respect for the one who had sacrificed his life saving theirs.

Respect Life Sunday reminds us that every day is an opportunity to reflect on the insight that life, far from being random or an act of self-determination, is in fact a gift

The beautiful gift of parenthood is a collaboration with God in the creation of a new person made in God's image and likeness. It is sometimes said that every child is the fruit of God's love and their parents' love, "given a name".

Sometimes, however, the gift of life is not experienced as this profound communion of love, family and joy. Parenthood can be shattered or tested in a number of ways that cry out for mercy, tenderness, accompaniment and deep understanding. When grief or loss or regret come between a parent and a child - or the hope for a child - we see human nature itself express her pain and anguish.

Today, as shepherds or hepara, we stand close to those of you who carry the heavy pain and grief of an abortion. Sometimes that anguish, when shared, met with a cold detached judgement. That was wrong. We encourage those of you who need the burden of regret lifted, to share your story, and, in the words of Jesus, "find rest for your soul" (cf. Mt 11:29-30).

Others carry the pain and grief of what we might call ‘empty arms' in different ways:

perhaps the result of an inability to conceive;

or the miscarriage of a deeply desired but never held baby;

perhaps a child still-born and held only in death;

or the result of having parented embryos that will never be implanted;

perhaps a child given for adoption, a child given away into the arms of others;

or a child who died prematurely through illness or accident, a child no longer present to be held;

or perhaps a child now estranged or distant whom you entrust to the care of the Saints and the compassion of fellow human beings.

Pope Francis has called for a revolution of tenderness in our world. In that spirit, we offer today not explanations or answers but the assurance of listening hearts and humble prayers: for courage, for healing and forgiveness where needed, and for renewed purpose in our lives.

A burden or pain shared is one that is lightened. For some of you, telling your story to another person will bring forth a kind of sacred space of deep, respectful listening; an encounter in which you will feel God's healing love. We might mourn, we might marvel and above all - for all of us - may we come to experience anew that we are the deeply loved family of God. And may we continue to build parishes where doors are open and all are made to feel at home.

The bishops released a statement on February 24, the same day Prime Minister John Key officially announced the deployment of up to 143 personnel.

The deployment, likely in partnership with Australia, will probably start in May.

The bishops' statement opens by saying New Zealand can no longer "watch from the sidelines as the Islamic State continues to inflict immense suffering and brutality on the people of Iraq".

The bishops go on to cite Pope Francis who said it is "licit to stop an unjust aggressor".

On behalf of the bishops, Cardinal John Dew said: "If by providing training to the Iraqi Army we can assist them to stop the aggressor in their land, then as a matter of promoting the common good we should provide that assistance."

"Substantial humanitarian support should also be part of New Zealand's involvement in Iraq," Cardinal Dew said.

He noted that New Zealand's place on the United Nations' Security Council gives this country a unique place of influence in global affairs.

This could be "used to advocate strongly in the UN forum for further sanctions and other actions which will stop the flow of arms to ISIS, and prevent it making money from Iraqi assets it has captured", Cardinal Dew said.

"We urge Christians to pray unceasingly for the people of the Middle East and we pray for global leaders in their efforts to stop those who inflict this brutality on others," he added.

Two weeks before Mr Key's announcement, Peace Movement Aotearoa released an open letter opposing deployment of New Zealand military personnel in Iraq and Syria.

Among the 30 representatives of peace, justice and faith organisations and academics who signed the letter were Pax Christi's Kevin McBride and Fr Peter Murnane, OP, of Waihopai Ploughshares.

The letter stated that "further involvement of western armed forces in the Middle East, whether in a training or combat capacity, will do nothing but bring more violence, killing and hardship to the peoples there".

"Military trainers will add nothing of value to peace processes in the region."

In a statement to Parliament, Mr Key noted that New Zealand would step up humanitarian and diplomatic efforts.

Sources

• New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference
• Scoop
• New Zealand Herald
• Image: TVNZ

Pope John Paul II wrote his apostolic exhortation Ecclesia in Oceania in 2001 specifically for the church in this part of the world under the protection of the Southern Cross.

The Lord has called the Church in Oceania to himself. As always the call involves a sending forth on mission. The purpose of being with Jesus is to go forth from Jesus, in his power and with his grace. Christ is now calling the church to share his mission with new energy and creativity [EIO #3].

Almost three years before Pope John Paul wrote those words, the bishops of Oceania had gathered in Rome in the presence of the now St John Paul II, to participate in the Synod for Oceania which had as its theme: Jesus Christ and the Peoples of Oceania: Walking his way, telling his truth, living his life.

We were joined by some clergy, religious and laity from the Oceania region. From New Zealand there was Sr Catherine Hannan DOLC, Mrs Ruth Smithies, Mr Manuka Henare, Fr Peter Ewart SM, Fr Henare Tate and Fr Neil Vaney SM.

While the bishops came from the four separate bishops' conferences of Australia, Papua New Guinea-Solomon Islands, CEPAC (the Pacific Islands) and New Zealand, we were also the bishops of the Federation of Bishops Conferences of Oceania.

This was one of my earlier experiences of the Vatican and Rome.

It was my first experience of magnificent liturgies in St Peters, in particular those influenced by the cultural expressions of the Pacific Islands.

It was the first time I had sat in the same room as the Pope, day after day and met bishops from other continents and heads of dicasteries [departments] of the Roman Curia.

It was all very different for me - sometimes bewildering and, at other times, totally fascinating. Overall, for me as a bishop of only three years, it was a time of blessing, learning and grace. Continue reading.

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

Source: WelCom

Image: Archdiocese of Wellington

Catholic Education of School-Age Children outlines the Bishops thoughts about the Catholic education network, the principles which they believe should always underpin its operation and their concerns and hopes for the young people who move through it.

The document has been distributed to Boards, senior staff at Catholic Schools and Parish Priests, with a request to take time to study it and to understand its application in the context of their school community.

The Document makes the following points:

• The Catholicity schools is the reason they exist.
• Each school does not exist in isolation.
• All Catholic schools in New Zealand are part of one cooperative network which operates on the principle of the common good to ensure that quality Catholic education is delivered across the country.

"As a faith community we all have keen interest in the young people who enter and eventually leave our schools. It is our hope that this document will draw together all of us who play a part in the education of our young people, and unite us in strengthening our school system and ensuring it achieves its purpose, says Archbishop John Dew, President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference.

"We are profoundly grateful for the work that all staff do for Catholic education and as Bishops we prayerfully support the ongoing endeavours to provide an education experience which provides the formation they need to flourish as they go out into the world young adults", says Archbishop Dew.

"Every member of our parish and school faith communities has the wondrous task of bringing Christ's good news to those whom we are privileged to serve. All the more joyful is this duty when it is our young people with whom we share the love of Jesus and the mission of his Church", says Archbishop Dew.

"Pope Francis has been calling us to imagine with freshness who we are as God's people. Indeed, every generation of Christians seeks understanding and clarity about our nature and purpose as disciples of Jesus. As adults this is especially important if we are to contribute effectively to passing on our faith to the next generation", he says.

"This resource puts the encounter with Jesus at the centre of Catholic Education. It places our schools at the heart of every parish or pastoral area's evangelising mission. It is our expectation that it become an indispensable reference point for all Trust Boards, Boards of Trustees, school and diocesan staff as well as parish based educators in faith and parish councils. It is a robust document which does not shy away from highlighting challenges for us all," the Archbishop says.

Source

• Supplied NZCBC
• Image: Stuff.co.nz

New Zealand Catholic Bishops awoke this morning to the message 'Habemus Papem' we have a Pope and the presentation of newly elected Pope Francis with joy, and excitement.

"We've been prayerfully watching the Conclave and awaiting an announcement of a new Pope with hope and anticipation, as we take in the images half a world away, from Benedict's farewell, to the closing of doors for the Conclave and now to this wonderful moment in history - Pope Francis giving his first Apostolic Blessing to all the people gathered in St Peter's Square in Rome, said Archbishop John Dew, President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference.

"It's a wonderful time for our Church, we welcome the news that Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio has said yes to this special ministry that is now entrusted to him, chosen prayerfully by the Cardinal Electors on behalf of the whole Church around the world, said Archbishop Dew.

"We believe that through prayer and reflection the Holy Spirit has guided the choice of a man for the time, that whatever his papacy holds he is the man chosen for it, he said.

"We pray that Pope Francis embraces this noble calling with a generous heart that he remains a faithful servant to God and the Church, he said.

"We joined Pope Francis as he lead us all around the world in praying for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, the Our Father and Hail Mary thanking Benedict for his Papacy,

"Pope Francis will bring his Jesuit charism and philosophy to his Papacy, he said.

"The New Zealand Bishops will be sending an official message shortly to the Vatican to offer our prayers and support for him in his papacy,

"With modern communications and with a desire to show the world as much as possible, Vatican officials have allowed us to see through live streaming and videos many of the parts surrounding the Conclave we wouldn't normally get to see, such as the Opening Mass, the setting up of the chimney, the room ready for the Cardinal Electors and the like,

"Voting appropriately took place in private which is important for the Cardinals to be free to quietly, prayerfully and without external pressure vote for the person they believe is being called to this special ministry, much like the democratic elections we as citizens are used to,

"The choice of the name Pope Francis could be seen as a sign of a sense of social justice and a desire to life a life of simplicity,

"It was a powerful moment of silence amid the atmosphere of elation as Pope Francis asked us to pray for him in his special ministry, before the Urbi et Orbi Blessing, for the city and the world - his first act as Pope.

Already available for the iPhone, iPad, Blackberry, Windows Phone 7, and Android, iBreviary contains the complete Roman Missal, all prayers of the Daily Office, Mass readings and all prayers said and sung during Mass throughout the liturgical years.

Developed by Father Paolo Padrini, a parish priest in Tortona, north Italy, the Vatican consultant has made the free application available in English, French, Spanish, Italian and Latin.

Fr Padrini expects future upgrades to feature audio as well as commentaries and suggestions for homilies as well as musical accompaniment.

Earlier in the year the New Zealand Bishops' conference banned priests from using all electronic Missals in the liturgy.

"The Missal is reserved for use during the Church's liturgy. iPads and other electronic devices have a variety of uses, e.g. for the playing of games, using the internet, watching videos and checking mail. This alone makes their use in the liturgy inappropriate," the bishops said in a signed letter to priests.

The bishops commended the use of electronic Missals for private prayer and study purposes.

Sources

• Independent Catholic News
• CathNews
• Image: Coffee and Canticles

As reported in CathNews on November 11, a technical flaw in the printing process means the missal's introduction to New Zealand is delayed.

The Bishops' November 9 letter explaining the delay, said their required high standards for the new Missal had not been met and they hoped the printer would be able to advise within 7 - 10 days when the reprinted missals would be ready.

However when asked yesterday, Angela Pyke of the Bishops' National Communications office said she had not heard when the reprinted Roman Missals would be available.

Pyke confirmed the Missals are printed in New Zealand.

Despite the New Zealand delay, CNA reports that Cardinal Raymond Burke of the Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship is predicting great gains for the Church.

"I have a feeling that this will be a great moment for deepening people's liturgical piety and liturgical spirituality," he said.

"The prayers are much more beautiful and they carry with them a staying power," observed Burke.

He predicted the new prayers would "get people thinking about what they prayed, and taking consolation from it, and also inspiration."

"I have to say the texts are really much, much richer and much more beautiful."

The cardinal said the previous translation was "often very bland and stripped of any richness."

New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, described the new translation as "Awesome, poetic, reverent language."

"I found myself, personally, having to understandably go more slowly at Mass because I was having to look more closely at the text," he recalled.

"And that's no bad thing."

Australian Catholics made these changes several months ago with their shift to the new English version.

"We've had no mutiny or revolution in Australia yet," said Canberra's Archbishop Mark Coleridge, chairman of the committee that prepared the new English lectionary.

"Predictions of chaos, and upheaval and revolution just haven't come to pass," he told CNA.

Public opinion however on Twitter was a little more diverse, and ranged from "excellent", "excited" and "even pangs of joy," through to describing the changes as "obsolete" and "stilted, with "no deeper grasp." One person even suggested occupying the Vatican.

Sources

• CNA
• CathNews
• Image: The Daily Reflector