Catholic News

Mary Mother of the Church

By Sian Owen / June 1, 2021
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  Mothers In Catholic circles Mary Mother of the Church is the newest of the Marian Feast Days first celebrated in the universal Church in 2018.  The image presented is from John 19:25-31, which recounts how from the cross Jesus entrusted Mary to his disciples as their mother and entrusted his disciples to Mary as her children.  Mary introduced her son to the world.  He is known by a string of names, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) and his name has spread throughout the world. Paul VI in 1964 formally bestowed the title of …
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Pentecost Sunday

By Stephen Fraser / May 31, 2021
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At last – Pentecost Sunday- here we are – ending the Pentecost journey that journey which catapults us into life as missionary disciples. Today’s reading and gospel introduce us formally to the person of the Holy Spirit. Up until today Gods people only knew about the Spirit of God – the spirit that comes from the Father. Remember Jesus speaking in the temple from the from that beautiful passage of Isaiah – God’s spirit is with me…because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor, sight to the blind…and on it went and today you see Him in …
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Reflection – The Ascension

By Stephen Fraser / May 24, 2021
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Today is the feast of the Ascension which is both great and exciting on one hand and has some trepidation on the other for the Apostles. On the exciting side, Jesus speaks of the mission and of power on high. However, there is this nervousness, that Jesus won’t be beside them the way he has been with them for more than 3 and half years – in their very presence. I am reminded of the Golden Eagle – The Golden eagle is the greatest and fiercest of the birds of prey, yet one of the most sensitive and vigorous in …
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He is Risen – Alleluia

By Sian Owen / April 12, 2021
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He is Risen! The darkness of the Church at the Easter Vigil was brought alive by the light of the Paschal candle. On this night of all nights we celebrated the glory of Christ’s resurrection.  It is a ceremony rich in symbolism and joy.  Having experienced and remember the Passion story through Holy Week our hearts burn with joy and excitement.  Our hope is renewed as we recognise that Jesus resurrected lives with us. This annual celebration of the Lord’s resurrection is one of our earliest. It goes back to the first generation of Christians.  In fact for the first …
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Reflection Palm Sunday

By Stephen Fraser / April 5, 2021
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Our journey of change culminates now from learning like the women at the well, to understanding like the blind man who received his sight, and from understanding to change like Mary, Martha and Lazarus. These events are indelibly written to our hearts that will result in transformation of heart mind and soul and body, like Jesus as transfigured. We will become a new creation, like a new butterfly exiting the chrysalis, ready for its journey of life. As Jesus makes his triumphal entry, there is a foreboding of the sacrifice to come. How quickly the crowds attitude will change in …
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Who Packed Your Parachute Today?

By Sian Owen / March 25, 2021
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Charles Plumb, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate, was a jet pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent 6 years in a communist Vietnamese prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience. One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, “You’re Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!” “How in the world …
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Practicing Discipleship

By Sian Owen / March 15, 2021
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  Lent is a season to retreat from what is normally the frantic pace of life to pause, take stock and restore or develop good habits.  There are many things that we as Catholics do during the season of Lent.  These practices are not about us and doing things (or not doing things) to check off a list.  We do them to open ourselves up to God and help us to be missionary disciples of Jesus. Practices are divided into three ‘types’. Fasting is one of the Lenten practices.  Catholics over the age of 7 and under 60 are required …
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Justice & Peace Commission of Auckland Diocese finds 2020 Budget encouraging, but with some omissions

By Karen / May 14, 2020
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Akl Catholic Justice Peace Commission media release on 2020 Budget