Justice & Peace

“But I thought Cardinal John Dew was retired?” “He is.” “But he’s still attending conclave?” “Yes, I think it’s because he’s under 80, he can still attend and vote in conclave as Cardinal of New Zealand.” “There’s an age limit?” “Yeah, I think so.” This was a conversation I overheard recently, and I thought I need to fact check my own assumptions about conclave. As it turns out, yes, the above conversation is factual and correct. The last conclave that elected Pope Francis happened the same year my father died and almost 8 months before I would meet the Catholic …
Read More about Conclave is the Key

Our hearts join with the hearts of the world, people of all faiths and walks of life, as we gather together in mourning and grief at the loss of Pope Francis. Our Vicar for Social Impact, Loraine Elliott commemorates:   Our Servant Leader who stood tall for Justice and Peace and Hope has gone home to God. May he rest in eternal peace. Haere atu ki te Rangatira e, Haere, haere, haere atu ra.    The Justice and Peace Commission also celebrate the 12 years and 42 days of Pope Francis’ papacy by paying tribute to 12 of his most …
Read More about Vale Pope Francis I – The First of His Kind

Veronica [vera icon] Social Media and the ‘True Image’ I was speaking with a friend about the trials of the past 40 days of Lent in what I joked was my own ‘personal wilderness and desert experience’ of being tempted by the devil. I have no qualms in relaying my abstinence (fasting) goal for Lent: I tried to give up my 20-year social media addiction for 40 days. The operative word there is ‘tried,’ as I also gave myself just enough leeway to maintain a professional online presence without compromising my personal fast. The Lenten 40 day fast finishes this …
Read More about Lent in Reverse

Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill 27 February 2025 With over 300,000 written submissions, and more than 16,000 requests for oral submission received for this Bill, we are deeply appreciative of receiving this small opportunity to present our oral submission at Parliament Select Committee. The fight for justice and peace is by no means over. As the Justice Select Committee moves to consolidate and deliberate all submissions and findings, we call for your prayers. We pray that the most just and peaceful outcome will be reached when the Justice Select Committee delivers their recommendations to the House on this …
Read More about Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill

It is sad to acknowledge that I grew up knowing more about Captain James Cook and the First Fleet settlement in Australia than I did about the Treaty of Waitangi in my birthplace of Aotearoa. That I would spend my childhood and formative years in a country where their indigenous people were virtually whitewashed from history. Where I would learn more about the Mabo land title decision from a fictional movie (The Castle) than I would from any textbook in a classroom in the early 90’s or that I would later belong to a small movement within the Catholic Church …
Read More about Waitangi Day 2025: Know Thyself – There is no ‘i’ in Treaty, or is there?

Did you miss the Hikoi mō Te Tiriti action over the past few weeks? You can now read all about our CDA and JPCA whānau: Read our Hikoi mō Te Tiriti journey here. Ake, Ake, Ake…. JPCA 🕊

For a few years in my late teens and early twenties I volunteered for a Catholic homeless street youth mission in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It offered friendship, a hot cuppa and a non-judgmental listening ear for the homeless of Melbourne twice a week. On those nights, our team would meet for prebriefing prayers at a church in Collingwood before making our way to park under the clocks of Flinders Street Station for a couple of hours, then return to Collingwood for a debrief before making our way back to the south-eastern suburbs. It became a ritual of habitual friendship. One …
Read More about God is with us – World Homeless and Mental Health Days 2024