JUNE 2016 - GIVING

St Catherine’s does it again by Sr Stephanie Kitching
Last month St Catherine’s College took its fourth consecutive O’Shea Shield win.  The girls performed well in all categories.  When the competition came to an end and the results were tallied it would be an understatement to say that the girls were elated.  St Catherine's, second to smallest roll out of 17 colleges from across the Archdiocese of Wellington and the Diocese of Palmerston North punched well above its weight.
In my long involvement in the college I am convinced that it is our small size that makes the difference.  Our staff are able to pay each student personal attention.  As each girl’s needs are different no one day at the College is the same!  In fact if I had to describe what I like most about it as a community of young women, I would have to say that it is watching our students develop their potential academically, spiritually, socially and emotionally. They are amazing! 
To some extent the college community is its own congregation, with each contributing according to their talents.  As senior students leave at the end of each year only to be replaced by a new group early the following year, the college is constantly evolving.
In positioning for the future we are pleased to be close to opening our new learning and administration block, including eight new classrooms.  It is light and airy, nurturing a feeling of possibilities.  An important part of the design has been to link it with our other buildings to make movement easy for disabled students and to get good integration across all elements of the school.
Please do drive up to the see construction.  Our contractors, Naylor Love, have been working industriously to get the block finished for next year when it will replace older prefabs.  On its completion we are keen to furnish it with new furniture and latest technology.  Our target for furnishings and technology is $120,000.  We would be delighted if people from Holy Trinity would like to make a donation to help us reach our target.  You can phone the college 939-8988.  We have a second Open Day on 16 August.
 In the 3rd Term this year we will be welcoming students to a beautifully developed new learning environment.  Whether we win the O’Shea Shield again, we will just have to wait and see.

ANZAC Ceremony
by Andrew Greening

Anzac Day occurs on 25 April, commemorating all New Zealanders killed in war and also honouring returned servicemen and women. The date itself marks the anniversary of the landing of New Zealand and Australian soldiers – the ANZACs – on the Gallipoli Peninsula in 1915. We celebrated ANZAC day at St Patrick's with a big Mass, and I don't remember ever seeing the church so full on previous years.

Ordination
by Fr Ephrem Tigga

It was a privilege to celebrate my 14th Ordination anniversary with the St. Anthony Thursday friends.  The liturgy was well organised and the singing was wonderful.  After the Mass we had fellowship meal chatting away cheerfully and enjoying a cuppa merrily.  There was another fantastic celebration with the St Patrick mix n mingle group. 

After a long ten years of formation into Franciscan Capuchin way of life to be a priest, the much awaited day of my ordination to priesthood arrived. The Ordination priesthood took place on Sunday, 14 April 2002 by Rt. Rev. Bishop Telesphor Bilung, the Bishop of Rourkela Diocese.

Immediately after the Ordination I was appointed to teach in the minor seminary for three years.  On the fourth year, I was asked to prepare my visa for the mission to New Zealand, it was then under the mission of Ireland. I and Fr. Jerome D’souza set foot on New Zealand soil on 14 January 2006, in
Auckland.  I served as assistant priest for two years at Holy Cross Paris, Henderson of Auckland diocese.  February 2008, I was appointed parish priest of the Immaculate Conception of Mary Parish, Avondale. In September 2012 I was transferred to Wellington.

I was born in the countryside.  My parents worked in the field sunrise till sunset to support the family of two grandparents, and seven kids (four girls and three boys).  So it was a family of 11 people, solely depended on cultivation and the product of animals.

I studied in a Catholic primary school and had strong connection with Church and prayer life.  My parents too were quite religious, attending Mass regularly.  Family life revolved around Mass and family prayer.
Although I had asked permission from my parents to enter the priesthood when I was about 12 years old, it took another 14 years to fully realise my vocation. I was accepted as candidate in 1991-92 and had my 1st profession 15 May 1994 after the completion of my Novitiate. Then I obtained a Bachelor of Philosophy, whilst continuing religious formation at the Capuchin formation friary. 

Thank you to one and all who specially pray for me.  As I continue to learn and grow in my priesthood, I wish to say in the words of St. Bonaventure, “you alone are my hope, my joy, my treasure in whom I want my heart to be always rooted."

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BECOMING A CAPUCHIN PRIEST PLEASE CONTACT FR EPHREM

Sharing Catholic Schools Dayby Denise Johnson

Being three schools of one parish definitely has its benefits.  This year’s celebration of Catholic Schools Day was great proof of this.  On the day students of the three schools were split up.  The juniors where at Holy Cross, middle school at St Anthony’s and senior school at St Patrick’s.

This was a different experience for the students as they got to mix with people their own age who they hadn’t meet before.  Liturgy is a great way of bringing people together.  After strong liturgies in all three schools everyone was able to relax and get to know one another.  The schools were buzzing with chatter.
I was at St Patrick’s for the day and loved working with the expanded group of senior students. We talked about what the current Year of Mercy meant to us.  The parish can be very proud of its students as they came up with touching accounts of why mercy is important.  It occurred to us that all three schools started as Mercy schools along with some Marist input.  The students made terrific mercy banners that can be used in all three schools through the rest of the year.
Sharing and givingby Lucy Gijsbers

'Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.' Deuteronomy 15:10-11

At first glance, sharing and giving seem to be synonymous actions. It is common to read the words of the Lord which recommend us to share clothes and food, and to 'give freely' those same items.

Upon reflection, there is a difference. To share is to say; 'Do you need some food/clothes? Have some of mine - I have extra and I'm not using it!' To give: 'Do you need some food/clothes? I can see that you do. Here, have mine. I can get some more later, I can wait.'
To share is to give some of what you have so that you both have some, and to give is to relinquish what was yours to another, so that you no longer have it.
Immediately this calls to mind the widow in Mark 12.43-44. 'Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.'
Meanwhile, the wealthy in the temple ostentatiously gave a small part of what they had in surplus.
I've often wondered what happened to the widow. She definitely had a generous soul, and I think she would have been an amazingly peaceful person, trusting in the Lord. How difficult would it be, to give EVERY cent you had and to not know where your next meal would come from? I don't think I could do that; to me it would seem unwise. Obviously I have a long way to go to becoming a saint!
The Jews in Jesus' time didn't look after their widows and orphans very well, and we are definitely better today, but could we do more in our society? Do we know where to look and who to help, who to give and share our belongings with?
It's very easy to say 'So-and-so has far too much money, they should be donating their money to others and giving to charities!' - but why don't we look at ourselves? If we aren't saving up for anything and if we have surplus, why don't we practice what we preach?
One thing that I noticed in particular was the recurring sentiment that if you give generously and cheerfully, you will be rewarded in abundance. Remember this is not necessarily a material reward!
Some things that are easy and worthwhile to gift are your time and your talents. Something that is definitely worth sharing is your faith.
Gay and part of our community ​People are often under the impression that the Catholic Church 'hates gays' and those of a different sexual orientation. Well, nothing could be further from the truth, and hopefully this article will help to disband any such misconceptions!

Actually, every single person on the planet is a sinner. Everyone. Do Catholics hate sinners? Of course not! We'd hate ourselves too if that were the case. That's just not the Christian way, and it is wrong to hate. And who are we to be the judge of whose sin is greatest? It's not up to anyone on earth to decide that.

Is homosexuality and being part of the LGBT community a sin, then?

Let's see what the catechism has to say: 'The number of men and women who have deep-
seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is   objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.' C.C. 2358

So, actually, it is not a sin to have homosexual inclinations. But it is a sin to act on those inclinations, just as it is a sin to indulge in any form of sexual activity outside of marriage.   The Church opposes same-sex unions in Genesis 1:25-28, ''God created man in his own image… male and female he created them… and God said, 'Be fruitful and multiply' ", in Genesis 2:24, " a man shall be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." Jesus himself uses these same quotations in Mark 10:6–9 when questioned about marriage. Because God instituted the sacrament of Matrimony the Church and the State have no true authority to redefine or change the nature of marriage. Any attempt to do so is simply a farce, and causes people to live out a lie.
Marriage between male and female is not discriminatory to homosexuals. Not allowing the ordination of active homosexuals and those of non-heterosexual inclinations is not unfair either - in the same way that the Church does not allow the ordination of anyone who opposes any kind of official doctrine.

The Church does not hate or discriminate against LGBTs . We Catholics and Christians should love and respect them just as we love and respect everybody else. Not to do so is a sin in itself.

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