A Catholic Monthly Magazine

Cairns Cathedral – Bucket List Item (0)

Several friends who had been to Cairns told me that the stained glass windows were superb. So I put it on my ‘bucket list’. The chance finally came to fly there after a road trip with friends that ended in Brisbane.… More

Fr John Thornhill SM (Comments Off)

Born in Brisbane, 13 May 1929
Professed, 2 February 1949
Ordained, 30 October 1955
Died in Sydney, 28 July 2019

Tribute by Fr Thomas Ryan SM

Among the many cameos of John’s life in the funeral eulogy of his nephew Eric Robinson, what stood out were the deep affection and love that were, and are, part of his family.… More

Fr John Lopdell Mori SM (Comments Off)

Born in Napier, 5 May 1943
Professed at Highden, 7 January 1963
Ordained, 1 July 1967
Died in Napier, 24 July 2019

Although John was born in Napier, his family later moved to Wellington. He was educated at the Petone Convent School and St Patrick’s College town.… More

Fr (Patrick) John O’Neill SM (1)

Born in Fairlie, 19 September 1926
Professed, 4 February 1944
Ordained, 17 December 1950
Died in Wellington, 28 August 2019

John O’Neill was small of stature but large of intellect, a high achiever who led a humble and simple life; one who confidently engaged with political and educational leaders, but gave his life to teaching young people at school; an intellectual with two Masters degrees, one from Victoria University (NZ) and one from Cambridge University (UK), who happily lived a quiet religious life.… More

8 February: Day of Prayer Against Human Trafficking (0)

St Josephine Bakhita was born in Darfur, Sudan, in 1869. She was nine when she was kidnapped and sold as a slave, so traumatised by the experience that she could no longer remember her name. Her captors named her ‘bakhita', which means 'fortunate'.… More

Francis Speaks (0)

The evil of human trafficking

Trafficking represents an unjustifiable violation of the freedom and dignity of its victims, of those constitutive dimensions of the human being as willed and created by God. For this reason, it is to be considered a crime against humanity.… More

Climate Change – A Modern Day Plague (Comments Off)

The growing threat of climate change reminds me of two Old Testament readings. The first is a warning and the second is a consolation.

The warning is given in Exodus. When Moses asked the Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, and the Pharaoh said no, God sent nine plagues  – water turns to blood, the plague of frogs, mosquitoes, horseflies, death of livestock, boils, hail, locusts and darkness – and the Pharaoh still said “no”.… More

MM 50 Years Ago (0)

From ‘Mostly about books’, by Pat Lawlor:

Collins, the publishers, are celebrating their 150th anniversary. They were the first to win a licence for printing the Bible. Production costs were then so low that they were able to insert this advertisement:

Holy Bible, Writ Divine –
Bound in leather, 1/9.… More

Fr Jean Baptiste Petitjean SM ‘Parish Priest to all New Zealand’ (0)

Part 3 of 3

In the early morning of 1 May 1850, Bishop Philippe Viard celebrated Mass on the deck of the Clara as she sailed into Wellington harbour after a ten-day voyage from Auckland. This was his first Mass as bishop of the newly created Diocese of Wellington.… More

Marists in Ranong – Critical Times (Comments Off)

Our Marist Mission in Ranong, Thailand, has been supporting Burmese Migrant children and families since 2006. In early September we have had some challenges that remind us just how vulnerable Burmese Migrants are. An order was issued from the Department of Labour in Bangkok to search and scan all 10 Burmese Migrant Learning Centres in Ranong.… More

MM 50 Years Ago (Comments Off)

First Mass, and First Christian Service, in Aotearoa New Zealand

In our issue for May, 1967, Professor John Dunmore, of Massey University, an authority on the French explorers of the Pacific, first proposed the view that the first Mass (and, ecumenically speaking, the first Christian service) in New Zealand, was said by the Dominican chaplain of de Surville’s ship, Saint Jean-Baptiste, at Christmas, 1769, at Doubtless Bay, not far from Kaitaia.… More

A Christmas Letter (Comments Off)

Two thousand years ago, a special baby was born far away in a town called Bethlehem. The baby’s name was Jesus. His parents were travelling at the time of his arrival, and the only shelter for them was a place where animals were kept.… More

2019 ACPA Awards (Comments Off)

St Patrick’s Basilica Renewed (Comments Off)

Tented scaffolding has been erected around St Patrick’s Basilica in Macandrew Rd, Dunedin, as part of a $1.7 million preservation project.

St Patrick’s redevelopment committee chairman, Sean Toomey, says the current work involves earthquake-strengthening, removing the roof to fix leaks and install new damp-proof floors.… More

The Problem with Euthanasia (0)

A seeming paradox

Recent phone polls asking New Zealanders if they favour legalised euthanasia have found about 70% in favour as against 30% opposed. Interestingly, that is almost the exact opposite of the more than 20,000 people who put in personal submissions to the parliamentary sub-committee in 2018.… More

Walking the Ignatian Camino (Comments Off)

Part 2 of 2

Marian Shrines on the Camino

In May-June 2019 I walked the Ignatian Camino -- camino ignaciano -- in northern Spain. This walk is different from the caminos that go to Santiago de Compostela in the north-west of Spain, because the camino ignaciano goes east towards Barcelona.… More

February Saints (0)

Blessed Archangela Girlani
(1460-1494)

Baptised Eleanor, Archangela was born in Trino, northern Italy. Since she was a child, she planned to become a Benedictine nun, but she was thwarted in her desire by her horse, which refused to carry her to the convent!… More