Palmerston North Diocese’s Hui was AWESOME!!!!

Since our Dio is so spread out, we had people coming from Taranaki, Whanganui, Palmerston North and also coming down from far parts of Hawkes Bay – and what can I say, all together, what a dynamic group and AMAZING bunch of people!

We came from near and far to unite centrally at Hato Paora College to spend time together, sleep on the floor, sing some waiata, learn about all the killer animals in Aussie (thanks A LOT Jonny Boon!) and play some interesting mingling games like SHAABANG – a very loud and unique arm movement game!

It was only 24 hours but we squeezed in so many memorable things - even a talent show and a beautiful candle lit midnight mass.
The Hui was a great time to get to know more of our fellow pilgrims, go over some details of our trip and even talk about what we want to come back to when we return from WYD.

It was very cool that our Bishop came out to spend some time with us too.

I left the Hui feeling really… well… TIRED! Haha, but importantly very excited and close to God. Thankyou to all those involved in the preparation – it was special and extremely worthwhile.
May we all take that enthusiasm we shared, back to the corners of our dio and share it with our families’ parishes and friends. It has made my anticipation towards World Youth Day even more powerful and the true excitement for WYD is forever brewing!
Thank you also to Hato Paora College – your facilities were fantastic and you were all sooo hospitable and welcoming.

Blessings, Jane Dravitzki

PS: I can't seem to find a good big group photo of us all but heres a nice photo of the Hawkes Bay group! If anyone in our dio has any good photos they'd like to share please do contact me - as you know i'm not too scary!

Haha, take care.

The journey continues....

I thought I would write a blog on the journey of the cross and icon, even thought they left our shores a long time ago...

When the cross and icon were here they had a huge impact on the thousands of people, young and old, who saw and touched it. The cross and icon served us in many ways. For some it bought enthusiasm for WYD. For others it gave an oppertunity to gather in out various communities. But most importantly, it bought to our country a powerful reminder of Gods LOVE and MERCY!

I wanted to remind you all that the journey continues. It has been having a profound effect throughout Aussie and has had an amazing effect on its communities.
It has travelled for 315 days, through 27 dioceses (including Military and Maronite), been involved with 30 communities and movements. It has travelled about 65 000kms (including flights, seen 2000 events and about 250 - 350 000 people have been directly present brfore the cross & icon. Pretty amazing huh?

So let us remember our Australian neighbours in our prayers and remember the buzz that the cross and icon bought to us.
Check out the video highlights - they are well worth watching (my fiancee made them!!)

http://www.wyd2008.org/index.php/en/media__1/download_centre/jci_videos

hey howzit goin? frm B16 lol

Hey I saw something cool today...

Apparantly Pope Benedict XVI, or B16 in txt language, is going to be txting pilgrims messages of hope and inspiration throughout the WYD week! I think its pretty cool that he is going to be keeping in touch with youth in a way that most of us are used to.

This is a first for any WYD.

So while the Pope is making an effort to keep in touch with us, we should make an effort to keep in touch with Christ. Remember that while some of us send heaps of txts everyday, we often forget to send messages to Christ, through prayer.

Maybe everyday you could send a message to heaven, not in a "txt" but in a "pryr"!!

Lest we forget...

ANZAC day inspires in us all a deep sense of respect and awe. We have heard and will hear many stories of the battles, some with happy endings and some not so.

Whilst my story does not directly link to the Great War and to Gallipoli, it does speak of the very same ideals that makes up the ANZAC spirit.

My grandfather served with the 28th Maori Battalion in WWII. He fought in battles in North Africa, Greece and Italy. Papa was eventually sent home from the war before it ended.

He was sent home because of an attempt on his life... from his own soldiers! Papa was given charge of a small infantry. From all accounts he was a hard man. He was so hard on his men that they colluded to kill him.

For his own safety, he was sent home. Nine months later the war ended. When the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the end of WWII were held, many of the soldiers in Papa's infantry were there. That day several of them came up to Papa and thanked him for his harsh treatment of them. Without it they concede, that they might not have survived the war.

Papa used to always say to me, "War does not determine who's right, it only determine's who's left!" The horrors of war must be avoided. If we are truly serious about honouring those who fought so bravely for our freedom their sacrifice must not be repeated.

Christchurch pilgrimage to Temuka!! A huge success!!

The pope’s Christmas message spoke about people needing to make time for Christ in their lives. Often in the modern world we don’t have time for Christ. The Temuka pilgrimage gave all those who attended a rare opportunity to take an entire day to reflect on their relationship with God.

The day began with an excellent Mass celebrated by Bishop Barry Jones. Many of the young people there are grateful for a Bishop who takes an active interest in the youth of his diocese. The day was also a chance to meet most of the people who are going to World Youth Day.

After Mass there were three formation sessions, one by Eddie Caudal and Ken Joblin on belonging to the family of God, one by the Sisters of St Joseph on the life of Mary Mackillop, and one by Dean Mischewski on the plan of salvation. I personally found the focus on Mary Mackillop to be very insightful. I have very little in common with St Anthony (the desert father) so it was nice to encounter a modern saint who lived in the same county as I do. Paul VI spoke about the need for witnesses to the Catholic faith, Mary Mackillop was a powerful witness to all the Gospel values.

There were several trials during the day, including two buses breaking down, but this is all part of the pilgrimage experience, and there will definitely be trials at World Youth Day. The day concluded with a powerful time of adoration.The Temuka pilgrimage was invaluable preparation for World Youth Day. I’m very grateful to all those who put in so much time and effort into organising the various events.

By Michael Hempseed

Blessed Mary Mackillop... Pray for us!!

Hui in Tokoroa to signify start of the Journey!

Hey everyone

The weekend of Palm Sunday the Diocese of Hamilton held a Hui at Tokoroa to mark the beginning of our pilgrimage to World Youth Day. There were about 150 pilgrims representing nearly all of the groups from our diocese and we were accommodated by the lovely people at the local marae. The weekend was planned to be a small representative of WYD itself. On the Saturday the Catholic Youth Mission Team (http://www.livethetruth.org.nz/) ran games for the pilgrims which I think went down really well. It was a good no pressure way for everyone to interact and get to know each other a little. In the evening we had an information session about some more WYD details and excitement. We watched a beautiful section of a DVD which followed a pilgrimage of priests and Jesus through the streets in American I think.. The monstrance was carried through the streets and people followed.

Later that evening Bishop Denis led all of the pilgrims in an hour of adoration.

The following day we prepared for church at Saint Pius X which is just down the road from the marae. We all walked there together with most of the local parish people also.

After lunch Bishop addressed the pilgrims and we also had a brainstorm about what they would like to see after World Youth Day. This was very productive and the diocese is going to work towards putting some of the ideas of that day into place to maintain the WYD legacy.




Inside the marae:



















Before church:






















The whole group:

Rejoice - Jesus is Risen - Alleluia

I found it interesting during evening prayer this week with my Grove community members how one could draw parallels between Jesus' resurrection and World Youth Day. How you might ask?

A passage from our reflection spoke of Easter as an anti-climax.
Ash Wednesday had a sense of new beginnings. Lent was a project, a spiritual challenge.... Holy Week was a crescendo, Easter a culmination. Then nothing. Back to normal. 'Ordinary time'.

We too have been involved in a similar pattern - when we decided to travel to Sydney there was sense of new beginnings. The 'projects' of fundraising, retreats, and group meetings could also be a sense of spiritual challenges for our journey. The week of events in Sydney a crescendo, leading up to the final Papal mass - a culmination of all that we were journeying towards.

Then nothing. Back to N.Z. 'Ordinary time'.

But herein lies the beauty of the resurrection. Because for us, this was not the end.
Easter week should be everything - as it was with the first disciples. And it should be for us what it was for them - a beginning and not a conclusion; an awakening and not a tapering off.

This is the challenge for us young people - those travelling to Sydney and the many supporting us from home - the pilgrimage to WYD2008 should be our resurrection story. The build up to Sydney has long begun, and we await with great joy the weeks events in July - yet it will not end upon our return home. The legacy is here to remain through us.

Go Tell Everyone!

Kia Ora, if you’ve been wondering where I’ve been because you haven’t heard from me in a while its that I have been so involved in the Holy Week and Easter liturgies for our Parish.
So now that those celebrations are over, I can finally sit down and write to you.

But no sooner have I begun writing, I realise that another huge celebration is looming very soon….

I can remember when our diocese first started to prepare for World Youth Day 2008. It was in July 2006! Bishop Pat hosted Bishop Anthony Fisher who is the Bishop in charge of WYD08. When +Anthony visited he met with many interested people and outlined Sydney’s plans for WYD.

Its mind blowing to think that we began preparing for WYD 2008 a whopping 637 days ago. I mention the time in days because on April 8th 2008, we officially count-down the last 100 DAYS to World Youth Day.

To mark that significant milestone a National countdown will be initiated at Aotea Square on Tuesday 8th April beginning at 11.30am. Dignitaries and celebrities will be there…and I hope you will be there too! We’ll have live bands and a few speakers, but the main event is the official 100 day countdown launch. Yeah I know its during the week, but just ask the boss for an early (an extended) lunch break… The whole event will be about an hour so come along.

You may also decide to do something special to mark the event in your own parish or school. Why not even start your own 100 day countdown clock outside your school or church. If you think you might plan something then give me a buzz and I’ll tell the world!

After all, this is WORLD Youth Day… and we want the WORLD to know about it!!!

Well my friends, I hope to see you at Aotea Square! Don’t keep the faith… share it!

Easter Blessings!
Manuel

Easter Blessings on you all

Hi all,

Just as I posted that last one out, I just thought I'd take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Easter. May our good Lord bless you all this Easter season and that the death and resurrection will bring a sense of renewal in body and spirit. For those who are travelling this weekend, I pray that you travel safely on your journeys.

Try not to go too hard on the chocolate!

Let us remember the Passion of our beloved Jesus, I pray that his final pilgrimage will be the focus of our great pilgrimage this year - that it was through God's love that we are all here today.

To the ambassadors (because I think we're the only ones who read these blogs anyway, haha, kidding) - can't wait to catch up with you all soon. Keep up the great work each of you are blessing your diocese with - malo lava le onosa'i.

Soifua ona o Iesu Keriso - Ia manuia lava le Eseta!
Blessings!

Wellington Archdiocese Samoan Youth Rally

March has been a month of many blessings – and not just because I celebrated my birthday earlier in the month, yay! - but because of many things, today I will share of the events of our Youth Rally ….

March 1st – Wellington Samoan Chaplaincy Youth Rally

The theme was youth for Christ - and there was no doubt as we began at 7am marching through the streets of Newtown that we young people were making a stand for something more than ourselves – we were shouting, singing, and chanting our faith out loud.

Quick run down of some of the highlights:
Mass celebrated by Archbishop John Dew, with our visiting clergy from our French delegation who will be visiting Wellington during Days in Diocese in July. How fortunate we were to share our culture with others in the celebration of the Eucharist.

Her honourable Luamanuvao Winnie Laban represented Her right honourable Helen Clark who was called overseas. Luamanuvao spoke beautifully of her journey in life, and there is no doubt that many young people were uplifted and inspired by her stories of cultural sacrifice, hard work and perseverance.

Celebration of song, dance, and speech from the thirteen Samoan youth groups of the Wellington Archdiocese. Messages of hope, peace, coming together and love were shared – what a sight to behold leading into WYD2008 – this is what it’s all about!

Ikenasio Tuia. This young man’s sharing on his journey as a Samoan Youth and his journey through spirituality was truly touching. How fortunate we have been in our diocese to have such a courageous and humble servant who is willing to share his love for Christ. His sharing invited young people to question their own journey, and to challenge us all to take up our crosses and to not be afraid to follow Christ.

I was honoured to also have the chance to speak, and the feeling of being on stage and sharing my journey with the youth was such a special gift that I will treasure. My only prayer is that, even if it is only one person, is that my sharing was able to stir a sense of want for youth to journey closer with Jesus.

I am so excited for what WYD2008 is bringing to our communities. We have so much to offer our church, our energy, our passion, our longing to be drawn nearer – it goes beyond one event – and this rally made me see this clearer. WYD2008 has begun everybody! It’s happening all around us, whether it’s fundraising, group meetings, or marching through the streets holding banners.

Stay tuned for more of what March has blessed me with including an update on our Youth Mass on Palm Sunday – we packed out the Cathedral!! Plus,photos from the Rally - I'm on the hunt for these as we speak!

Soifua ona o Iesu Keriso.
God Bless you all!