March 2014
How your Lenten donations help
Providing healing and hope in the Pacific
In Solomon Islands, diseases such as malaria and meningitis, coupled with poor health systems to treat ear infections, have resulted in a high rate of deafness. The situation is made worse by the unavailability of hearing aids and opportunities for young deaf people are very limited.
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is implementing a training programme for the teachers of the deaf students. Cathy is an experienced teacher for deaf students, but says most of her techniques have come from books and the Internet, and feels she ‘is making a lot of it up and learning as she goes’.
Cathy and other teachers are eagerly awaiting a formal training course which will be supported by donations from the 2014 Lenten Appeal.
Donations to the Bishops’ Lent Appeal help Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand to be there when disaster strikes. When Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines, Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand was able to provide immediate relief and deployed their Humanitarian Coordinator Mark Mitchell to lead the international response.
Closer to home, Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is supporting Caritas Tonga to help communities to recover and rebuild after Tropical Cyclone Ian devastated the Ha’apai islands in January. To date $45,000 has been provided to ensure water, shelter and food needs are met.
On the other side of the world, civil war in Syria has killed thousands and displaced 7 million people. Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand has partnered with Caritas Lebanon to help some of the 1.2 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon and provide support for host communities under stress.
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand speaks out for justice to influence attitudes and create change at national, regional, and global levels.
Lamepasola Timu is a young mother living a state house damaged by the Christchurch earthquake. When changes were proposed to state housing policy impacting on her close-knit community, Lamepasola went to Parliament with Caritas to make her voice heard. She said that when state house tenants are asked to vacate earthquake damaged homes, they are often moved away from the important and strong schools and communities that sustain and support them.
Though the bill was defeated, Lamepasola spoke out and was listened to by decision makers. She put a human face on the impact of their decisions and policies and contributed to wider public debate on the issue.
Donations to the Bishops’ Lent Appeal support Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand’s work helping those who need it most in New Zealand and overseas. Donate throughout the weeks of Lent or make a one off donation using Lent Appeal envelopes in your parish. Leave donation envelopes in your parish’s collection basket or post to Caritas, PO Box 12193, Wellington 6144.
Alternatively, you could donate online or call 0800 22 10 22.
Caritas Lent Appeal
March 2014
Archbishop John Dew, President, New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference
The annual Lent Appeal is run by Caritas on behalf of New Zealand’s Catholic Bishops. It supports the church’s ministry of charity and justice for the world’s poorest in New Zealand and overseas.
The theme for Lent 2014 comes from the inaugural homily of Pope Francis who encourages us to see the light of hope amid darkness, to open up a horizon of hope for those around us.
He reminds us that the hope we bring is set against the horizon of God – opened up before us in Christ.
Together with Caritas members in Oceania and its partners throughout the world, I invite you to join us in the journey of serving all our brothers and sisters in charity, justice and truth.
Please give generously this Lent. Your contribution, however small, provides hope to people around the world.
Lent in schools
Caritas Lent Appeal
March 2014
This year teachers and students are learning about educational opportunities available to some of our Pacific neighbours. The resource Iumi Togeta Work Beta focuses on Caritas’ partnerships for change in Solomon Islands. Students will learn to play their part in building communities of concern, where values of peace, joy and truth flourish. Activities encourage new learning about challenges Islanders face – including access to clean water and better educational opportunities.
‘We hope students will grow solidarity and empathy with communities in Solomon Islands, from caring for the deaf, to training young people in working with building tools and machinery. Lent is a perfect time to reflect on ways God is asking us to respond to inequalities in our world,’ says Caritas National Education Coordinator Catherine Gibbs.
The new and exciting Caritas Challenge launches during Lent to motivate hundreds of young people nationwide to join a 24 hour ‘challenge’ to build solidarity with those living with poverty or injustice, through hands-on experiences that are fun and informative, while raising money for projects in Solomon Islands. The Caritas Challenge takes place 4-6 April 2014.
The annual Singout4Justice song-writing competition for Years 7 to 13 is back. The theme ‘Open your eyes and see the need’ encourages people to grow their awareness of needs within their own communities and to notice the injustices in the world. Enter online by 6 April 2014.
The Caritas community engagement team will be visiting schools and parishes across the country during Lent, please get in touch if you would like to be included in their schedule
. The team has a variety of presentations on offer to meet your particular requests. Lenten school resources are available online.
Reflecting on Lent
Caritas Lent Appeal
March 2014
The Caritas Lenten reflection programme is used for reflection and discussion of the Lenten Gospels by groups in parishes, families, rest homes, communities, and chaplaincies and for personal reflection. This year’s theme is taken from Pope Francis’ inaugural homily in which he spoke about the role of being a protector.
‘…we need to see the light of hope and to be men and women who bring hope to others. To protect creation, to protect every man and every woman, to look upon them with tenderness and love, is to open up a horizon of hope…’
During Lent we invite you to look at the lives you have helped change. Caritas’ work involves bringing hope to others, from emergency responses, to submissions to parliamentary select committees or development projects. Your prayers and support provide us with opportunities to bring the light of hope to people overseas and in Aotearoa New Zealand. Walk with us as we look at our projects and reflect on how we can bring hope to others through the light of the Lenten gospels.
The programme is available in English, Tokelauan, Tongan, Samoan, and, for the first time, in Māori. Two English booklets are supplied free of charge to each parish and can be copied for parish use. Additional booklets are available from the Caritas office for $2 each or can be downloaded from our website.