WelCom December 2021
Leaders of Ireland’s Christian churches presented a united front during a ceremony marking 100 years of partition of Ireland. ‘For the past 100 years, partition has polarised people on this island. It has institutionalised difference, and it remains a symbol of political, cultural and religious division between our communities,’ said Catholic Archbishop Eamon Martin, whose overwhelmingly Irish nationalist flock seeks an end to partition. Martin was joined at the ceremony by other Christian leaders, including the heads of the Church of Ireland (Anglican), Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church, and the Irish Council of Churches.
The Christian church leaders vowed to face ‘difficult truth’ and work closer together to ensure that the fragile peace process in Northern Ireland leaves a lasting legacy of reconciliation. The three Protestant leaders, whose churches, like the Catholics, never recognised partition and maintained all-Ireland structures, said they had taken too few risks during three decades of bloodshed over Northern Ireland and the two most recent decades of relative peace.
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception 8 December
‘As has been the custom for many years an archdiocesan Mass will be celebrated on our diocesan feast day, 7pm, Thursday 8 December, at St Teresa’s Pro-Cathedral, Karori. The archdiocese will again be entrusted to the care of Mary under the title of the Immaculate Conception at this Mass. Parishes are asked to renew that Consecration on the following Sunday, 11 December, at All parish Masses.’ – Cardinal John Dew
Dates and events – what’s on
December 2022
If you would like your event listed on this page, please send an outline to welcom@wn.catholic.org.nz including name of event, date, time, location and contact.
Pope Francis registers for the next World Youth Day in Lisbon
At the conclusion of the Sunday Angelus, Pope Francis registered for the next World Youth Day to be held in Lisbon, Portugal, in August 2023. Assisted and accompanied by Portuguese university students studying in Rome, the Pope tapped his way to becoming the first officially registered pilgrim for World Youth Day.