WelCom November 2019
Pope Francis’ next Apostolic Journey will see him visiting two Asian countries: the Kingdom of Thailand, from 20 to 23 November, and Japan from 23 to 26 November, where he will visit Tokyo, Nagasaki and Hiroshima.
The motto of the first stage of the Apostolic Journey is ‘Disciples of Christ, Missionary Disciples’, and is a reference to the 350th anniversary of the establishment of the Apostolic Vicariate of Siam, erected in 1669.
In January this year, Pope Francis sent a message to the meeting of Presidents of the Doctrinal Commissions of the Bishops’ Conferences of Asia, and a delegation of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in Bangkok. ‘You are gathered in Asia, a vast and multiform continent, marked by religious, linguistic and cultural diversity’, wrote the Pope, ‘in order to reaffirm our common responsibility for the unity and integrity of the Catholic faith, as well as to explore new means and methods of witnessing to the Gospel in the midst of the challenges of our contemporary world’.
The theme of the Apostolic Journey to Japan focuses on the protection of life and Creation, and is quoted from a phase in ‘A prayer for our earth’ at the end of the Pope’s Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’, on caring for our common home, in which the Pope encourages us to respect both the dignity of each person, but also the environment.
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.