WelCom September 2020
Pope Francis’ Prayer Intention
During the month of September 2020 Pope Francis’ Universal Prayer Intention is: Respect for the Planet’s Resources. We pray that the planet’s resources will not be plundered, but shared in a just and respectful manner.

The day is inspired by Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical Laudato si’, which calls on ‘every person living on this planet’ to care for our shared Earth.
He calls us all to celebrate this opportune moment to ‘reaffirm [our] personal vocation to be stewards of creation, to thank God for the wonderful handiwork. which he has entrusted to our care, and to implore his help for the protection of creation, as well as his pardon for the sins committed against the world in which we live.’
Because of the global coronavirus pandemic, group celebrations of the World Day of Prayer will look different this year.
You are invited to download resources and prayers from dedicated Care for Creation websites and pray a creation liturgy at home or outdoors with those in your social bubble.
Websites include:
- Catholic Agency for Overseas Development – World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation: cafod.org.uk/News/UK-news/Celebrate-World-Day-of-Prayer
- Season of Creation: seasonofcreation.org
- Institute of Sisters of Mercy Institute of Australia and Papua New Guinea: institute.mercy.org.au/the-care-of-creation/
- Earth Link (endorsed by the Sisters of Mercy): www.earth-link.org.au/index.html
Read more: Catholic Thinking – Creation, the Universe and Ecological Conversion
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.