We know that laws change, taxes change, different parties have different takes on what the best thing for the country is. It’s hard for the average Kiwi, because what is “best for the country” or better for others may not be best for you individually for any number of reasons. We have communal responsibilities as well as personal ones, and there is a move away from this in general in society with people focusing on their own needs, and not so much on those of others.

Jesus came to change things, to shake things up. The only time in the New Testament we see him really lose his temper is at the Temple where he throws the vendors’ tables over, not wanting the holy place of worship to be reduced to a selling ground. Jesus gave us new laws: “Love one another as I have loved you”, “Do unto others as you would have them do to you”, and he instituted the Eucharist, which was very radical at the time. Change is inevitable, and we all know this, although we don’t always want to embrace it.

It is vital to keep what is mean and hateful and the unkindness out of politics, and not to attack individuals. We want really good quality, well-meaning people of high values to be our representatives, but it is easy to see why so many wouldn’t dream of being a politician when you see how they can be treated by the public. We saw how Jesus was treated. He was crucified for being the “self-declared” King of the Jews whom they rejected. We need to be careful not to verbally crucify our politicians, and remember that they are people with families and loved ones.

I think, like me, a lot of New Zealanders are really worried about the state of our education and health systems. We want to see all New Zealanders access world class education, going to school and staying in school, leading on to be productive members of society. Our health system is broken – we all know that it can take days to see a GP, the cost of health is rising because of underfunding, and the hospitals can’t cope with the volume of acute work. Public transport struggles to keep up, and our roads are so congested it impacts on productivity. It is hard to know where to start, I suspect, as a politician!

Jesus challenged the Rabbis, and was criticised by the Pharisees and scribes for disobeying the laws of Moses. We need to stay within the law and pay our taxes, and continue to challenge and fight for the rights that we can see being eroded. It is a challenging time to be a Catholic Christian. I will be praying for our new government as they come into power.

Mark 12:17: “Then Jesus said to them, ‘Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and give to God the things that are God’s’. The men were amazed at what Jesus said.”

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The Catholic Church has a rich history of evangelisation, spreading its message across the globe for centuries. However, in this century, the Church faces unique challenges in its mission to share the Gospel with a rapidly changing world. As societies become more diverse, secularism gains ground and technology advances, the Catholic Church must adapt its approach to evangelisation, while staying true to its core beliefs and values, noting that many of the Catholic Church’s truths go against the current grain of society. 

One of the primary challenges that the Church faces is the rise of secularism, and a decline in religious affiliation among people worldwide. In many Western societies, particularly in Europe and North America, the number of individuals identifying as Catholics has been decreasing. The rise of secular values, coupled with scepticism towards organised religion, has made it difficult for the churches, particularly the Catholic Church, to connect with, and engage, the younger generations. 

Advancements in technology present both opportunities and challenges for evangelisation in the 21st century. The Internet and social media have expanded the Church’s reach, enabling it to connect with millions of people instantaneously. Anyone, including people in the Church, can now disseminate its message through online platforms, reaching individuals who might not otherwise have access to its teachings. However, this digital age also comes with risks, as misinformation and distortion of Church teachings can spread rapidly.  

In response to the challenges of the 21st century, Pope Francis has emphasised the importance of a “Church of the poor” that stands in solidarity with the marginalised and forgotten. This focus on social justice and compassion for those on the fringes of society, resonates with many people seeking a faith that actively addresses the world’s problems. By advocating for social justice issues, such as poverty alleviation, environmental stewardship, and human rights, the Catholic Church can attract individuals who value a faith that goes beyond traditional rituals and ceremonies. 

In addition to addressing external challenges, the Catholic Church must also look inward, and foster a vibrant, engaged faith community. Nurturing the faith of its existing members is vital to ensuring a strong foundation for evangelisation. Encouraging active participation in parish life, supporting ongoing spiritual formation, and empowering laypeople to take on leadership roles, can create a dynamic and welcoming Church environment that inspires others to join the faith. As the song from the NewsBoys says, “Shine, let them wonder what you’ve got, make them wish that they were not, on the outside looking in”. 

Furthermore, the Church must leverage the power of storytelling to communicate its message effectively. Personal testimonies and narratives have a profound impact on people, allowing them to connect emotionally with the faith. Sharing stories of faith and transformation can make the Gospel message relatable and compelling, drawing individuals to explore the teachings of the Church further. We know that, on some issues, people’s hearts will only be changed and converted on a one-on-one basis, and this personal approach is vital to aid in sharing the Good News. 

Mark 16:15; “Go everyone in the world and tell the Good News to everyone.” 

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One of the main benefits of meditation is that it helps to reduce stress and anxiety. Studies have shown that regular meditation can help to lower cortisol levels, which is a hormone that is released in response to stress. By practising meditation regularly, individuals can learn to manage their stress levels, and find peace in the midst of difficult situations. We are living in a time when many are struggling with anxiety on a daily basis.

Another benefit of meditation is that it can help to improve focus and concentration. When we are constantly bombarded by distractions and stimuli, it can be difficult to stay focused on what really matters. Our children, in particular, I think need help to find quiet and focus. Meditation helps to train the mind to stay focused on one thing, whether it’s a Scripture verse, a prayer, or simply the presence of God. This may be particularly helpful for individuals who struggle with ADHD or other attention-related disorders.

In addition to its mental health benefits, meditation can also have physical health benefits. Studies have shown that regular meditation can help to lower blood pressure, improve immune function, and even reduce the risk of heart disease. By practising meditation regularly, individuals can not only improve their spiritual health, but also their physical health.

One of the most significant benefits of Christian meditation is that it helps to deepen one’s relationship with God. By focusing on God’s Word and presence, individuals can gain a deeper understanding of his love and plan for their lives. Christian meditation can also help to cultivate a sense of gratitude and awe for God’s creation, which can be a powerful source of motivation and inspiration.

Another result of regular meditation is that it may help to improve relationships with others. By practising meditation, individuals can learn to cultivate compassion, empathy, and forgiveness – there are some that focus on gratitude and kindness. These qualities are essential for healthy relationships, and can help to build bridges between individuals who might otherwise be divided. We know from the New Testament that ‘ Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed’ (Luke 5:16), and I imagine that meditation was part of his prayer.

Christian meditation can be a valuable tool for spiritual growth. By focusing on God’s word and presence, individuals can learn to discern his will for their lives, and to live in accordance with his plan. Often, we are too focused on what we see as the right way to get through life in the world, and we don’t make enough quiet time to listen to the will of God for our lives. Christian meditation can also help to cultivate virtues such as humility, patience, and self-control, which are essential for a fulfilling and meaningful life.

I find that meditation is a valuable practice, with many benefits for both physical and spiritual health. By quieting my mind and focusing on God’s Word and presence, I am helped to reduce stress and anxiety, improve focus and concentration, and deepen my relationship with God. I am hoping that long term meditation also helps improve my mental and physical health, build and grow healthy relationships with others, and promote spiritual growth. Whether practised alone, or in community with others, meditation can be a powerful tool for anyone looking to deepen their faith.

Matthew 6:6; “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

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Growing up in Aotearoa New Zealand, and now as a working mother, I don’t think our culture values motherhood. We now live in a society in which, for a lot of families, both parents work because of financial pressures. The expectations on us to provide is immense and suffocating at times. Since I became a mum, there has been a marked increase in the paid parental leave on offer, which is a blessing for many. Some workplaces are getting more flexible, but that is variable. I had a friend tell me how her work has a big meeting at 8.45am twice a week, and she has been criticised for not attending, even though she has communicated multiple times that she will attend when it is moved back to after 9am to allow mothers to drop their kids at school!

When the kids are little, there is joy in the smiles and laughs, the milestones such as crawling, walking and talking – and talking! As they get older, the joys change to seeing them become more independent, noticing when they do a chore willingly, or even better, unprompted. Joy comes when you see them being kind or gentle or thoughtful or prayerful. As the kids have become older, I feel joy when I see windows in to the future that help me to be reassured they will be OK. On only the second day on the school bus to intermediate, the bus broke down and our second child had to walk to school.

As a Catholic mother, I look to Mary to help guide me. I grew up with a mother who was a huge advocate of the rosary, and for me this has always been the cornerstone of my prayer life. It is such a deeply profound prayer, and allows reflective meditation on the mysteries of our faith any time and anywhere. We recently had a lovely family weekend away with Catholic families, and did a large group rosary outside, with the kids leading. It was a deeply moving experience. I do reflect on how different our lives as mothers are today, compared with what Mary would have experienced in so many ways. However, she knew deeply about following the will of our Lord, what that sacrifice truly means, and the grief and loss of losing a child.

Nowadays, we are bombarded with secular images and notions that are very opposed to our faith, and it is so hard to keep focused on the truth of the sanctity of life and the tenets of our faith. Questioning faith is an important part of growing up, and us as parents responding to these questions in a loving and faithful way is vital. I see questioning from the kids as opening the door to discussions and learning and growth in faith. As parents, and as a mother, we are our child’s first educators, and this is so important in the faith. Living and witnessing to the faith is key to helping growing our kids into saints!

Luke 1:26-28; “In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!’”

(Helen Luxford is a physician, working part-time and living in Auckland. With her husband Michael, they are raising their children in the Catholic Faith, and are reflecting on the challenges and joys that brings. Helen writes a regular Family Matters column in NZ Catholic)

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There are Christmas decorations up at work and places I visit. There are countdowns and reminders to get your Christmas shopping done. Bookings for end of year functions are coming in.  

This time of year is suffocatingly overwhelming for many of us. So much to pack in before the end of the year, on top of the normal duties of mothering, running a household and work. 

For us the end of year will mark a milestone with one child moving on from primary school to college. He has had three years at our local state primary school and it has been an absolute blessing for our family. The love and kindness from the staff and community has been so much appreciated. 

He is moving to a Catholic college so we are pleased and relieved that faith formation will be continued and supported on a daily basis at school. We also have one child facing an operation before the end of the year so this is going to be an even more challenging time than usual. 

The school is encouraging giving and generosity on a weekly basis, asking for donations which go to the Auckland City Mission every week, with a theme each week to guide us. I think this gets you into the gifting spirit and is a good reminder that Christmas should be about giving and not receiving.  

Christmas has become all about gifts and shopping and spending, or at least it seems to me that way. It certainly places a huge financial strain on a lot of families which is not welcome with current inflation and mortgage rate hikes. 

Advent calendars are a lovely way of preparing. I made a cloth one years ago, mounted on wood with a pocket for all 24 days and a Christian theme on the fabric. With four children it’s hard to know how to manage it. I’d love to hear how other people do it!  

I don’t really want each child starting the day with a lolly or chocolate. I’ve seen some lovely ideas of slips of paper in each pocket to say, for example, “I will spend a few extra minutes in prayer today”, “I will do a random act of kindness today” or “I will find a toy to donate to someone in need”.  

You can get any type of commercial advent calendar you want know. Chocolate seems to be somewhat traditional – now there are wine and gin calendars, coffee and tea calendars and Advent calendars for pets! 

For us, keeping sight of the true meaning of Christmas can come in all the small things. Being patient. Being charitable. Dropping comparisons. Being grateful. Being prayerful. Being reflective. Putting prayer first. Being sensible with spending and purchasing.  

Make sure you plan when you are attending Sunday Mass over the holidays. Often people are away and aren’t sure where to go or what times are available. If you are spending time with people who don’t attend church this can be difficult to prioritise and going to Mass is a witness to our faith in that situation. 

There are lots of traditions that can remind us about our faith in Advent – we enjoy having an Advent wreath on the table with candles and a nativity set. These sorts of visual reminders are as important for the kids as they are for the adults. For me, a daily Bible reading is on my list of Advent activities to help me focus on faith as we head into Christmas. 

2 Corinthians 8:9 ‘For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so they you by his poverty might become rich’. 

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Many parents of my generation believe that swimming lessons are a vital part of growing up in New Zealand. They are a common and costly part of children’s extra-curricular activities. Some schools still have pools, and some primary schools offer swimming lessons in class time, even if this means bussing kids off-site to a nearby facility for a short burst of lessons. We do need to be careful to remember as parents that even kids who have swimming lessons still need close supervision when in water.

Drowning can happen, so suddenly and you really need your eyes on kids the whole time. I’ve had a couple of scary incidences, and I make sure I always have another adult with me, with four children in water, particularly because I am not a very strong swimmer myself. Having a healthy respect for water and its dangers will help to keep our kids safe in the water. Wearing lifejackets is an important practice to role-model and enforce; to me, it is just like wearing a seat belt in the car, it’s not negotiable.

There is an issue around equity when it comes to accessing swimming lessons. They are costly, especially for large families, let alone scheduling lessons to make them all as close together or overlapping as possible! Our country is surround by water, literally; we are an island nation after all, and it’s vital that everyone learns water safety, if not swimming skills. We all need to be vigilant around pools and any water, even baths, to watch children so as to avoid drowning. It can certainly happen very quickly.

Water features frequently in the Bible, and fishing and boating is an important part of the lives of the disciples. We all know the parable of Jesus calming the storm on the lake and the fisherman catching nothing all night, yet getting an amazing catch when they put the nets out where Jesus tells them. Then Jesus invites his disciples to join him in Mark 1:1-7; “Jesus says ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men’”. The river Jordan is an important landmark in the New Testament. The baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan by John is a powerful image of humility. Matthew 3:16-17; “As soon as Jesus was baptised, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased’.” 

Water plays a pivotal role in the starting of the Christian journey. We are baptised by water to symbolically wash away our sins. One of my favourite verses from John is, “But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be, in him, a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:14).” Water is vital for our human life, and here is Jesus saying it is vital for our spiritual life and well-being. 

“And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38). 

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This being the third time that we have, as a family, made the journey through the sacramental programmes, it’s fascinating to reflect on how each journey has had its own unique experiences. With our first, it was pre-Covid, and so we participated in a large group of people, who were all making the journey together. With our second, his experiences were right at the height of the pandemic, and we made the journey in a smaller group, where the vast majority of the process was undertaken remotely over Zoom. This time round, at the concluding edges of the pandemic, we’ve been able to undertake it in person — but it’s still had some challenges, as regularly one or another of the group has had to isolate — and the team have been great in adapting to these challenges and to making sure that everyone is able to participate. 

One of the special things of this sacramental programme has been going beyond the essential sacraments, and working in adoration as part of the sessions. Adoration is, in my humble opinion, something that, as Catholics, far too many of us make insufficient use of — and I include myself in that statement; it’s an amazing opportunity to just be in the presence of God, and to spend time in communion with him. Watching our group experiencing this for the first time (in most instances) has been particularly special; and over the weeks of the programme so far, we’ve seen the participants become more and more aware of the special gift that this is. 

We’ve been especially blessed with the team that has been supporting and guiding the group through these sacraments. Our leaders have not only demonstrated their love and passion for the sacraments, they’ve gone out of their way to make it fun for the children; bringing a vibrancy and personality to the journey that has engaged the group and made the Word come alive for the children. 

As part of our family’s personal journey through this, one thing, in particular, that stuck with me was the shift in our child’s  attitude to the Mass that came after he made his first confession. Like many children, our son has always found Mass something to be endured, to a point. With his busy nature, he would always feel stifled sitting in a pew for 60 minutes. The first Mass that we attended after his reconciliation, by contrast, was a revelation — he was calm, quiet and focused the whole Mass through. This is something that has stuck with him in the subsequent weeks. 

One of the things that I’ve resolved to do out of these experiences is to restart a family tradition that fell by the wayside because of the various Covid-induced periods of lockdown and isolation; and that is to regularly go out for breakfast with my children for some one-on-one time. This time, however, we’re going to kick it up a notch, and start out with sacramental reconciliation on a Saturday morning, followed by breakfast and some bonding time. 

Pray for us as we journey to the group fully joining the Church community with First Communion and Confirmation at the end of the month. Deo gratias! 

“Truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20 

Helen Luxford is a physician, working part-time. She is a parishioner of St Michael’s, Remuera. Together with her husband Michael, they are raising their children in the Catholic Faith and reflecting on the challenges and joys that brings. 

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We need to be careful of what our children read, what we read and what we watch. There is a lot of conflicting literature out there and something that can look innocent is not. Often it isn’t until we get into it more deeply that we see some of the subtle and not so subtle messages.

I long ago gave up reading gossip magazines. I  never really enjoyed them and it’s unclear how true any of it is anyway. It really reinforces a celebrity worship culture which is akin to false idolatry to me, as well showing us a lot of “perfect” and unattainable physical appearances and wealth that is not practical or
possible for most people.

I do love reading novels. Reading gives us a way to look at different lives and differentperspectives that we otherwise wouldn’t have.

However, storylines often come down to lust or being unfaithful. Common storylines are around broken and dysfunctional relationships — all of which are common in all our lives and can help us to see the role of forgiveness and mercy.

With the kids’ books, we don’t know what they are being read at school and we don’t always know the content of what they are reading intimately.

A family member got our boys a box set of books by a well-known children’s author as a gift one year. We hadn’t really read his books but I’d heard they were popular. When I started reading them aloud I found some of them to be really quite frightening. Some of the characters were entirely evil and some of the events were
pretty revolting.

At what point do you accept these stories as modern pop culture and say it’s “just a book”? I don’t like books about witches and magic and zombies and so on. A lot of debate raged about Harry Potter and to date only one of our children has read any of those books. I feel like one of the few people on the planet who never got into them and hasn’t read the series!

I have this problem at times. I start reading a book and find it takes a very amoral turn. Often these events are presented in a way that normalises them or justifies them.

I’ve read a few challenging books over the last few years. As adults we have the fortitude to work through the issues and reflect on them with a solid background of faith.

Our children are still in formation and the media, including reading material, are presenting a lot of confusing information for them. Once kids start reading by themselves we don’t know the full content of what they are reading.

Including regular Bible reading and prayers and regular catechesis as well as regular Mass attendance will help to keep everyone in our families safe and looking toward the Lord Jesus to help guide us.

It’s a hard road, a hard journey to navigate morally in these modern times. There are a lot of slippery slopes we can venture down. We need to keep talking about these difficult  decisions and difficult situations.
Modelling how we talk and think about difficult moral issues, while remembering to hate the sin and love the sinner, is vital. Keeping judgement out of situations and keeping love and compassion and empathy and forgiveness at the forefront will hopefully stand our children in good stead as they navigate life in
the modern world.

Matthew 4:4: But he answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’.”

Helen Luxford is a physician, working part-time. She is a parishioner of St Michael’s, Remuera. Together with her husband Michael, they are raising their children in the Catholic Faith and reflecting on the challenges and joys that brings.

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Why does this matter to us as Catholics? Jesus came for everyone. Every single person from every single race worldwide. Jesus stood for justice, and, when he saw injustice, he spoke up and stood up. Jesus didn’t stand for injustice against women and non-Jews. He calls us to stand up against injustice wherever we may be, in whatever form it takes. It’s a hard journey. It challenges each of us to look at what role we play, and if it’s apathy and ignorance, then part of the journey is to acknowledge and learn and move forward.  

Privilege means that, as a Pākehā who grew up in a middle-class household, I was already steps ahead of my Māori counterparts who grew up in state houses relying on state welfare. It was a natural path for me to go to school, finishing that, and then moving to university and graduating with a professional degree, walking into a job and being employed on an above-average income. Institutions such as universities try to balance some of this privilege by having specific places reserved for Māori and Pasifika, and with extra support in place to help them succeed.  

There is discussion about how our health workforce needs to be representative of the population it serves. We have a long way to go there. We have balanced out the gender issue decades ago, with more females than males in medical school now. We need to ensure that our intake into medical school and other professions reflects our community make up.  

This is a big challenge for many people, and we can all pray for our Prime Minister, Minister of Health, those in power in our new health system, and those in education also. We can all do with prayer for wisdom as to how we can support and embrace these changes. At the heart of it is improving terrible health statistics in
our country for those who, due to no fault of their own, are in a cycle — a cycle of poverty and poor housing and low socio-economic status. All these aspects feed into poor health. 

We have Caritas Aotearoa — the Catholic Agency for Justice, Peace and Development. The Gospels are full of teachings around love, peace, justice, compassion, reconciliation, service and community, and these extend to modern social problems. Caritas helps development in Oceania, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, as well as providing emergency support after major disasters. They educate and advocate to change structures that cause poverty, including in New Zealand. Caritas is doing a lot of work with the Māori community. This is one of many organisations that you can donate to and learn more about, in order to see what people can help to do at a practical level in New Zealand. The Society of St Vincent De Paul is a well known charity that supports disadvantaged people in many ways, as does the Monte Cecilia Housing Trust. These organisations are always looking for donations.  

Have a read of Our Lord’s Prayer in Te Reo — Te Karakia O Te Atua: www.maorilanguage.net/waiata/te-karakia-o-te-atua-the-lords-prayer-in-maori/ Language always gives you a beautiful look into the heart and soul of a culture.  

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).  

Helen Luxford is a physician, working part-time. She is a parishioner of St Michael’s, Remuera. Together with her husband Michael, they are raising their children in the Catholic Faith and reflecting on the challenges and joys that brings. 

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Trying to prepare the kids for going back to school and transitioning from holidays to the school term is harder than usual. Essentially, we have to take a “let’s see what happens approach”, and we will have to be aware that disruption can happen at any time. We can make plans, but we make them knowing they may not happen. We had a holiday planned for October, 2021, which we couldn’t go on due to travel restrictions. We did manage to go on this holiday in January, 2022. We were all in a bit of shock that it actually happened, as we have become used to things being cancelled now! 

Worship at red is still limited to 100 if vaccinated. This is logistically difficult. There’s also the thought that Jesus welcomed everyone, at every time. What would he have done in a pandemic? Would he have followed the rules of the leader? Would he have encouraged safety first, to protect the vulnerable? If Mass is celebrated for 100, how do you “choose” who goes? Our parish has used an online booking system, and many people – including us – missed out on Christmas Mass slots. Another parish we used to go to still isn’t having Sunday Masses in person at all, as it’s too hard to. They are doing weekday and Saturday Masses, as these tend to attract smaller numbers.  

We have a child ready for the sacramental programme this year, and the facilitator is keen to keep this in person, rather than on zoom. I really want our child to become fully initiated in the Church and, at this rate, I fear this may not happen in 2022. Hopefully, it will happen later in the year? In the scheme of this child’s whole life, if he has to wait a year, so be it. His formation will still continue even without the sacraments, but we all know that the sacraments are a vital part of our faith, and I am worried that we are not getting them as often as our souls need in this current environment. 

We have had quite a lot of freedom and normality over the last two years. In the red “traffic light”, I’m not sure that many of the restrictions directly impact on us other than on our worship. That is a very important part of our lives, and there remains the issue of inconsistencies that plays on my mind. The Government has passed laws that afford a great deal of power to certain bodies. We all expect such provisions to be rescinded when the pandemic is over.  

We have enjoyed focusing more on outdoor activities. We have enjoyed catching up with friends outdoors. Being outside changes your perspective, and can cultivate more gratitude and more connection with God’s creation. Thankfully, we have had a warm summer which has allowed easy access to outdoor entertaining. This also allows a turn away from screens, that are a constant, ever-present issue in many families these days. We are praying for an end to this pandemic in 2022, and return to easy access to the sacraments for all. 

Isaiah 55:8-9; “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.”  

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