christchurch – NZ Catholic Newspaper

Bishops worried about church strengthening costs

NZ Catholic Staff — Mon, 12 May 2014 18:00:10 +0000

by NZ CATHOLIC staff
WELLINGTON — New Zealand’s Catholic bishops have warned about
the consequences of a proposed new law on seismic strengthening of buildings.
Archbishop John Dew warned that the Building (Earthquake-prone Buildings) Amendment Bill doesn’t provide for a financial framework to support owners of vulnerable buildings.
“The proposed legislation . . . will fail to meet its objective unless significant work is undertaken to address the additional burden for those who can least afford it,” the archbishop said.
Church communities do not have access to the capital to achieve improvement of all that the legislation will require, even within the timelines proposed, he said.
Seismic assessments of all non-residential structures must be completed within five years, according to the bill.
All structures deemed to be earthquake-prone — likely to collapse in a moderate earthquake — have 15 years from this assessment to be brought up to at least 34 per cent of the NewBuilding Standard or be demolished.
Extensions to these timeframes can be made for heritage buildings.
Archbishop Dew said church communities do not have access to funds to do all that the new law would require.
“Left to ourselves, the decision is a stark and difficult one,” he said.
With the support of parishioners, others in the community, and local
and central government, some buildings will be able to be improved, the archbishop said.
Many communities are struggling towards achieving this now, he said,
but the cost is high.
“We deeply believe places where people gather should be safe for all,” he noted.
“We are wholeheartedly supportive of the intent to improve safety. However we believe that more work needs to be done to analyse the impact of the proposals on all,” Archbishop Dew said.
He said many church communities cannot even afford the increased insurance costs on their buildings following the Canterbury events.
Church communities that are most likely to be affected by the bill are small parishes who have an asset in the form of a building, but lack the necessary cashflow to maintain them, let alone support the activities that are the very reason for their existence, Archbishop Dew said.
“We look forward to being part of society’s wider conversation,” he added.
A submission on the bill has been made by the Archdiocese of Wellington on behalf of the six New Zealand Catholic diocesan bishops.
The bishops also support the All-Churches Bureau submission on behalf of many Christian denominations.
The Catholic Bishop of Christchurch made an additional submission on the bill.

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Mercy sister’s missionary dream eventually came true

Michael Otto — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 05:00:04 +0000

by Sr ENID LAGAN, RSM CHRISTCHURCH — Well here I am at age 86 having lived a full and happy life as a Sister of Mercy. Retirement in a rest home doesn’t mean life stands still — in fact I am spending every spare minute knitting scarves for needy children. We had been challenged to

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Goodness comes from the Christchurch rubble

Kathleen Casey — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 03:31:02 +0000

by KATHLEEN CASEY CHRISTCHURCH — On the Nazareth House site in Christchurch there’s a lot of space, a digger and truck amid remaining rubble and the 1939 Chapel of the Holy Family still standing tall. Nazareth House, which provided care for the elderly, was severely damaged in the Christchurch earthquakes. But the property is a

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Pre-marriage programme, Commit, comes to Christchurch

Michael Otto — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 04:42:19 +0000

by PETER GRACE CHRISTCHURCH — After nearly two years of use in one diocese, a New Zealand-made pre-marriage programme is expanding its reach. Commit was developed and introduced in Auckland diocese in 2010, replacing the United States programme Foccus (Facilitating Open Couple Communication and Understanding). On June 23, Auckland pre-marriage coordinators Sandra Armstrong and Elizabeth

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Christchurch schools cope through seismic struggles

Kathleen Casey — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 06:38:13 +0000

by KATHLEEN CASEY CHRISTCHURCH — Earthquakes have plunged Christchurch into a city of contrasts, from badly damaged to almost normal, a situation reflected in Catholic primary schools. School is not usually a better place than home, but that’s the reality for some anxious children, some of whom still sleep with their parents. When you’re stepping

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Carmelite nun gets her diploma in surprise presentation

Michael Otto — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 04:19:00 +0000

by MICHAEL OTTO CHRISTCHURCH — Secrets are possible even in enclosed religious communities, as Carmelite Sr Cushla Renton found out to her delight on December 29. Sr Cushla was called to the visitors’ room at the Carmelite monastery in Christchurch to see someone, but found her community gathered with Good Shepherd College principal Msgr Brendan

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Messages of support invited for Christchurch

Michael Otto — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +0000

NZ Catholic invites readers to publish a message of support in the paper for friends and family in Christchurch, or general messages of support, up to 40 words in length. For a koha, or donation of any amount, NZ Catholic will publish these messages and forward the funds raised in this way to assist with

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Japanese dad sends message to NZ people

Michael Otto — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +0000

CHRISTCHURCH Among the international helpers who came to Christchurch after February 22 were members of the Association of Medical Doctors in Asia. According to Mr Adachi, the article was originally written in Japanese, then translated into English.To the people of New Zealand and Japan:My daughter was involved in the earthquake disaster while studying English in

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Youth team cook up a feed for Chch people

Michael Otto — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +0000

CHRISTCHURCH The Catholic youth ministry team in Christchurch has cooked and given out thousands of sausages free in hard hit areas of the city. Catholic Youth Team director Chris Lysaght and team member Jason McTague went out with a barbecue and 200 sausages to Linwood North two days after the quake, after they heard people

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Christchurch Catholic cathedral dome to be taken down

Michael Otto — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +0000

CHRISTCHURCH The main dome of the severely damaged Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Christchurch is to be removed over several months to reduce the risk of part or all of the remaining structure collapsing. The cathedrals bell towers and part of its front façade collapsed during the 6.3 magnitude earthquake on February 22. According

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