Holy Days of Obligation in New Zealand
The Birth of the Lord – Christmas 25 December
The Assumption (Patroness of New Zealand) 15 August
Days of Penance for New Zealand
Abstaining from meat (not eating meat), and fasting, are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. On all other Fridays of the year the law of common practice of penance is fulfilled by performing any one of the following:
- Abstaining from meat or some food
- Abstaining from alcoholic drink, smoking, or some form of amusement
- Fasting from all food for a longer period than usual
- Giving what we save as a result of our fasting and abstinence to the needy at home or abroad
- Going out of our way to help somebody who is poor, sick, old or lonely
- Making an extra effort in terms of family prayer, participation in the Mass, visiting the Blessed Sacrament, or praying the Stations of the Cross.
Lent
Lent is a penitential season of prayer, self-denial and helping others. In this way the whole Church prepares for Easter with those who are to be baptised. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are the particular days of fasting and abstinence in this Lenten season. The obligation of fasting binds those who have completed their eighteenth year, until the beginning of their sixtieth year. Tho obligation to fast means that we must reduce the quantity of food eaten, and to abstain means that we must not eat meat.
Eucharist Fast
Those who receive Holy Communion are to abstain for one hour beforehand for all food and drink, with the exception of water and medicine. This does not apply to the elderly, the sick and those who care for them.
Mass Stipends
The New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference has decided that the usual stipend that a person may choose to offer for the celebration of Mass is now $10.00 if the person asks.
But, every priest is encouraged to celebrate Masses requested by Christ’s faithful people, even if a Mass stipend is not offered.
When you are admitted to hospital
- If you know that you are going to be a patient in hospital you may contact a chaplain before you go to hospital.
- When you are admitted and are filling in the Admission or Registration form, please enter your religion asRoman Catholic and please indicate that you wish to see a Roman Catholic chaplain. (The hospital computer does not recognize ‘Catholic” as a description. In New Zealand we are described officially as Roman Catholic.)
- While you are in hospital please ask to see the Roman Catholic chaplain. Relatives and friends are able to ask to see a chaplain for themselves or on behalf of a relative or friend who has given her or his consent to see a chaplain.
- These actions on your part will help the chaplains to provide you with spiritual support while you are in hospital.
Wills and Bequests
When making your Will, after making sure that the members of your family are properly cared for, you may wish to consider making a bequest to St. Luke’s Catholic Parish.
You are free to place conditions on any bequest you may choose to make, but experience has proved that it is often easier to accept and use a bequest if it is expressed in as open a way as possible.
For example, if you choose to make a bequest to St. Luke’s Catholic Parish, your intention might be well expressed in these or similar words:
“…to St. Luke’s Catholic Community/Parish, Flat Bush, to be used for the general purposes of the Community/Parish as the Administrator/ Parish Priest for time being sees fit.”
Automatic payment form. Download form here