Child Workers Worry Delegates

THE MON T HLY MAGAZINE FOR T HE CA T HOLI C S OF T HE DUNE D IN DIO C ESE HE ABLE T AprilT 2008 T Issue No 131 Child workers worry delegates CWL remit urges stricter laws to help young people By GILLIAN VINE CHILDREN who work delivering pamphlets and other material need the same level of protection as adults but are not getting it, the Catholic Women’s League says. A remit before the CWL diocesan conference in Mosgiel on March 30 called on CWL New Zealand to “establish policy that the Government set in place regulations governing a code of best practice for the employment of children in delivery work”. “Any industry based on child labour, no matter how willing the participants, has a very high level of moral responsibility to ensure that they are well-treat- ed,” an explanatory note said. “Children are our most vulnerable workers. They deserve at least the same protection as that received by adults.” The rationale was that children would be better protected if there was “a mini- Celebrating youth: Concluding a successful preparation day at Holy Cross mum age of employment (or staggered Centre, World Youth Day pilgrims walked in procession from Kavanagh Col- age entry to different types of work) lege to St Joseph’s Cathedral for a Vigil Mass on the eve of Palm Sunday. and a minimum wage tied to the age of Christian, the Cross-bearer, led the procession, followed by Bishop entry to the workforce”. Colin Campbell (right, partly obscured). Concelebrants at the Mass included The remit divided speakers from Fr Michael Hishon (left) and WYD diocesan co-ordinator Fr Vaughan Leslie among the 70 women representing 16 (second from left). More on WYD08 on page15. of the diocese’s 17 CWL branches. Moving the St Patrick’s Invercargill branch remit, Ann McRandle said children who delivered pamphlets and In this issue… other material needed better work- Walking together...................................2 New Verdon block.............pages 6-9 place conditions. CWL conference.....................................3 Stamps for the Vinnies...................11 Companies employing children Those new deadly sins.........................4 WYD08 day.......................................15 page 3➤ School rolls .............................................5 High on religion..............................16 The Tablet April 2008 Ecumenical groups walk together on Good Friday By GILLIAN VINE AN INTER-DENOMINATIONAL approach was a feature of walks with large cross- es on Good Friday. In Dunedin, about 200 people took part in the walk through North East Valley to a service at the Botanic Gar- den. As in previous years, people joined the procession as it passed their churches. Sacred Heart parish priest Fr Aidan Cunningham (pictured second from right) and a group of parishioners were among those who walked with the cross. In Mosgiel, the 3m pine cross carried by volunteers through the town to St Luke’s Anglican Church had special sig- nificance as it was made about 30 years ago by seminarians at Holy Cross Col- lege. “The walk used to start at Green Island and we walked to St Mary’s in Mosgiel,” Immaculate Conception Mosgiel parish assistant Sr Noreen McGrath PBVM said. “The walk started at 9 o’clock and we got to Mosgiel at That long Good Friday walk was discontinued in the late 12,” she said. Sr Noreen recalled walking with the cross from 1990s but in 2000 the Taieri Ministers Association decided to Green Island to Mosgiel in 1993. revive the tradition in a walk through Mosgiel. “It’s appropriate that the ceremony takes in many of the Christian denominations nowadays, as we walk as one and all belong to Christ,” Sr Noreen said. In Queenstown, about 60 people gathered after Mass at St Joseph’s Church to carry a cross through the town’s streets. In North Otago, 20 people took part in a Hampden pilgrim- age, carrying a cross between the Catholic, Anglican and Presbyterian churches, then on to the beach for readings and hymns, while Oamaru’s ecumenical Walk of the Cross attract- ed more than 100 people. A small group carried a cross in Balclutha. Masses of the Oils celebrated “WHAT better time than Holy Week to look at how we resemble Jesus?” Bishop Colin Campbell asked at the Mass of Chrism in St Joseph’s Cathedral on March 19. At the Mass priests from Dunedin, South Otago and North Otago renewed their vows, and oils to be used in sacra- ments were consecrated. It was one of three Masses of the Oils celebrated in the diocese. The others were in Gore and Alexandra on March 17 and 18. Bishop Campbell spoke of the different roles of priests and laity “but the vocation of both is discipleship”. The priests jointly stood to renew their vows, then the bishop and then the priests and people stood and together said: “We dedicate our lives and talents to your service.” Parishes and chaplains were presented with oils by the bishop. 2 April 2008 The Tablet Child employment remit passed Bishop’s Diary ➤ from page 1 The remit was carried 14-1 with three “abdicated responsibility to parents or abstentions. guardians”, Mrs McRandle said. The diocesan conference considered APRIL-MAY “But there are a lot of children out two Alexandra remits, one calling for April 20-25 – New Zealand Bishops’ there who do not have the support of babies to be entitled to a minimum of Conference in Wellington May 2 – Catholic Development Fund their parents,” she said. five home visits by a Plunket nurse be- meeting; Board of Management The branch wanted “household poverty fore the age of one year. meeting addressed, so that children do not have Speaking to her branch’s remit, Mar- May 17 – Diocesan finance seminar to work to supplement family income”. kelle Ward said Plunket nurses going Ann McCarthy, of St Therese Inver- into homes could reach people who cargill, told the meeting she had re- did not go to parenting courses and searched the issue and although there this contact could identify problems Plea for vulnerable was some legislation, a union official before they became serious. LEADERS of the Catholic Church and described children’s employment as The remit was carried. other denominations, meeting with the “an area not black and white, but quite The other remit callied for CWLNZ to New Zealand Council of Christian Social grey”. “establish a policy that all drivers be re- Services, are calling for more care for the She was concerned about what quired to undergo a defensive driving most vulnerable in society. would happen if the remit went for- course as part of the process in gaining The Churches are launching a pro- ward for ratification by the national a restricted driver’s licence”. gramme called “Aroha tetahi ki tetahi: Let conference later this year. “Many [new drivers] have had little, if us look after one another”. “Who’s going to suffer? These young any, formal training.,” Deirdre Jolly said Over the next few months parishes will people might lose their employment in presenting the remit. be sent posters and pamphlets about the and many come from families that Kath O’Kane, of Andersons Bay, ar- five priority areas of concern: support for need the money.” gued that raising the age at which peo- families and communities to nurture and In response, Mrs McRandle said: ple could get licences would be a more protect children, dignity for an ageing “We’re not against children working. effective safety measure. population, poverty elimination, access We’re looking at a code of practice … The remit was carried, 16-1, with one to affordable housing, and support for to protect them.” abstention. community-based solutions. Marys and Marthas By GILLIAN VINE “HAVING a Mary Spirit in a Martha World” is the CWL’s theme for the next two years. At the diocesan conference in Mos- giel, Kay Blackburn, of Invercargill, gave members a thought-provoking presentation. Delegates then were asked if they were Marys or Marthas. Mrs Blackburn developed her theme of the importance and responsibilities of discipleship, and how – although “Martha’s tasks were far from trivial” – she was unable to prioritise. “Jesus was telling Martha to get her priorities in order,” Mrs Blackburn said. She struck a chord with her audi- ence when she said women often felt “overburdened, overworked and overwhelmed”, juggling tasks and The deadline for the May issue is Wednes- responsibilities. day, April 30. Please send all contributions to “God asks us to help others but not the editor, Gillian Vine, 26 Franklin St, Dalmore, Dunedin 9010; to take on all their burdens.” phone 021-705-708; fax 03-474-5758; email [email protected]. 3 The Tablet April 2008 Light of the Storm over new deadly sins London: Despite huge newspaper headlines from the secular press such headlines and excited TV newscasts as “Recycle or go to Hell, warns Vatican” World Radio around the world, reports that the and “Littering new deadly sin”. From 4-5 pm, every Sunday Vatican has selected seven new deadly In London, one leading national on 1575 kHz, HillsAM sins, including littering and economic newspaper, The Times, headlined its inequality, have been denied. report “Seven new deadly sins: are you April The Episcopal Conference of Eng- guilty?” and quoted Bishop Girotti as saying: “You offend God not only by 20 – A Vatican Radio miscellany, in- land and Wales released a statement stealing, blaspheming or coveting your cluding reports on landmines and clarifying that an interview with Bishop Gianfranco Girotti, regent of the Tri- neighbour’s wife, but also by ruining cluster bombs, and a brief look bunal of the Apostolic Penitentiary, the environment, carrying out morally at the encyclical Rerum Novarum.

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