Pray the News » Brian O’Connell

All boxes ticked

Denis — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 08:43:27 +0000

The new Governor General is a good choice, potentially a great one. Jerry Mataparae ticks all the boxes, a Maori but with a pakeha wife, distinguished public service, family man, and as one commentator noted a man with good shoulders to do justice to the uniform.

Seriously his symbolic value could be the most powerful aspect. This position is a key one (Representative of the Queen) and becomes more important as NZ edges towards becoming a republic. Maori in general oppose this trend because the link to the Crown as a treaty partner is a taonga. A successful Maori Governor-General would pave the way to a truly mandated non-political leader of this country.

His common sense leadership will encourage Maori to follow their elected political leaders, and not the radical element who support a separatist kawanatanga. This appointment indirectly honours the Maori battalion and those Maori who at present find mana and careers in the armed forces.

This appointment moves NZ away from its colonial past, and its mono-cultural mindset. We all stand to gain if Jerry Mataparae is a great success.

Cruel Paradox

Denis — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 17:27:35 +0000

The NZ Herald of 8 Jan reported the the NZ cricket vice-captain Ross Taylor had landed a US$1 million contract to play for one month twice in the next two years. His paymasters are the Indian IPL cricket T20 League, a consortium of Indian millionaires who televise these matches to the mass market. It is the shortest version of cricket, crash-bang cricket at its worst.

No one can miss the irony and cruel paradox of these huge salaries paid to local and foreign players in one of the poorest countries in the world. NZ cricket and the international ICC tolerate these tournaments because the players will go anyway, and argue that this is like superannuation for players who have a limited shelf life. But these payments are like blood diamonds, and are money that could be reinvested in Indian infrastructure that will provide jobs and increase the pitifully small income per capita in India. It would only take one major cricket nation like England or Australia to ban their players past and present to hit this pirate cricket tournament on the head. NZ lost its best bowler Shane Bond for 2 years for playing for a rebel league, not the IPL which has ICC backing.

What can anyone do? Tell Cricket NZ the IPL is a scandal, tell the 5/6 NZ players we don’t approve of their participation. Lobby the ICC through our delegate. And above all, don’t watch it !

A moment of clarity

Denis — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 08:50:52 +0000

In the midst of a crisis, there is sometimes a moment of enlightenment, a moment of clarity which briefly reveals the truth. This moment is sometimes a steadying influence on those caught up in the crisis or feel under attack. The cartoonist is no apologist for the church – in fact earlier cartoons had severely chastised the church for its lapses in acknowledging the sins of its pastors. That is what gave his most recent cartoon its power – Tom Scott is a fearless commentator on political and social life. The point he made in his cartoon points the way to healing and a new beginning – a humble acknowledgment that people have been hurt, and that the church must change its processes. The good of people must take precedence over the reputation of the institution and those in high office.

Go in person to the hurt party

Denis — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 09:47:43 +0000

Pius 12th and the Jews is one of those issues that is impervious to logic, healing, even facts. The whole question of the Jews and the Vatican is overlaid by the great tragedy of the European holocaust. There is the moral authority of the Papacy, and what might have been if the wartime Pope had spoken out. The Italian Jews are still holding their view that Pius’ silence still hurts as a failed action. It makes little difference to point out what was actually done in secret to save Jews from the Nazis. What Pope Benedict has done is really the only way to proceed – go in person to the hurt party’s place, the synagogue, and quietly state the truth as he knows it. He did not mention Pius’ name, but spoke of what was done. He and his successors may have to do this several more times before healing begins. The truth will eventually become through, and will set everyone free The deep hurt held by the Roman Jewish community is based on the holocaust catastrophe and the ambiguity of Pius 12th’s silence, and these cannot yet be separated. Only prayer and the working of God’s Holy Spirit will make that happen. Meanwhile the complete opening of all archival material will ensure transparency

Individuals, families and groups can make a difference

Denis — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:22:39 +0000

Failure to reverse the present trends will have some quite specific consequences in our part of the world – some Pacific nations will be uninhabitable from rising sea levels and rising temperatures, will bring a greater intensity of storms and natural disasters. This could mean thousands of environmental refugees before the end of this century.

If we believe that planet Earth is God’s gift, and that enabling it to be habitable and fruitful is a Christian response to that gift, then we have a moral obligation to act. Some time ago the Archbishop of Brisbane said; “I don’t think we can be Christian unless we are ecologically converted”.

World problems require worldwide solutions, and nations will have to cooperate in developing renewable energy resources. But individuals, families and groups can make a difference by agreeing to live more simply. Everything we can do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is an expression of unselfish care of the planet. If we do nothing we could be colluding in a man-made catastrophe, and putting at risk the beautiful world God gave us and our children

He is being hounded

Denis — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 04:17:12 +0000

Bailey Junior Kurariki has already served all his teenage years in prison, and looks to be imprisoned for life by the media who continue to refer to him as the ” country’s youngest killer”. By continually printing his 12-year-old photo, the media in this country engaged sympathy for him from the public, and then has proceeded to demonise him as he predictably gets into trouble in his relationships. The young man is very angry that TV cameras surround him. He has every reason to be. Part of his rehabilitation and restoration of normalcy in his life requires some anonymity. He will not get it unless the media back off, and the public show their displeasure at the continued hounding of this young man.