To answer this question we have only to think about what happened in another area of technology…the loss of the XT network in late 2009. Businesses at that time reckoned they had lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue. For many the loss of phone access (remember mobile phones  also access the internet) meant the cessation of business for an extended time.

So, the simple answer is yes, we do need ultra fast broadband to progress in the 21^st century.

The good thing from my point of view in this piece of news is the assistance being offered to schools so that learning can take another step into the future. Learning is changing so quickly and if we want to succeed as a nation in today’s global village we need to be hooked into e-learning which is burgeoning in our world today. Smaller schools are struggling to keep up with technology costs so this government contribution will help them leap into the future more quickly.

Of concern is the trimming of the overall Research and Development  portfolio funding. New Zealanders are known to have a tremendous creativity and an ability to do a lot with a piece of Number 8 wire. Try googling NZ inventions.  But again, to stay abreast of 21^st century movement we need devoted researchers and developers to systematically apply this creativity. Cutting their funding inevitably means cutting their numbers.

All this sits within the framework of recovery in Christchurch and the cost of that, not just to government but to private entities. Who of us would envy the decision makers in this area?

Let’s pray that our decision makers have wisdom and compassion while looking to the future.

Our bees are critical. It is said that if the bees die, human beings will die. Is that what we want? There is something more here to consider than just bees dying.  This is speaking about how we as human beings consider our planet. A wholistic approach is a must if we want our mokopuna to inherit a healthy planet.

Any intervention intended to introduce new techniques into the process of plant or animal farming needs to place importance on the relationship between increased production, stability of resources and respect for ecosystems.

The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace says sustainable development will seek to base itself on a spirit of service to humanity and to the whole of creation. This task carries moral and ethical implications, and has a deep spiritual foundation:  “man (sic), the only creature on earth that God wanted for its own sake, cannot fully find himself except in sincere self-giving” (Gaudium et spes, n. 24).

So we, the ordinary people, can join our voices with those beseeching ERMA to reassess all products containing neonicotinoids. We can write to this group or to our MPs asking for this to happen.

Let’s remember:  “The whole earth is a living icon of the face of God” (St John of Damascus)

The sadness in this article is palpable. The parents and friends of the young people killed, the 16 year old who will live all her life with the knowledge she was in charge of lives who were lost, the local community where these people lived and the rescue services who had to pick up the pieces – all these people are grieving as a result of poor decision making by a group of young people and maybe others too.

Where did the parents think their youngsters were? Why was an unsafe car being driven? Who supplied the alcohol? Were the youngsters intoxicated before they went to the party as they needed a sober driver to get them there? We could start seeking answers to all these questions to lay blame but maybe the answers belong further back than that.

How is society bringing up its children? Do we assist parents to have enough time to be with their children as they grow so that a close relationship means parents can still be part of their lives in later adolescence?  Maybe Pater Dunne’s idea of income splitting is not so bad. A parent would be around to form the child instead of the children struggling for time with busy parents who need to work to keep the family financially sound. Maybe our consumer society needs to be examined. Do we really need all that alcohol and all those goods with their built in obsolescence we work hard to acquire?

Jesus invited us to trust his father, our God, for all our needs. He wept too, as surely he is weeping now for the sadness in these people. Can we join him?

Given the needs in our land at present, the question must be asked…Is it worth despatching one of our ships to patrol and defend against robbery and possibly death in international waters far from our land. Surveillance, patrolling and apprehension are dangerous activities in pirate infested waters. They are necessary though if trade is to be freely plied and this includes trade from Aotearoa New Zealand.

On the other hand, children continue to die in abusive situations here. People are being locked up in prison without enough rehabilitation programmes being available. Addicts cannot get easy access into effective treatment programmes. More and more elderly are requiring hospital care. The list is endless.

So how should we spend the nation’s funds? Let us diligently seek all information necessary to understand these issues and remember those who have to make these decisions. Let’s pray that whatever decision is made it is for the common good. May the reputation of our country as a good world citizen be enhanced and may our own citizens be well supported in their needs.

“I have come that you may have life and have it to the full.” Jesus in John’s Gospel.

Justice must not simply be done but must be seen to be done! This statement is especially true when it involves the working of our official justice system, the Courts. For quite some time now there have been rumblings of dissatisfaction around legal aid payments; who gets legal aid and to whom is it paid.

One of the key principles our country holds dear is “innocent until proven guilty”. To enable this to be observed, it is vital that all people, no matter their financial circumstances or their apparent guilt, have access to legal representation.

Jesus reminded us that what is done to the least of his brethren is done to him. The trouble that has brewed is that, in choosing their own legal advisers, some people have been consistently choosing lawyers who cost much more than others. This then costs the country a great deal more.

Opinion is divided about the right to choose your lawyer as against the need  to have a level financial playing field which does not strip the coffers. Some are arguing that especially women will be disadvantaged in that they will not be able to have the lawyer they have already built a relationship with.

I think the scheme announced here will need to be reviewed after a year or so to see if intended outcomes are being achieved. Also, we need to know whether anyone who has been charged has been significantly disadvantaged because of these changes.

“Let those who are without sin cast the first stone.” (John 8:7)

It is wonderful to see such positive personal commitment to such a worthwhile cause. People who are ill need the support and assistance of nurses like Sharon. Our hospital staff offer us a great service. They are to be blessed. Especially outstanding are those like Sharon who go the extra mile  without thought of recompense. They put themselves out and others benefit immensely.

Commitment and dedication can go astray though. When this happens the world is a lesser place. Suicide bombers are absolutely committed to their cause. Terrorists are too. The extremists who recently burst into the Sunday Mass in the Baghdad Cathedral of Our Lady of Salvation thought they had reason to be dedicated to their cause, even to the extent of killing those whom they believed had offended them.

One of the most significant things Sharon says is, “I spend a lot of time changing attitudes.” Attitudes and values, while set in place early in life, can be altered by paying attention to how things are for others and by putting ourselves in another’s shoes.  Daily we experience others’ attitudes and values as different from ours. Do we let ourselves be challenged by this to examine what we hold dear or are we too afraid we might be called to change? A deepening of a commitment and dedication to others in the style of Sharon’s response to the distress and pain of children would change our world. The reign of God would be even more fully present.

God of all, we look to you. We would be your servants true; let us be your love to all the world.

Having been in a 7.6 earthquake and known the effect on my body – muscles that would not hold me up and a tight squeeze of fear within me – I can empathise with her feelings. It is so important to allow those who have been through all this to tell their story over and over. Maybe we will have to hear it many times and not turn away, thinking we have heard that one before!

The after effects of natural disaster are many and varied but all need to be taken seriously and worked with. People have their personal stories but communities also have theirs. St Paul’s Catholic Parish in Dallington mourned the loss of their priest who died and less than a week later their church fell down and their school was closed. How are they managing as a community?

Disaster brings out the best in people but also strains their resources. If we are able to assist in any way such as listening or donating we are doing as Jesus invited us to do when he said, “I was naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.” (Matthew 26:36). Let us pray for them and others in our world who suffer natural disasters and actively assist them.

God, help us to understand what peace and safety mean at a deep level when faced with daily violence.  Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us.

Article 39 states “States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to promote physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of a child victim of: any form of neglect, exploitation, or abuse; torture or any other form of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; or armed conflicts. Such recovery and reintegration shall take place in an environment which fosters the health, self-respect and dignity of the child.

The vulnerability of children was highlighted by Jesus who declared that anyone who harmed them should have a millstone put around their neck. This is the weight of wrong being done. It would be easy for we who live comfortably in Aotearoa to point the finger at the anonymous “others” who are fighting the wars in which children are caught up as bystanders or even as child soldiers.

We can do something though. We can write letters to our government to get them to lend their weight to moves aimed at protecting children. We can support child refugees who come here to rebuild their lives. The Refugee Family Reunification Trust helps bring families together and reunites children with their parents or extended family. A donation could be made to this Trust which may be contacted on 475-7994 or acalder@xtra.co.nz

Reflection
Because more things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of (maybe prayer softens our own hearts and minds and moves us to action), we can pray: “Jesus, you who loved the children who were brought to you, have compassion on these children made doubly vulnerable by war. Help us to help them by working to change the outlook and practices of those responsible for initiating armed conflict. Our Lady, Queen of Peace, pray for us.”

Related Reflections:

• We can do something
• Changing our reality
• News: Afghanistan: child deaths in conflict
• Scripture: His sun rises on all

Children are born with a huge potential for learning and becoming fully alive as Jesus promised. However, during the first three years of life, if conditions are not good enough (I do not think they need to be perfect!), then the child’s brain does not develop physically to its maximum and poor patterns of relating and acting are set in place which follow the child through life.

Physical nutrition is important but equally so is emotional, mental and spiritual nutrition. Parents carry a huge responsibility in bringing their children to adulthood. We as a Catholic community can assist them greatly by our attitudes and our practical support.  The value of a free baby sit, a smile in the supermarket when a tantrum is threatening or a patient listening to parental worries all help provide a healthier climate for the development of our vulnerable children. So does prayer for the children and their families, especially within the context of the Sunday worshipping community.  Let’s practise our Christian connections!