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Two Australian Bishops have given Catholic Matchmaker NZ permission to promote within their Dioceses, with others considering the option. This means that Australian Single Catholics may now search online for friends and a marriage partner.
“People are increasingly isolated in our busy world, and are using the Internet more and more to fill their needs. This is a great step for the Catholic church to allow use of the technology available to us for the Glory of God” says Clare Omvig, Director of Catholic Matchmaker NZ.
“My husband and I met using a Catholic Matchmaking service, and we finally realized that we have the skills to provide that service to others,” Clare Omvig says.
Catholic Matchmaker New Zealand started in September 2007, with Archbishop John Dew’s blessing and permission to promote in the Diocese of Wellington. Since then all the Bishops of New Zealand have given permission within their dioceses.
Catholic Matchmaker is a service for Catholics to meet other Catholics for friendships or relationships leading to marriage. Catholic Matchmaker has just celebrated its first wedding on 17 May 2008, and hopes that many more will follow.
With their first wedding already under their belt, it was felt that the service could be offered to Australia and a wider audience, so that there would be more opportunities to meet other single Catholics for the current membership and to encourage new members.
“There has been some interest from Australia, so we have started the process of seeking out permission to promote within each diocese of Australia”.
The Bishop of Townsville, Australia, Most Reverend Michael E Putney, and the Bishop of Ballarat, Australia, Most Reverend Peter J Connors have both given their permission to promote Catholic Matchmaker within their dioceses.
Bishop Connors says, “I congratulate you on this splendid initiative and give you approval to send material to the parishes of the Diocese of Ballarat.”
Bishop Putney says, “I ….(would) be very happy to give you permission to promote it within my diocese, and would be happy to make your promotional material available in our parishes.”
This is a ground breaking opportunity for New Zealand Catholics to meet not only other Kiwis, but also make friends from over the Tasman.
Catholic Matchmaker provides the safest online private venue for single Catholics to meet. The Catholic Matchmaker Site is available as a paid only, private members site. This prevents the problems that free dating sites have with scammers and busy bodies wanting to see who is on the site. Everyone there is there for the same reason – to make friends or look for a marriage partner.
The good news for Australians, is that payment is in New Zealand Dollars – meaning that the $14.97 NZD monthly payment to join, is only around $12.32 AUD per month. And for ease of payment, Paypal.com is used as the Credit Card Processor.
“At Catholic Matchmaker we attract those sincere about their search and ready to invest in that journey. We eliminate the negative elements that free or secular sites have, and although our membership is smaller than large free secular sites, our membership is comprised solely of sincere searchers – making it very high quality.” Says Clare Omvig.
Catholics Meeting Catholics just got even easier and better!
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The Tailgater
[ Catholic Matchmaker New Zealand Takes OFF! ]
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5/10/2008 8:49:56 AM |
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A man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.
The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup.
As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up! He took her to the police station where she was searched, finger printed, photographed, and placed in a holding cell.
After a couple of hours, a policeman; approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.
He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker, the 'Choose Life' License plate holder, the 'Follow Me to Sunday-School' bumper Sticker, And the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk. Naturally... I assumed you had stolen the car."
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Hi all
Just a quick "Heads Up" for you that David and Cathie's story is in the NZ Catholic Website today, and here is the link:
God bless
Clare Omvig
Administrator
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A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to
8 year olds, 'What does love mean?' The answers they got were broader
and deeper than anyone could have imagined.
1. When my grandma got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint
her toenails anymore. So my grandpa does it for her now all the time,
even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love. Rebecca- age 8
2. When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouths. Billy- age 4
(I love it! - how old is this kid?)
3. Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving
Cologne and they go out and smell each other. Kari- age 5
4. Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your
french fries without making them give you any of theirs. Chrissy- age 6
5. Love is what makes you smile when you're tired. Terri- age 4
6. Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a
sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK. Danny- age 7
7. Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of
kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My mommy and
my daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss. Emily- age 8
8. Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop
opening presents and listen. Bobby- age 7 (WOW - get the Kleenex -
he'll go places in this ole world.)
9. If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a
friend who you hate.
Nikka- age 6
10. Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then, he wears
it everyday.
Noelle- age 7
11. Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are
still friends even after they know each other so well. Tommy- age 6
12. During my piano recital, I was on stage and I was scared. I
looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and
smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.
Cindy- age 8
13. My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else
kissing me to sleep at night. Clare- age 6 (gotta love her)
14. Love is when mommy gives daddy the best piece of chicken.
Elaine-age 5
15. Love is when mommy sees daddy smelly and sweaty and still says
he is handsomer than Robert Redford.
Chris- age 7
16. Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left
him alone all day.
Mary Ann- age 4
17. When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and
little stars come out of you. Karen- age 7 (what generation is this
kid?)
18. You really shouldn't say 'I LOVE YOU' unless you mean it. But
if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.
Jessica- age 8 (priceless)
And the winner was a 4 year old child whose next door neighbor was
an elderly man who had just lost his wife:
When the child saw the man
cry, the little boy went over into the man's yard and climbed on top
of the man's lap and just sat there. When the boy's mother asked him
what he'd said to the neighbor, the little boy said, 'Nothing, I just
helped him cry.'
Have a Blessed Day
Submitted by 'Sue'
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Sisters Mary Catherine, Maria Theresa, Katherine Marie, Rose Frances, & Mary Kathleen left the Convent on a trip to St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City and were sight-seeing on a Tuesday in July. It was hot and humid in town and their traditional garb was making them so uncomfortable, they decided to stop in at Patty McGuire's Pub for a cold soft drink.
Patty had recently added special legs to his barstools, which were the talk of the fashionable eastside neighborhood. All 5 Nuns sat up at the bar and were enjoying their Cokes when Monsignor Riley and Father McGinty entered the bar through the front door.
They, too, came for a cold drink when they were shocked and almost fainted at what they saw.
Give us a sense of humor, Lord,
Give us the grace to see a joke,
To get some humor out of life,
And pass it on to other folk.
Submitted by "Sue"
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Five Finger Prayer
This is so neat. I had never heard this before. This is beautiful - and it is surely worth making the 5 finger prayer a part of our lives.
1. Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a 'sweet duty.'
2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.
3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.
4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.
5. And lastly comes our little finger - the smallest finger of all which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, 'The least shall be the greatest among you.' Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.
Submitted by "Carina"
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Baby Samuel
[ Funnies and Inspiration ]
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3/16/2008 1:54:27 PM |
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A picture began circulating in November. It should be 'The Picture of the Year,' or perhaps, 'Picture of the Decade.' It won't be. In fact, unless you obtained a copy of the US paper which published it, you probably would never have seen it.
The picture is that of a 21-week-old unborn baby named Samuel Alexander Armas, who is being operated on by surgeon named Joseph Bruner.
The baby was diagnosed with spina bifida and would not survive if removed from his mother's womb. Little Samuel's mother, Julie Armas, is an obstetrics nurse in Atlanta . She knew of Dr. Bruner's remarkable
surgical procedure. Practicing at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville , he performs these special operations while the baby is still in the womb.
During the procedure, the doctor removes the uterus via C-section and makes a small incision to operate on the baby. As Dr. Bruner completed the surgery on Samuel, the little guy reached his tiny, but fully developed hand through the incision and firmly grasped the surgeon's finger. Dr.Bruner was reported as saying that when his finger was grasped, it was the most emotional moment of his life, and that for an instant during the procedure he was just frozen, totally immobile.
The photograph captures this amazing event with perfect clarity. The editors titled the picture, 'Hand of Hope.' The text explaining the picture begins, 'The tiny hand of 21-week- old fetus Samuel Alexander Armas emerges from the mother's uterus to grasp the finger of Dr. Joseph Bruner as if thanking the doctor for the gift of life.'
Little Samuel's mother said they 'wept for days' when they saw the picture. She said, 'The photo reminds us pregnancy isn't about disability or an illness, it's about a little person.'Samuel was born in perfect health, the operation 100 percent successful.
Now see the actual picture, and it is awesome... incredible.... and hey, pass it on. The world needs to see this one!
Don't tell me our God isn't an awesome God!!!!!
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This is for all the parents and potential parents - not to mention their offspring!!!!
A mother passing by her daughter's bedroom was astonished to see the bed was nicely made and everything was picked up. Then she saw an envelope propped up prominently on the centre of the bed. It was simply addressed "mum"......with the worst premonition she opened the envelope and read the letter with trembling hands:
Dear Mum
It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing to you.
I had to elope with my new boyfriend, John because I wanted to avoid a scene with dad and you. I've been finding real passion with John and he is so nice and even though he is 54, divorced (I think) and on parole, and also with all his piercings, tattoos, beard, and motorcycle clothes I love him as I have loved no other. But it's not only the passion mum, I'm pregnant and John said that he will take care of me and we will be very happy. He already nearly owns a caravan on the outskirts of Wagga and has a stack of firewood to see us through the whole of winter. He wants to have many more children with me and that's now one of my dreams too.
John taught me that marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone and we'll be growing it for us and also for trading it with his friends for all the cocaine and ecstasy we want. In the meantime I ask that you pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so John can get better; he sure deserves it now with his first baby to me on the way. Don't worry mum, I'm nearly 15 years old now and now how to take care of myself. Some day we'll be back to visit so you can get to know your grand children.
Your daughter,
Nikki
P.S. None of the above is true. I'm next door. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than my report card which is in my desk drawer.
I love you.....please call me when it is safe for me to come home
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Cracked Pot
[ Funnies and Inspiration ]
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3/6/2008 3:12:11 PM |
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It is..A wonderful story...
An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole
which she carried across her neck.
One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always
delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the
stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two
years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half
pots of water.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor
cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could
only do half of what it had been made to do.
After 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the
woman one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in
my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house."
The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of
the path, but not on the other pot's side?" "That's because I have always
known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path,
and every day while we walk back, you water them." "For two years I have
been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you
being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the
house."
Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each
have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've
just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in
them.
SO, to all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to smell
the flowers on your side of the path!
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Thanks to a retired Air Force officer for sending this "paraphrase" of a memorable public safety announcement from Alaska Air flight attendants...
"I was flying to San Francisco from Seattle this weekend, and the flight attendant reading the flight safety information had the whole plane looking at each other like 'what the heck?' (Getting Seattle people to look at each other is an accomplishment.) So once we got airborne, I took out my laptop and typed up what she said so I wouldn't forget. I've left out a few parts I'm sure, but this is most of it."
Before takeoff... Hello and welcome to Alaska Flight 438 to San Francisco . If you're going to San Francisco , you're in the right place. If you're not going to San Francisco , you're about to have a really long evening.
We'd like to tell you now about some important safety features of this aircraft.
The most important safety feature we have aboard this plane is... the flight attendants. Please look at one now.
There are five exits aboard this plane: two at the front, two over the wings, and one out the plane's rear end. If you're seated in one of the exit rows, please do not store your bags by your feet. That would be a really bad idea. Please take a moment and look around and find the nearest exit. Count the rows of seats between you and the exit. In the event that the need arises to find one, trust me, you'll be glad you did. (This is excellent advice, and something I always do.) We have pretty blinking lights on the floor that will blink in the direction of the exits. White ones along the normal rows, and pretty red ones at the exit rows.
In the event of a loss of cabin pressure, these baggy things will drop down over your head. You stick it over your nose and mouth like the flight attendant is doing now. The bag won't inflate, but there's oxygen there, promise.
If you are sitting next to a small child, or someone who is acting like a small child, please do us all a favor and put on your mask first. If you are traveling with two or more children, please take a moment now to decide which one is your favorite. Help that one first, and then work your way down.
In the seat pocket in front of you is a pamphlet about the safety features of this plane. I usually use it as a fan when I'm having my own personal summer. It makes a very good fan. It also has pretty pictures. Please take it out and play with it now.
Please take a moment now to make sure your seat belts are fastened low and tight about your waist. To fasten the belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle. To release, it's a pulley thing -- not a pushy thing like your car because you're in an airplane -- HELLO!!
There is no smoking in the cabin on this flight. There is also no smoking in the lavatories. If we see smoke coming from the lavatories, we will assume you are on fire and put you out. This is a free service we provide. There are two smoking sections on this flight, one outside each wing exit. We do have a movie in the smoking sections tonight ... hold on, let me check what it is .... Oh here it is; the movie tonight is Gone with the Wind.
In a moment we will be turning off the cabin lights, and it's going to get really dark, really fast. If you're afraid of the dark, now would be a good time to reach up and press the yellow button. The yellow button turns on your reading light. Please don't press the orange button unless you absolutely have to. The orange button is your seat ejection button.
We're glad to have you with us on board this flight. Thank you for choosing Alaska Air and giving us your business and your money. If there's anything we can do to make you more comfortable, please don't hesitate to ask.
If you all weren't strapped down, you would have given me a standing ovation, wouldn't you?
After landing... Welcome to the San Francisco International Airport . Sorry about the bumpy landing. It's not the captain's fault. It's not the copilot's fault. It's the Asphalt.
Please remain seated until the plane is parked at the gate. At no time in history has a passenger beaten a plane to the gate. So please don't even try.
Please be careful opening the overhead bins because "shift happens."
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