1. ‘Let us go together’. ‘Me haere tahi tāua’. 2018 -Ven. Suzanne Aubert
Please note: this presentation is a guide. You are welcome to use all, some, or none of the slides. You are also welcome to use all, some, or none of the notes. Modify at your discretion by what you think your community would be most interested in.
Introduce yourself, and your relationship to Caritas
Lent Theme
The theme for Lent 2018 – “Let us go together” – is about our journeying together – with each other and with God. We are called to “go” on the journey. On the course of the journey we are changed and we change the world around us.
In Pope Francis’ annual Lenten message this year, he “urges the members of the Church to take up the Lenten journey with enthusiasm, sustained by almsgiving, fasting, and prayer”.
Photo: Jerminu and Jorge journey to school together. Oecusse, Timor-Leste
-Te Kahurangi a Meri Hōhepa tapu

2. The NZ Catholic Bishops Lent Appeal
The annual Lent appeal is run by Caritas on
behalf of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops.
Funds raised enable Caritas to:
Respond immediately to emergencies
Work with communities to improve lives
Advocate against injustice
Help educate youth on social justice issues
Emergencies
Rohingya Refugee Crisis – Caritas partners with Caritas Bangladesh, the NZ government, and other partner agencies to delivery much-needed supplies to refugees experiencing extreme violence in their homeland of Myanmar. Over 605,000 refugees have arrived in Bangladesh since August We work with partners on the ground to provide emergency food as well as meet water, sanitation and hygiene needs of 1.2M more.
South Sudan –An estimated 5.5 million people are facing severe hunger.
As part of our emergency response, we work with other Caritas agencies to deliver and distribute emergency food supplies; shelter and household items such as jerry cans, buckets, and other essentials; and seeds and tools.
Development
Timor-Leste –Since 2004, Caritas has worked in Timor-Leste to support the economic development of rural Timorese women via what is now called Hamahon Feto Timor (HAFOTI).
HAFOTI is a women's livelihood organisation which provides training, marketing opportunities and revolving loans to rural women in order to generate income for them. Through HAFOTI, Caritas and its partners in Timor-Leste are able to improve the well-being of rural Timorese women. Members have gone from having irregular income through subsistence agriculture to having regular, sustainable incomes.
Advocacy
Caritas’ advocacy work involves speaking out against poverty and injustice and its causes in both New Zealand and overseas. For example, Caritas’ State of the Environment Report for Oceania in 2017 highlighted our need to reflect upon and change our relationship with our oceans; we need work together to take better care of our common ocean and coastal environments.  
Photo: Students in Aileu district enjoying school
Caritas is one of the world's largest humanitarian networks, working in more than 200 countries around the globe.

3. Lent Reflection Programme
For reflection and discussion of the Lenten Gospels by groups in parishes, families, rest homes, communities, and chaplaincies and for personal reflection.
In order to pray with the gospels as a group or as an individual, many parishes are also using the Caritas Lenten Reflection Programme (hold up a copy of the LRP booklet which is in the pack you received) which can be downloaded free from the Caritas website at or purchased as a hardcopy booklet from Caritas for $2 each. Translations are also available to order in Māori, Samoan, and Tongan.  Two free copies of the booklet have been sent to every parish.   If you would like to order booklets there are order forms available on the Caritas website:  

4. Giving at Lent
Donate throughout the weeks of Lent or make a single donation using the Lent Appeal envelopes
Online at
Or call
Another way to partake in the Lenten journey is via almsgiving.
Giving Packs:
Parishes have been provided weekly giving packs with envelopes for each week of Lent inside [hold up the giving pack/mother envelope];
Each envelope features a caritas project and a prayer for each week of Lent;
We encourage you to return your donation to your Parish, but you are also welcome to use the enclosed Freepost envelope to return one check.
Single Donation:
If you, however, would like to give a single donation, we encourage you to use the single donation envelope [hold up single donation envelope], which has free postage built-in.
Other ways to give:
There are many ways to give during Lent and beyond;
You can visit the Caritas website at
Give us a call at ;
Or send a cheque via lost memo “Lent 2018”
Photo on week 4 envelope: Joseph Malis and daughter in Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement, Uganda

5. facebook.com/caritasaotearoa
Ngā mihi - Thank you
On behalf of Caritas I'd like to thank you for your support which enables us to help those who are suffering in the wake of natural or man-made disaster and to be a   voice for those who have no voice.  For more information, visit Caritas online at
Photo: Alda (in hat in the rear) and her family in Aileu.
facebook.com/caritasaotearoa