Young Catholics - Get involved!
At Diocesan Young Catholics –Mana Whānau Mana Taiohi, we are excited to share the lived Gospel reality with you. We know that we are called to holiness by the Creator, who sees us as infinitely lovable and infinitely loved!
We cater to young people across the Diocese of all ages: teens, tertiary students, young adults, and young families.
Our focus for 2021 is Accompaniment – by actively strengthening, growing and developing our networks, communities, events and services across our diocese.
Latest News and Resources
O’Shea Shield 2021
Young Catholics
Published on 7th Jun, 2021
St Joseph’s Māori Girls’ College won the O’Shea Shield for the first time in 46 years [..]
Generation 20/21: Youth Kōrero
Young Catholics
Published on 13th May, 2021
The interfaith event for young adults will be held on 11/7/21 in Palmerston North [..]
GENERATION 20/20: Agents for Change
Young Catholics
Published on 24th Mar, 2021
Two young adult interfaith forums were held last year in Palmerston North [..]
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Monday October 11th
Dr Bernard Leuthart is a general practitioner and clinical director at Tui Ora, a Whānau Ora health and social services provider in New Plymouth. “There are aspects of the work that I’ve chosen that are specifically about supporting the life of the vulnerable.”![]()
Bernard says that building up trust so that people feel they are able to take some control of their health themselves takes time. ![]()
Part of the hard task of doing general practice, or teaching, or any of the helping ministries is having the disposition of the preferential option for the poor.”![]()
He sees changes due to Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions as having had impacts on low-income people in precarious work. ![]()
While Bernard enjoys general practice, he also really appreciates the opportunities he has to support people in palliative care. “I love the end of life, I’ve always seen it as hopeful.” He aims to support people to have a good death, a beautiful death. “There’s an opportunity we get in death to focus on life, on supporting life.” ![]()
One of the challenges for Bernard is the upcoming implementation of the End of Life Choice Act. ![]()
“But it’s a challenge to talk to colleagues and look at what our response will be as an organisation to people requesting to end their own lives. It’s about carrying the weight of that as we try to deliver to people in an authentic way that gives respect to them and their decisions but also fundamentally respects what we believe![]()
Bernard believes that communities could better attend to silence. “Thinking about the silent ones, the ones who are vulnerable. It’s kind of easy to focus on the issues, like abortion or end of life choice, and they’re hugely valid things to focus on, but it’s harder to focus on the vulnerable poor. And often it’s the poor that are silent or their needs are silent.”![]()
While overall he has been amazed at people’s resilience in this time of Covid, many health carers are facing burnout and compassion fatigue.![]()
Bernard says having a faith dimension and a supportive family are protective factors for him. “I try and focus on one person in front of me at a time, that’s just the thing I can do.”