St Vincent de Paul – NZ Catholic Newspaper

20 Auckland Catholic schools collect cans to help families at Christmas

Michael Otto — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 20:48:27 +0000

A project involving 20 Auckland Catholic schools and the diocesan centre has seen 8000 cans of food collected to help families in need at Christmas.

The Cans for Christmas project 2016 involved 16 primary schools, four secondary schools and the Pompallier Diocesan Centre – twice as many schools as were involved the previous year.

Cans for Christmas founder Billy Hadnett estimated the monetary value of the cans collected this year came to about $11,000. Mr Hadnett said the project runs by providing schools with boxes, posters and a specific collection date, during September.

The schools and communities put on a mufti day where payment was a can of food. “A simple yet effective idea,” Mr Hadnett said.

The 8000 cans were distributed between the Mercy Hospice in Ponsonby and the Society of St Vincent de Paul. These two organisations will see that the cans get to families in need just before the Christmas period.

But the cans collected are only about half what the Society of St Vincent de Paul Auckland needs for their food banks to provide for families over the Christmas period, Mr Hadnett said.

He established Cans for Christmas in 2015 as a project to create community and unity between the Catholic schools of Auckland.

“The idea started after attending an Edmund Rice Conference and becoming involved in a discussion about how helping in our own backyard is the first place we should start. This, combined with the knowledge that all Catholic schools already do individual service projects, brought about the idea of schools pulling together as one to donate at one time and in a large capacity.”

Mr Hadnett hopes the growth of the project in Auckland will continue and that this will extend to the rest of New Zealand.

He thanked all involved with the project this year, including sponsors Auckland Vehicle Rentals and Cunneen Construction.

Photo: A class at St Mary’s School, Avondale, with the cans

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Vinnies servants farewelled in commissioning Mass

Michael Otto — Tue, 24 May 2016 00:00:43 +0000

Leaders from 13 Auckland colleges received their badges at the St Vincent de Paul Vinnies Commission Mass on April 9. In his homily, Bishop Patrick Dunn said this year’s commissioning Mass was during what Pope Francis had called a Year of Mercy. “He said that he wants the whole Church around the world to focus on God’s mercy and for us to be

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Vandalism prompts strong support

Michael Otto — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 23:20:27 +0000

by MICHAEL OTTO St Vincent de Paul in Hamilton was inundated with offers of support from the community after their charity van was vandalised recently. Local media reported that the van was broken into and its ignition system damaged on the night of June 5-6. It had been parked behind the SVDP shop in Frankton.

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Former All Blacks SVDP volunteers

NZ Catholic Staff — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 01:00:18 +0000

by NZ CATHOLIC staff Two former All Blacks are loyal and enthusiastic volunteers for the Burnside conference (branch) of St Vincent de Paul in Christchurch. Bill McCaw, the treasurer and longstanding member, and John (Jake) Burns, are committed Vincentians. McCaw, who is a distant relative of Richie McCaw, played mainly at the back of the

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Janet works in the spirit of St Vincent de Paul

Michael Otto — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 01:49:07 +0000

by MICHELLE VOLLAMAERE AUCKLAND — Janet McCaffery is gearing up for the Christmas rush St Vincent de Paul style — shopping for, packing and delivering festive food parcels to 80 needy families in Massey and Ranui. Things are getting worse for struggling families, said Mrs McCaffery, who has been a member of St Paul’s parish

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Food help delivered to the struggling

NZ Catholic Staff — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 04:45:45 +0000

by NZ CATHOLIC staff AUCKLAND — Those with intellectual disability and those struggling to feed their families have benefited from recent activities of St Vincent de Paul and Christ the King parish young people. Over Lent and Easter, young people of Christ the King parish in Owairaka, Auckland, ran their 2013 food appeal. After Easter,

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