Room With a Pew

Written by Nicola Young | Photograph by Anna Briggs

The usual ecclesiastical cycle of baptisms, marriages, funerals, Easter and Christmas beckoned when Barry Scannell was appointed parish priest of Wellington’s St Mary of the Angels in 2009.

Instead he ended up driving one of the most successful fundraising campaigns this city has ever seen – raising $10 million for seismic strengthening of the church after the Seddon earthquake of 2013. In January Barry was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in recognition of his frankly staggering achievement in raising so much money very quickly, and acting as ‘clerk of works’ for the ambitious rebuilding programme. The church is now close to 100% of the building code, although the only visible change is the shear walls (unnoticeable by laymen’s eyes). It re-opened last Easter as a church and a popular concert venue.

St Mary of the Angels, the Roman Catholic church in central Wellington’s Boulcott Street, is one of New Zealand’s best-known churches and a Category One heritage building. The building was the world’s first reinforced concrete gothic structure when it was completed in 1922. Heritage New Zealand says, ‘It’s hard to think of Wellington without it.’ It’s also been described as ‘the face of Catholicism in New Zealand.’ Although born in Temuka, Barry considers himself a Wellingtonian, having moved here in the early 70s to work for the New Zealand Post Office in telecommunications. St Mary of the Angels became his local parish, as he flatted only a few streets away, and he knew the building well. He spent 1975 in Antarctica, as postmaster at Scott Base; ‘I was really in charge of the telecommunications, when it was all radio; no satellites.’ He returned a few years later, flying in the day after the Erebus disaster in 1979 to provide experienced support to the overwhelmed communications team.

Six years later in 1985, at the relatively advanced age of 32, Barry decided to become a priest. ‘I joined the Marist order of priests – who administer this parish – because of their tradition of caring for people. Besides, St Mary of the Angels was my parish, and I’ve always loved the building.’ After his ordination, Barry served in the parishes of Hastings, Blenheim, Epsom, Otara and Pakuranga.

Barry Scannell, parish priest of Wellington's St. Mary of the Angels, raised $10 million for seismic strengthening of the church after the Seddon earthquake of 2013.

The Marist order, formally known as the Society of Mary, was founded in France after the fall of Napoleon. Formerly its New Zealand seminarians (trainee priests) were taught at Greenmeadows, near Napier; these days the former seminary is better known as Mission Estate Winery, and still owned by the Marists. Now Marist seminarians are educated in Auckland.

The 6.5 Seddon quake struck during Mass at 5.09pm on Sunday July 21; fortunately the congregation included Brian McGuinness, a heritage building specialist who’s also managing director of leading Wellington construction company L T McGuinness. Brian believed the building was stressed to its limits by the earthquake and recommended it be closed until it could be strengthened.

Barry made the brave decision to close the church, helped by co-operation and generosity from nearby St John’s Presbyterian Church, the Catholic Basilica and St Joseph’s on Mt Victoria, which provided temporary homes for Barry’s congregation.

Raising $10 million was a bigger hurdle. Back in the early 1980s, Barry (as a layman) had served on the church’s finance committee when some upgrades were done. The church had employed a professional fundraiser, and Barry was determined not to repeat that unhappy experience. ‘I wanted every cent donated to go towards seismic strengthening of the church; I didn’t want a fundraiser clipping the proceeds.’ Some members of his finance committee were horrified by his decision and self-belief; at least one member was convinced it would end in tears.

Barry proved them wrong. He worked tirelessly to raise the funds from parishioners, former parishioners, concerned Wellingtonians and well-wishers – almost anyone with a link to the church or Wellington. His fundraising skills quickly became legendary, including his ability to get money out of – almost – anyone. He admits to having a mental list of those who could have donated, but didn’t, and makes ‘special mention’ of the few who boast about how much they’ve given but actually haven’t handed over a cent. As one of his parishioners said, ‘Fr Scannell was the right man, in the right place, at the right time; no one else could have, or would have, managed to raise so much money – almost entirely from the private sector.’

Now Barry’s work in Wellington is done and he’s been appointed parish priest in Napier. Marist priests normally serve a maximum of six years in a parish, but Barry was asked to stay until the church was completed so he’s served a whole decade at St Mary of the Angels.

But he’s praying to return here in retirement – and surely, after his triumph in rescuing such a beautiful building, God will smile kindly upon his request?