Kete Korero August 2019 by Catholic Diocese of Hamilton, NZ

ketekorero August - October 2019

The official publication of the Catholic Diocese of Hamilton August - October 2019

Interfaith after Christchurch Pa Timmerman's final journey home Slice of Kiwi housing heaven on the edge Students grasp Gate Pa history Vatican visitor's vision of faith and science

Housing on the edge

ketekorero August - October 2019

bishop’s message Events highlight Interfaith benefits

he Christchurch mosque attack on the 15th of March 2019 was a shock to the nation. It was the most unprecedented act of violence that our land has seen since the Land Wars between Māori and the Crown. The outpouring of love and solidarity that followed was also unprecedented in our history as a nation. In the days that followed I, like many of you in the Diocese, visited a local mosque. Perhaps some of you visited local Muslim neighbours or reached out to Muslim workmates or students. In the aftermath of the massacre we had a Diocesan Mass for Christchurch at the Cathedral on the Monday following the massacre. The turnout was incredible. The singing and prayer were powerful. It was one of the most powerful Masses I have ever celebrated. I was deeply moved by the number of our Catholic people who, after receiving communion, hugged and greeted the Muslim community members who were present. After the Mass one of the Muslim women present texted, “People in your Church have a heart of gold. The way we were welcomed and cared for ﬁlled our hearts with love and gratitude. We entered your blessed place with a very heavy heart and left with peace and happiness. You felt our pain, cried with us, comforted us and enlightened our evening. Please convey our sincere thanks and gratitude to everyone. May your place of worship be blessed.” A few weeks later, in the light of the Sri Lanka bombings where many Catholics were killed, a number of the same Muslims and their leaders, as well as Jewish, Buddist and Hindu leaders were at Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday. From an interfaith perspective the Gospel on that day was not ideal as it talked about the disciples being locked in the upper room “for fear of the Jews” when there were Jews present! And yet, at the same time, it was perfect. Sadly we live in a world where people are fear-ﬁlled because of their religion and religious practice.

In the early 1920s a friendship was struck up between two boys, Jerzy Kluger, a Jew, and Karol Wojtyła, a Catholic who we know as Pope John Paul II. As children they skied, hiked and played sports together; young Karol played goalie on the local Jewish soccer team. They helped each other with homework, made devilish fun of teachers and visited each other’s homes almost daily. One incident left a profound impact on Kluger: After learning that both boys had passed their high school exams, he ran to the church, where he knew he would find his friend, to share the news. Another parishioner recognized Kluger as a Jew and asked why he had come there. When the future Pope heard about the exchange, he responded, “Aren’t we all God’s children?” (Wikipedia) Fundamentalism, extreme totalitarian regimes, and indeed extreme secularism lose sight of this basic truth, that all of us are God’s children, that it is never right to kill. The friendship between the young Jerzy and Karol enriched their lives and taught them the way of love rather than the way of hate. In the same way, the NZ Bishops Conference wants to promote interfaith relations in Aotearoa New Zealand. Friendship and dialogue are necessary conditions for peace in our communities and in the world and so are a duty for all Christians and religious communities. The updated booklet “Promoting Interfaith Relations in Aotearoa New Zealand” gives us a practical guide of how we as Catholics can reach out and engage with neighbours, fellow students or workmates of other faiths in our communities while still being true to our Catholic faith. Can I encourage you to read and reﬂect on this short booklet individually or in groups or as a parish. Let us say ‘no’ to violence and ‘yes’ to building a world of justice and peace. To obtain a copy of the booklet contact the Chanel Centre, PO Box 4353, Hamilton East 3247 or download it at: https://www.catholic.org.nz/assets/PromotingInterfaithRelations.pdf

In this edition of Kete Korero This edition of Kete Korero features the Bishop’s Appeal, in which Bishop Steve recalls the patron saint of the Hamilton Catholic Diocese, St Peter Chanel. Bishop Steve notes the mission of stepping forward in faith and hope always needs others to support it. Father Anton Timmerman’s final journey to his “home” parish of Rotorua is recorded by Bev Simpkins and Veronica Butterworth (page 4). The work of Albie Sands, through Habitat for Humanity in finding scarce housing plots is featured on page 5. Readers can find tidings from parishes on page 6.

Pages 7 through to 12 has range of stories and notices from schools throughout the diocese, including students exploring the history of Gate Pa, the inaugural Kapa Haka event for schools in Whakatane, a barefoot event on a chilly winter day at Aquinas College, a special project for the elderly undertaken by St Joseph’s Matamata, a John Paul College ‘life changing’ trip to Cambodia. The Religious Life – features a public lecture by the Director of the Vatican Observatory, along with an obituary for David Beirne and a farewell to Marist Sisters.

In this issue... Read Kete Korero online!

www.proudtobecatholic.org.nz Bishop’s Message Events highlight Interfaith benefits Diocese Stepping forward in faith with Bishop's Appeal Bishop Steve joins move to build a strong Interfaith community Features Pa Anton Timmerman's final journey home Prayers for Nick Dykstra Fairfield farewells Marcia Keys Habitat finding a slice of Kiwi heaven on Tauranga's edges Parish News Strategic planning underway Parishes review lockdown plans Our Parish tidings

3 3 4 4 4 5 6 6 6

School News Students explore the reality of Gate Pa Battle history 7 Catholic schools kapa haka competition a success 8 Barefoot Day at Aquinas College 9 St Joseph's Matamata Young Vinnies project 10 Cambodia trip 'life changing' for students 11 Sina's Lifeline a Caritas Songwriting comp winner 11 Board of Trustees elections 12 The Religious Life Vatican visitor highlights how faith and science go together Light in the world weekend David Beirne's passion for life Farewell to our Marist Sisters

13 14 15 15

Advertorial

The Kete Korero is an oﬃcial publication of the Catholic Diocese of Hamilton. Deadline for contributions to the next issue is 8 October 2019 Kete Korero Magazine Chanel Centre, 51 Grey St, P.O. Box 4353, Hamilton East 3247 Editor: Michael R. Smith, 5 High Street, Rotorua 3010; P.O. Box 6215, Whakarewarewa, Rotorua 3010 At: 07 349 4107, 0272096861, kete@cdh.org. nz Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/KeteFb Videos: http://tinyurl.com/ketekorero Sponsorship and advertising: David Barrowclough, Chanel Centre 0800 843 233 Fax 07 8567035 or email: cdf@cdh.org.nz Layout: Business Media Services Ltd, 5 High Street, Rotorua 3010 Design: Sandy Thompson, Advocate Print Ltd, 248 Fenton Street, Rotorua 3010. Printing: Beacon Print Ltd, 5 Pohutu Street, Whakatane 3120 ISSN: (print) 2357-2221 & (online) 2357-223X Member of the Australasian Religious Press Association (ARPA) and Australasian Catholic Press Association (ACPA) Cover Photos (Top) Barefoot Day at Aquinas College, (Below from left) Pa Anton Timmerman, Matamata Young Vinnies, Kapa Haka event and farewelling Marist sisters. (Bottom right) Albie Sands

ketekorero August - October 2019

diocese Stepping forward in faith and hope with 2019 Bishop's Appeal Bishop Steve Lowe t Peter Chanel, the patron saint of our Diocese, is a great example of someone who stepped forward in faith and hope, a shepherd boy who became a priest, saint and martyr. His mission on the island of Futuna was not easy. He struggled to learn the language, faced many hardships and for little return. Nonetheless, with great heart, patience and courage he endured. The King’s son’s desire to receive baptism lead to Peter Chanel being martyred. His death was seen as his failure but within two years the island was Catholic. While we look to the example of Peter Chanel as a great man who stepped forward in faith, we cannot forget that standing behind him were French Catholics who helped fund the mission to western Oceania and New Zealand.

Young Adults was a great success and this will supplement the Set Free event for high school students.

Support needed The mission of stepping forward in faith and hope always needs others to support it. Last year’s Bishop’s Appeal raised over $74,000 which helped the pastoral, youth and family support teams to step forward in faith and hope for the people of our Diocese and the wider community. These Diocesan-based teams are tasked with supporting parishes, families and people throughout the Diocese. There have been many initiatives launched and continued in the Diocese over the past year. Many video clips have been

Building community together. released through the Diocesan website and Facebook page. The new Heaven Come event for

Incredible responses I have had incredible responses from many people who have attended the retreats and prayer days oﬀered throughout the Diocese. The Family Camp and the March for Life attracted more people than ever and the Marian Evening with Mary was a great success. Our pastoral team has also led and supported numerous parish-

based local events throughout the Diocese and our Catholic Family Support Service staﬀ continue to support many of those struggling in Hamilton and Tauranga. I am excited by what is being oﬀered to help the people of the Diocese step forward in faith and hope. I hope you too are excited by what you have seen and heard about what we are doing in the Diocese and that you will prayerfully consider supporting this year’s Bishop’s Appeal to help others in the Diocese step forward in faith and hope.

Diocese embracing a strong Interfaith community

ishop Steven Lowe, along with a group of those committed to inter-religious dialogue in the local Hamilton Catholic community, gathered to share and discuss the Church’s approach to interfaith relations in Aotearoa. The New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Interfaith Relations (NZCBCIR) released in October a revised booklet Promoting Interfaith Relations in Aotearoa New Zealand - Te Whakatairanga i te Nohotahitanga o ngā Whakapono i Aotearoa. Bishop Steve spoke to the Vatican document, Nostra Aetate, written by Saint Pope Paul VI from which the booklet takes its direction, “The Church urges her sons and daughters to enter with prudence and charity into discussion and collaboration with members of religions. “Let Christians, while witnessing to their own faith and way of life, acknowledge, preserve and

encourage the spiritual and moral truths among non-Christians, also their social life and culture.” (1965, n.2) The Catholic Church in New Zealand is committed to strengthening relationships between people of diﬀerent faiths present in New Zealand. The New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (NZCBC) established the Committee for Interfaith Relations to assist them in their interfaith work. Teresa Fernandez, the Hamilton Diocesan representative on the national committee for Interfaith relations, spoke about the importance of the booklet. She also talked about the message of Interfaith relations that we as Catholics are all called to embrace, whilst at the same time not watering down our own faith, quoting the Pope as follows: “Please do not water down your faith in Jesus Christ. We dilute fruit drinks - orange, apple or banana juice - but please do not drink a diluted form of faith. Faith is whole and entire, not something that you water down. It is faith in Jesus. It is faith in the son of God made man, who loved me and who died for me.” - Pope Francis, WYD July 2013. Thank you also to Maria Sammons who shared her personal story of how working with those of diﬀerent faiths, in particular, Muslims, has strengthened her Catholic faith. The timing of the release of this booklet is poignant, in light of the recent horror in Christchurch. Colin MacLeod, chair of the committee, noted that

“our practices and understandings regarding faith may be different in many ways, but there is much we share and celebrate. “Our differences are an opportunity to engage with one another, never a reason for division. “While our hearts go out to our Muslim brothers and sisters in their loss, pain and fear, we wish to draw attention away from the murder and violence towards the need for each of us to open our hearts to those of different cultures and faiths. “We pray not just for the healing of the injured and comfort to those who mourn, but for a renewed outreach to others in love, kindness and welcome. The displays of grief and compassion exhibited by so many people since this terrible atrocity signal hope. They reveal the larger truth of humanity in response to a closed hatred. “We need to continue to practically reach out to one another in friendship and kindness. It needs to be more than a moment in time but a habit of life. Ultimately it is a personal choice, in our context, to do as Jesus did – to smother hatred through reaching out with physical hands and loving our neighbour.” Please find below the link to the new edition of the booklet on Promoting Interfaith Relations by the NZCBC that you can paste into your browser: https://www.catholic. org.nz/assets/ PromotingInterfaithRelations.pdf A number of Catholics are involved with national and regional interfaith forums. If you are interested in getting more involved with Interfaith work in your local area, please contact Dr Fernandez: teresa.fernandez@waikato.ac.nz

ketekorero August - October 2019

features Pa Timmerman’s final journey home Owhata. This church was once the old cookhouse for the Turangi tunnel workers and was relocated to Owhata under the eagle eye of Pa Timmerman. With the help of the Eastside Catholic community, the land, and grounds were prepared, and the parish of St Joseph was made ready for the parishioners to worship, led by Pa Timmerman. The requiem mass was oﬃciated by Bishop Steve Lowe of the Hamilton Diocese, with numerous priests and deacons also in attendance. In the congregation of about 600 mourners were the Anglican Bishop, Ngārahu Kātene, the Reverend Tom Poata, the Anglican priest from St Faith’s Anglican Church, Ohinemutu, and parishioners from the St Faith’s congregation. The church overﬂowed with mourners and worshipers. Pa Mikaere Ryan referred in a newsletter to Pa Timmerman as the person who looked after te taha wairua and te taha tinana of Te Arawa - the Mr Fixit who could mend the buildings, the plumbing, and the soul of the people. This was endorsed by Bishop Steve during his funeral as he translated the word Timmerman in Dutch which means carpenter. After an enthralling Requiem Mass with many accolades and wonderful memories, Pa Anton Timmerman was taken to Rotorua Cemetery, where he was laid to rest alongside Father Daniel McKenna. Following the interment everyone was invited back to Te Hurunga Te Rangi Marae for the hakari, where a delicious meal was served and enjoyed by all, followed by speeches and songs. See the November 2015-January 2016 and the February-April 2016 editions of Kete Korero for more articles on Fr Anton Timmerman.

Father Anton Timmerman speaking in the crypt below St Michael's Church, Rotorua, in December 2015 when the role he played was recognised. Bev Simpkins and Veronica how to return Pa to the marae, and Butterworth then started planning for his tangi. t 8pm on Saturday 25 May, After the Te Arawa entourage the beloved centenarian arrived in Auckland, they were priest Pa Anton Timmerman greeted through whaikōrero MHM breathed his final breath in (speeches) by the kaumatua of Te Auckland. Expressions of remorse Unga Waka Marae in Epsom. Te and grief were felt by all present as Arawa were then invited to attend they quickly contacted friends and Mass officiated by Pa Ryan for Pa relatives in Rotorua for advice and Timmerman. consolation. Following Mass, the Te Arawa His final wishes were to have whanau, and whanau from Te Unga his mortal remains interred at Waka marae, escorted Pa back to Rotorua. Sunday morning there Rotorua. On Monday afternoon at was a discussion among the 4:40pm, the call of the karanga rang Rotorua Catholic roopu members out to welcome Pa Timmerman on to make arrangements for what to the Hurunga Te Rangi Marae, he now needed to happen to bring Pa was welcomed by the home people, Timmerman back to Rotorua as per whom he had learnt to love so his final written wishes. dearly and whose love to him was It was decided that an entourage reciprocated. headed by Monty Morrison would Pa came onto the marae travel to Auckland to escort Pa surrounded by Kirimate, and Timmerman back to his Te Arawa manuhiri from Te Unga Waka people whom he had ministered to marae, along with other visitors for 59 of his 73 years as a priest. and locals who had been waiting Pa had asked to spend his final patiently for his arrival. This was a moments on earth with the hapu very moving moment felt by all. of Hurungaterangi. The kuia and There were speeches of welcome kaumatua of the marae held a and reminiscing, a great honour meeting to finalise arrangements of for a humble and well-loved priest,

who served the Maori people with dignity and respect. Immediately after the speeches the church service took place then it was time to feed the visitors and the people with a meal prepared by the people of the marae. Next day, there were many tributes from the influx of visitors to the marae. Then there was the arrival of his niece from Holland, who was able to have the unique experience of listening to the whaikorero and words of welcome, and then sleeping at the marae next to her (Opa) Pa Timmerman. That evening was the poroporoaki, an evening of farewell speech making where manuhiri and tangata whenua expressed their feelings, and thoughts of Pa and to reminisce over the years of Pa’s service to the community of Rotorua. Wednesday was his nehu (burial) and there was a final service at the marae before Pa was taken to St Mary’s Church. On his way to St Mary’s Church, Pa was taken on a final hikoi to where his very own St Joseph’s Church once stood in

Prayers for Nick Dykstra

Fairfield farewells Marcia Keys

grandchildren. Please oﬀer a prayer Nick left us peacefully for the eternal repose on Monday 24 June 2019. of the soul of Nicolaas Let us also pray for (Nick) Dykstra, peace and consolation for Putaruru. his extended family and Much loved husband friends. to the late Truus. Nick Dykstra and Rosary for Nick was Dearly loved father Truus. held on 1 July, at St. and father-in-law to Patrick’s Catholic Church David, Corina and Jairo, Andrew and the Requiem Mass was on 2 and Michelle, and Paul and Nicky, July. Nick has been a wonderful and Jacqueline. Loving Opa of his part of our parish for many decades. 11 grandchildren and two great

A packed St Joseph's Catholic Church, Fairﬁeld, farewelled stalwart parishioner Marcia Margaret Keys on 18 July 2019. A long-time resident, Marcia and her family lived in Haultain Street, just around the corner from the church. Marcia was a foundation member of the church and the Catholic Women's League. With her late husband, John, Marcia brought up their children Peter, Rose and Elizabeth in the house John built. Marcia passed away peacefully at

Pa Tim and Bishop Steve Lowe

home, unexpectedly, aged 89 years, on 13 July. The Requiem Mass was celebrated for Marcia at St Joseph's Catholic Church heard from her children and grandchildren of Marcia's devotion not only to family but also the parish. Celebrants Fr Philip Billing and Fr Richard Laurenson recalled Marcia's willingness to help with the functioning of the church and parish. The Mass was followed by burial at Hamilton Park Cemetery, Newstead, with John.

ketekorero August - October 2019

features Habitat finding a slice of kiwi heaven on Tauranga's edges

Albie Sands and a newly finished house project.

Work underway completing a new home project perched on a hillside property. M ichael Smith inding the pieces of land nobody wants has become a mission for Albie Sands and the team at Habitat for Humanity Bay of Plenty. Albie, a parishioner, based in Tauranga, is the Construction Manager for Habitat for Humanity BOP Ltd. Albie’s involvement with Habitat for Humanity (Habitat) goes back over 25 years and has been accompanied by unprecedented growth in residential development in Tauranga, as it has throughout the rest of the Bay of Plenty and much of the rest of the country. Many people would know Habitat through the organisation’s ReStore outlets, where they might have donated goods and picked up a bargain, as the slogan says. Habitat for Humanity BOP, like its counterparts throughout the country, works with families to help them achieve the dream of home ownership. The mechanism in place for families to achieve this increasingly diﬃcult goal is by partnering with families who must put in 500 hours of sweat equity to help build the home. They then rent the property for ﬁve years and, if they keep within the terms of their umbrella agreement, their net rents are credited to use as their deposit on the purchase of the home, after deducting costs (such as rates, insurance, repairs and other costs). This mechanism allows the families to raise a mortgage for the balance and complete their journey to home ownership, the organisation says. Albie, a house builder by trade, was a founding member of the organisation’s Bay of Plenty branch 25 years ago. During that time, he has seen the need for Habitat’s service increase in tandem with escalating pressure on housing in the region. As Habitat’s work has increased, it has been able to engage its own tradespeople to develop the land and build the houses.

Albie’s job is to procure land and subdivide it, an increasingly diﬃcult task in Tauranga as it is elsewhere. However, he and his team can build about eight homes a year in Tauranga, and they are always looking for families to partner. As well as being New Zealand citizens or have gained residency, the families need to meet several criteria, such as: x Have a charitable need, such as vulnerable children, psychosocial challenges, extreme hardship, health conditions caused by substandard housing x A willingness to partner – put in sweat equity, repay debt and raise household income.

Tradies parked up to complete the fit out.

Another Habitat project - this time in a gully.

x They must have lived in the area for at least two years or more and have two dependent children. x Apart from exceptional circumstances (such as loss to leaky home), they must be first-time homeowners. x Are or will be enrolled in Kiwisaver x Meet the low-income threshold levels The crush on residential land availability is well-documented, with Albie saying it is unusual to find a standard section available currently for less than about $250,000-plus. The task for Ablie and his team is to find land under $250,000 apiece. Budget and market restrictions mean the only sections available are often those that mainstream developers cannot find a way to build on for commercial returns. That may mean that the sections are on the side of a hill in an overgrown gully. As such, Ablie and his team have become experts at finding solutions enabling houses to be built on these otherwise challenging sites. Rather than being cramped, the houses are genuine family homes, with three bedrooms and all the necessary facilities meeting modern building specifications. Once completed, a contracted property agent

A recently completed family home. manages the relationship with the family to ensure that rental payments are maintained as they head towards eventual ownership and that the properties are well-maintained. While families can come via the church, and Habitat is a Christian-based organisation, it is non-denominational. While it does have families on its books waiting to take the step into housing, Habitat wants to welcome more people to contact it to discuss possible home ownership under its scheme. Habitat does have 20 sections available in the area currently, but it does take two-three years to develop them, so inquiries are welcome from prospective sweat equity partners. For more information, contact: alan@habitatBOP.nz

ketekorero August - October 2019

parish news Parishes review lockdown plans Michael Smith In the wake of the terror attack on the Christchurch mosques, my friends and I who attend St Michael’s Rotorua had a chat about how we would respond, if anything similar occurred at our church. I sit among the back pews, being a natural observer, while a friend sits at the front, being more of one of life’s great participants. St Michael’s is on one of the main streets leading into Rotorua’s Lakefront area, with the front opening out on the footpath. What would happen if a gun-toting person burst into the church oﬀ the street? Apart from probably being one of the ﬁrst to “get it”, how could I mitigate or in anyway lessen the damage to my fellow parishioners? With these questions in mind, it is timely that the Hamilton Catholic Diocese is discussing lockdown procedures for churches.

The matter was discussed at the recent Council of Priests, which was attended by a police oﬃcer who provided some background and made some suggestions as to the approach the Church could take. Bishop Steve Lowe is now asking parishes to formulate written plans for a lockdown to be used in the case of such emergencies. Deacon Peter Richardson, Project Manager, who has responsibility for health and safety and safeguarding, will collate the plans. “Sadly, after Christchurch, we cannot be complacent in this,” Bishop Steve said. Guidance is available in formulating the plan, including the likely scenarios, considerations for lockdown procedure, and training and other considerations. For more information, contact: Deacon Peter Richardson at: 07 856 6989, peterr@cdh.org.nz

Strategic planning underway Changes to the Catholic face of the Hamilton Diocese and the make up of its regions has led to the development of a strategic plan for the next 50 years. As a result, the plans that had been drawn up in Tauranga to develop a new church at Pyes Pa and close the current inner-city church have been put on hold. The College of Consultors and the Diocesan Finance Committee meetings in May held wide ranging discussions about the changing demographics of the Catholic community and the wider urban and rural demographics. Resulting from the discussions, Bishop Steve Lowe has agreed that a Diocesan-wide strategic plan for the next ﬁfty years will be formulated. The plan is expected to include pastoral needs and

priorities, and school and parish properties and buildings. In the meantime, the only new projects that will be considered for approval are those that ﬁt with the evolving strategic plan and that is considered urgent or timely that they be considered for approval on a case by case basis. In the meantime, work is progressing on repairing the chapel at St Mary Immaculate Church, Tauranga. The lettering on the outside wall has been removed and the holes sealed, in preparation for the wall to be painted. This means no need to remove the whole panel and replace (possibly) damaged timbers beneath. Mould has been removed from interior walls and new gib has been plastered in preparation for painting. The niche where the tabernacle normally sits was also lined.

Supporting and Serving the Hamilton Community for over 50 years We offer a full range of professional funeral services including cremations and burials, bronze or granite plaques, and upright or desktop headstones. Qualified Funeral Directors and Embalmers. 717 Grey Street, Claudelands, Hamilton 3216 24 hour assistance Phone: (07) 8555541 Website: www.jamesrhill.co.nz Email: staff@jamesrhill.co.nz

A number of First Holy Communion Masses were held throughout the diocese, including this one in which the parishes of Morrinsville and Te Aroha combined.

Our Parish tidings Priestly appointments Bishop Steve Lowe has announced the following appointments for the Hamilton Catholic Diocese. Fr Philip Billing will become the Parish Priest of St Thomas Aquinas Parish, Tauranga Moana. Current Tauranga Moana priest, Fr Mark Field, becomes the Parish Priest of the Parishes of the Holy Family, Morrinsville, Te Aroha and Paeroa. Fr Joseph George Interim Chaplain for the Syro Malabar Community with a further appointment pending. Deacon Matt Gibson will become Assistant Priest, Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Appointments will take eﬀect from the weekend of 8/9 September after Deacon Matt’s priestly ordination. Alpha at Rotorua The Rotorua Parish of Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop is running an Alpha programme from 15 August. Alpha looks at Jesus, faith, the Scriptures and the important questions of life. Each evening starts with a 6.30pm meal, followed by a short video presentation then a time for discussion. You can register at the parish web site or email: alpha.stmarys church@gmail.com 42 years of service, love and ministry Parishioners of St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Putaruru, celebrated the 42nd Anniversary of the Ordination of Father Vincent Jones on 27 June. “We thank the Lord for his faithfulness and goodness to Father Vince," s parish notice said.. "It is our sincere prayer that He will continue to bless him with good health, wisdom and zeal to share God’s message of love."

Benemerenti Medal Awards Pope Francis has awarded a Benemerenti Medal to Mrs Monika Barker for her lengthy and dedicated service to the Parish of All Saints by the Sea, Papamoa Coast, both in music, ministering to the housebound and in abundant other ways. Pictured above, the medal was awarded Bishop Steve Lowe at the Sunday Mass on 16 June. This was an extremely well-deserved award to somebody who has been a faithful and committed Catholic for the 86 years of her life. St Mary's Putaruru school jubilee St Mary's Catholic School Putaruru will hold its 75th Jubilee on 1-3 November. For more information, contact: anneberben@gmail.com Bernard Leary The Requiem Mass for Bernard Leary was celebrated on 16 July at St Mary Immaculate Church, Tauranga. The parish extends its sympathy to Heather and the family. May Bernard now rest in peace. Thank you to all the parishioners who were able to attend his funeral Mass.

ketekorero August - October 2019

school news Students explore the reality of Gate Pa Battle history

Buddy Mikaere addressing students at the site Students with Buddy Mikaere in front of the of the Battle of Te Ranga. This site is only 300 memorial plaque at Te Ranga. metres of Aquinas College.

Richard Cameron Asst Leader of Learning - Social Sciences On 22 May, the Year 10 cohort from Aquinas College undertook a field trip to two significant sites within our local community. Centred within our learning unit examining the Treaty of Waitangi, with an emphasis on local curriculum design, we sought to encourage our students to recognise the real, and sometimes harsh reality of the history of our area. The first was the site of the Battle of Pukehinahina - more commonly known as Gate Pa. Rev John Hebenton from the Anglican Parish of Gate Pa gave the battle some context for the students and explored the notion of custodianship of a site. Students then used compass apps on their phones to complete a navigation component of the Gate Pa site. The second site was one even closer to our community at Te Ranga. The students (and staff) were fortunate to have Buddy Mikaere, local historian, lead us through not only the sequence of the conflict at Te Ranga, but also share his perspective on the ongoing consequences of the land confiscations in the aftermath, particularly on his own Ngāi Tamarāwaho hapū. Given this site is a mere 300m from the Aquinas Campus, we look forward to establishing an ongoing partnership with Buddy and assisting him as stewards of this significant site. Student Account 1: The Year 10s of Aquinas College had the opportunity of visiting the significant sites of the Battle of Gate Pa/Pukehinahina and the Battle of Te Ranga. At the Battle of Gate Pa site/ Pukehinahina, we had the pleasure of Reverend

Students exploring the site of the Battle of Pukehinahina (Gate Pa).

Above and right, students completing a navigation scavenger hunt at the site of Pukehinahina (Gate Pa).

John Hebenton talking to us in the St George’s church of Gate Pa. Here we learned the story of the battle and were allowed to visit the battle site. St George’s Church is situated on the historic site of Battle of Gate Pa/Pukehinahina. This was fought on 29 April 1864. We then participated in a small activity allowing us to see the important areas at this place and visualize what was previously here. When we travelled to the Battle of Te Ranga, we had professional historian Buddy Mikaere talk to us. It was interesting to hear how he saw both views of this battle and how he was affected by the Battle of Te Ranga. This site is situated about 400 metres south from Aquinas College. We learned about the consequences of this battle and what had happened previously at this significant Tauranga site. Overall, this was an interesting trip to these important Tauranga battle sites, with the pleasure of having both Reverend John and Buddy Mikaere speak. With the opportunity to visit the sites, we all learned a lot from the perspectives of others who were affected with these Battles for Tauranga and were able to make connections with the actual sites and their stories. Aine Taylor - Year 10 Aquinas College Student Account 2: The Year 10 students from Aquinas College went on a trip to two historical places in Tauranga; Gate Pa and the place where the Battle of Te Ranga was fought. This term, we were learning about the Treaty of Waitangi, the battles that took place in Tauranga and both the short- and long-term consequences of both. The purpose of this trip was to educate

us on what occurred and give us a first-hand experience of the matter. At Gate Pa, Reverend John spoke about the battle that was held there, how Maori used trenches to fight against the British and the consequence of the British taking their revenge at Te Ranga. We each had the opportunity to see and touch a gun that the British would have used when fighting Maori. From school, we walked to the battle site of Te Ranga where Buddy Mikaere, a professional historian who specialises in New Zealand history, taught us about the Battle of Te Ranga and its consequences. As a person who was impacted by the consequences himself, he had a lot of insight in both sides of the story as to what truly happened. It was very admirable how unbiased he was when explaining this to us, especially considering the negative consequences he and his family faced. Overall, it was a great learning experience as it was much more hands-on than just sitting in a classroom learning about it. I felt that having an out-of-school field trip seemed to encourage more students to participate and pay attention. I think that this is a highly recommendable activity to organise in future years. Grace Baek - Year 10 Aquinas College

ketekorero August - October 2019

school news Catholic schools kapa haka competition a success

St Joseph's Opotiki - first place

St Joseph's Matata (Hato Hohepa ki Matata) - third place

Kapa haka competition – a student’s view By Haedyn-Reeve Ruiterman, Manukura Wahine his year our school hosted a Kapa Haka competition for Catholic schools. Our Kapa Haka group, Hato Hohepa ki Whakatane, performed a range of waiata, haka and poi. Each performance told a story. Our waiata tira was called Whakapaingia and it is about God guiding us through our journey and on the day. Our Moteatea was called Ko Te Po Uriuri and was about the separation of Ranginui and Papatuanuku. Our waiata a-ringa was called E kui and it was about a kuia who has passed away. She was Uncle Ray’s grandmother who was the ﬁrst tutor of Hato Hohepa Whakatane. After her passing his mum was the tutor and now it is Uncle Ray. We did the Lord’s Prayer with the poi. Our haka was called Ko Wai Ra and was originally a karakia and was used by the chiefs before they sailed on the Mataatua waka across the sea. Our whakawatea was called E Hata Maria. This was written following the Christchurch terror attack and is about “one people one love.” The lead up to the competition was very tough and tiring. It felt like we had to go over our songs millions of times until we had got it perfect. If we made mistakes or dropped a rau or poi, we would have to do ten press ups or 30 second planks for every poi or rau we dropped. However, this helped us to be focused and disciplined. I was proud to have represented our school at Nga Kapa Haka o Te Pihopatanga. As it is my ﬁnal year at St Joseph’s, this is one of the special memories I will take from my time here.

T St Joseph's Whakatane Whakatane) - second place.

(Hato

t Joseph’s Catholic School Whakatane’s Kapa Haka group, Hato Hohepa Whakatane, were proud to host the inaugural Ngā Kapa Haka o Te Pihopatanga Catholic Schools Kapa Haka Festival on the 23-24th May in Ohope. The name of the competition, ‘Ngā Kapa Haka o Te Pihopatanga,’ translates to Kapa Haka of the Bishop. The purpose of the competition was to strengthen whanaungatanga within Catholic primary schools and was organised to be part of the celebration of Catholic School’s Day. The event was the initiative of Hato Hohepa Whakatane, St Joseph’s Catholic School Whakatane’s Kapa Haka Group. In 2018 St Joseph’s Whakatane revived its kapa haka group, Hato Hohepa, and performed at the Rangitaiki Kapa Haka Festival for the ﬁrst time in 23 years. Tutors Raymond White and Kelly Hohapata taught the group several waiata and haka as well as the skills needed for stage performance. They also helped to instil in the children a sense of pride and mana.

Hohepa

St Thomas Moore was one of the many Catholic schools from throughout the diocese that enjoyed the Whakatane Kapa Haka event. Schools came from from Taupo, Tokoroa, Putururu, Tauranga, Mount Maunganui, Rotorua, Matata, Opotiki and Whakatane.

The kapa haka team developed as a group and strengthened friendships and bonds with each other – learning the value of whanaungatanga. Hato Hohepa wanted to grow the learnings and beneﬁts that had been gained from the event and also celebrate the special character of our Catholic faith. It was therefore proposed that Hato Hohepa host a kapa haka festival in 2019 involving other Catholic school, as a way of continuing to develop their kapa haka skills, relationships with other Catholic schools. Catholic schools from throughout the Hamilton Diocese were represented at the event. Schools from Taupo, Tokoroa, Putururu, Tauranga, Mount Maunganui, Rotorua, Matata, Opotiki and Whakatane attended. Children from new entrants to year eight shared the stage. Schools ranged in experience from having never performed outside of their school to having competed before. Groups were given the opportunity to perform in either a competitive or non-competitive division. Amongst those in the non-

competitive section was Bishop Edward Gaines School, Tokoroa, whose Kapa Haka group included all students from their school. St Michael’s Catholic School’s performance was the ﬁrst time the Rotorua group had ever performed in such a festival. Results In the competitive section were close. St Joseph’s Opotiki placed ﬁrst overall, St Joseph’s Whakatane’s Kapa Haka group Hato Hohepa Whakatane, second and St Joseph’s Matata’s Kapa Haka group, Hato Hohepa ki Matata, third. Jo Brady, Principal of St Joseph’s School Whakatane, said that very positive feedback has been received from the event. Kathleen Joblin, Principal of St Thomas More, described the day as one of “celebrating diversity, cultural pride and being a big Catholic family of school.” “We were really, really pleased with the festival. The atmosphere was fabulous and we’re looking forward to do it again.” said Jo Brady. Hato Hohepa plan to host the ‘Ngā Kapa Haka o Te Pihopatanga’ festival every second year.

ketekorero August - October 2019

school news

Barefoot Day at Aquinas College

Bailey and Laura helping Deputy Principal Kurt Kennedy (left) and Principal Matt Dalton dip their toes in the icy water.

Students who chose to go barefoot including some Young Vinnies from St Mary's Tauranga. Bailey Berntsen hoes are something that most of us take for granted and we don’t know the struggle that other people have going without shoes. We are fortunate enough at Aquinas College to generally have shoes to keep our feet warm, but there are children in Tauranga going to school in bare feet, on cold frosty mornings. This second term the AC Army and Young Vinnies at Aquinas have run an initiative called ‘Shoes for Feet’ where we asked for students, parents and teachers to bring in pairs of shoes or socks that can be given to children who would beneﬁt greatly. After two-and-a-half-weeks of encouraging people to bring in shoes, we collected more than 200 pairs that will be gifted to kids without. In the following days we distributed these to schools around our local area. Along with this we held a Barefoot Day on 22 May so that students and teachers at Aquinas could learn what it was like for these children. For us, this was a choice, for these children, it is their life. They don’t get the choice to wear shoes or not. We wanted to show awareness for our own community, provide support for these kids and show them that we care about them. We pray that this initiative will put huge smiles on children’s faces. We hope that this small act can provide an opportunity for these younger kids to enjoy their day at school.

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The students also "got" Religious Education Teacher/Careers Advisor Mikaere Smith.

Above, Barefoot Day organisers Bailey Berntsen (left) and Laura Smith. Cold feet for some There were students that were reluctant to come in barefoot because it was a cold morning. The ﬁrst few periods were the hardest because it was early in the morning. However, we got more people throughout the day involved and saw them taking oﬀ their socks

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and shoes. We had created a shoe trail during lunch time, where we laid out all the shoes we had collected as well as holding an icy bucket challenge. Students’ and teachers’ reactions were great we saw the little bit of shock that hit people’s faces because of how cold the water was. However, everyone pushed through and all managed to keep their feet immersed in the bucket for 5 minutes, which was the target we were aiming for. Going an entire day barefoot was deﬁnitely a challenge for a lot of people, the cold concrete and wet grass wasn’t the most pleasant thing to be walking on. But knowing that there were children who have to do this every day, I think, inspired everyone to complete the day with being barefoot!

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ketekorero August - October 2019

school news St Joseph's Matamata Young Vinnies project

A particular highlight of the visit was meeting a lovely gentleman called Ian Marr who said that he had been a student at St Joseph’s School 71 years ago! (above)

t the start of the school year St Joseph’s Matamata Young Vinnies chose to do something nice for the patients in the aged care ward at Pohlen Hospital. They decided that they would like to make cards for the patients, give out small gifts and sing songs that the elderly would enjoy. Term 1 was spent making the cards (above) and learning songs including Que Sera Sera and I’ve Been Working On The Railroad.

The Young Vinnies put a lot of time and eﬀort into making the cards they shared with the patients fun and colourful (above).

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At the beginning of Term 2 the Young Vinnies visited the aged care unit at Pohlen Hospital. After singing songs and giving out eggs and cards to the 11 patients present in the lounge area the Young Vinnies visited patients in their rooms and gave out eggs and/or sang songs on request, bringing tears to the eyes of some and huge grins to the faces of others (below).

One of the Young Vinnies holding the hand of a patient overjoyed at receiving the young visitors and their gifts.

We were all made very welcome by the wonderful Activities Manager Robin (above) and we hope to see her again when we visit next year. Visiting a hospital and dealing with elderly patients who include those who are deaf, unable to speak as well as suffering from illness can be a daunting task for anyone let alone a primary school pupil. However, the Young Vinnies rose to the challenge with an effort that they can be proud of and was thoroughly enjoyed by the patients and staff at Pohlen. To find out more about the Young Vinnies, go to the link below: http://www.bopvinnies.co.nz/index. php?page=young-vinnies

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ketekorero August - October 2019

school news

Cambodia trip 'life changing' for students

uring the holidays between terms one and two a group of 16 John Paul College students and two staff went on a service trip to a small La Sallain school in Cambodia. After a long flight we spent the first two days acclimatising and getting an introduction to Cambodia including a visit to the Royal Palace in the capital Phnom Penh and a Buddhist temple. Then it was off to the small village of Po Thum just outside of the capital to meet the brothers and celebrate the Easter weekend. After the Easter vigil on Saturday with a very large fire to light the Pascal candle, and then the Easter Mass on Sunday, we were invited to join in some games with the local community and help distribute some food packages to 35 of the poorest families in the village. On Monday the real hard work began. Morning prayers were at 5.15am (and most students attended at least once - four of the girls managed most days), breakfast at 6.15am and then students began to arrive from 6.30am for a 7am start. There were four sessions in the morning starting at 7.45am (for us) until 11am. Then it was lunch, cartoons and nap time. We all took

advantage of nap time in the often 38°C heat! Afternoon lessons commenced at 2pm and ﬁnished at 4pm. Our students still had enough energy after school to play football with some of the older students in the village. The time before dinner and bed (early at 8.309.00pm- and no-one complained) was spent preparing for the following days lessons. Our students taught English, Maths, Crafts and Jump Jam. Three of our students also created a lasting memory on a section of wall in the school compound. However, before we knew it, the week was over, and it was almost time to leave and give the students their colouring pencils. But before we left, the brothers and teachers from the school organised a farewell dinner and birthday celebration for Skyla who was 16! After returning to the comfort of our hotel on Saturday, we did a little shopping and then on Sunday we learnt more about the history of Cambodia as we visited the Killing Fields and saw the memorial to the terrible genocide during the rule of Pol Pot. After ﬂying to Siem Reap we spent the last few days of the trip doing very touristy things, we

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Year 8 Campion College student Sina Finau's "Lifeline" has won the junior prize in the annual Caritas Aotearoa national SINGout4JUSTICE songwriting competition. Students from all over New Zealand are invited to write songs which help to promote social justice. More than 80 students participated in the competition and the judges commented on the high calibre of all of the submissions. The theme for this year’s SINGout4JUSTICE song writing competition was 'Home for Good' linking in with the Caritas 2019 resource focus of South Sudan and the issue of displacement and the challenges faced by millions around the world who have no home. This year, Year 8 student, Sina Finau won the junior section of the competition with her composition of ‘Lifeline’. Caritas Director, Julianne Hickey, phoned the College to inform Sina of her win on July 2. The news was met with an excited squeal of delight. Jarrod Seaton and Gana Goldsmith worked alongside Sina, supporting her with the competition and we acknowledge and thank them for their eﬀorts. Go to: https://tinyurl.com/SinaFinausong

visited the temples of Angkor Wat and saw the sun rise, (another 5am start). We also managed to fit in a bike ride in the countryside, a visit to the charitable circus and a final visit to a Buddhist temple. Then it was time to return to New Zealand. A life changing experience for our students, and time and efforts given to help those less fortunate than ourselves in a small Lasallain school in Po Thum, Cambodia. Contributed

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ketekorero August - October 2019

school news Boards of Trustees elections The primary and secondary schools throughout the Hamilton Catholic Diocese held elections for their boards of trustees in June. Election results for the colleges are provided below with the new line-up of trustees for Aquinas College, Campion College, Sacred Heart Girls' College, St John's Boys College and John Paul College.

Board members from Aquinas College, Tauranga

Board members from John Paul College, Rotorua

Parent Representatives Scott Kahle (Chair) Colleen Lowe Steve McGregor Chris Phayer Rod Way

Parent Representatives Gregg Brown Jean-Paul Gaston Catriona Gordon Heidi Symon Jonathan Temm Staﬀ Representative Nancy MacMillan Student Representative Sophie Smallbone Proprietor’s Representatives Jenny Chapman Miyoko Hammersley Lyall Thurston Carmel Veitch Principal Patrick Walsh Board Secretary Liz Lock

Staﬀ Representative Paula Skelton Student Representative Ben Sokimi Proprietor’s Representatives Clare Sokimi Therese Ford-Cartwright Cecilia Winters Amy Rogers Principal Matt Dalton Board Secretary Moira Ramsbottom

Board members from Campion College, Gisborne Vicki Briant Gina Holmes Dion Neems Peter Renshaw Paul Sadler Board chair Paul Sadler Deputy Chairperson Gina Holmes Principal Paul McGuinness Board Secretary Belinda Ledger

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Parent Representatives Shelley Wilson Shirley Huang Tessa Neil John Paul Te Puia Staﬀ Representative David Lang Student Representative Caitlin Te Puia Bishop's Representative Anne Griﬃn Proprietor's Representatives Rawiri Toia Tim Gisler Alva Tohovaka-Staples Principal Catherine Gunn

Board members from St John's College, Hamilton Parent Representatives Meriel Astrella Pat Coles Kathy Duﬀ Jacqui Gage-Brown Richard Spelman Briar Virtue Jenna Wetere Staﬀ Representative Jude Bartram Student Representative George Downey Proprietor’s Representatives Stephen Chatwin Brendan Lally Angela McWilliam Monique Reymer Board Secretary Celia Jowsey

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Campion Board chair steps down Campion College has thanked Mike Torrie who has stepped down from the Campion Board of Trustees. Mike was the Board Chair for the past 12 years and was instrumental in bringing through the vision of the Campion rebuild. “As board chair, Mike has astute leadership skills and an ability to draw out the best in the people he works with,” the college said. In regard to the Campion rebuild, under Mike’s leadership, the college managed to achieve an upgrade that went considerably beyond the original brief. Prior to his time at Campion, Mike was the Chairperson of St Mary’s Catholic Primary School Board of Trustees, where he oversaw the move of Year 7 and 8 students to Campion and the relocation of that school from Childers Rd to Campion Rd. Overall, in his time on the two Boards, Mike has been instrumental in setting up the Catholic education property for Gisborne for the next 30 years or more.

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ketekorero August - October 2019

the religious life Vatican visitor highlights how faith and science can go together Br Guy Consolmagno, Director of the Vatican Observatory gave a public lecture on 2 May at the University of Waikato and he also spoke at St John’s College about how faith and science can work together. Marianne Hull, a Waikato University student and Waicath Catholics on Campus Group member, writes about her experience:

hat are the odds that a chemist from Costa Rica had previously missed Br Guy at her former University in the United States and came to New Zealand to study at the University where he was giving a talk three years later? Of course, I couldn’t miss the chance of personally talking to him about faith and science. Science and Faith is a topic with which I have seen a lot of people struggle with in Costa Rica. It seems like you are either a respectable science person until you are known to believe in God. My friend’s being raised in traditional Catholic homes and going to university in the science or engineering fields, there is a story that repeats itself over again. They wonder: Creation or evolution? Who knows? They go to university and the first physics professor gives what it seems like a very logical explanation about creation were God doesn’t have a part of it. Next time I see them, they don’t believe in God anymore. This is, of course, due to a lack of information. I wanted to talk to Br Guy about this situation, after all he is a “MIT and Harvard-level scientist” with awards for his work on the planetary science field. He shared with me a link from

Marianne Hull with Br Guy Consolmagno, Director of the Students at Waikato University listening to Br Guy's address. Vatican Observatory the Vatican observatory where you can ﬁnd articles, videos, books on science and faith: https://www. vofoundation.org/faith-andscience/ This has great resources for many topics such as evolution, creation, end of time, and so on. I was very glad to know that there is this type of information out there. It is a matter of sharing it so that more people can have access to it. Br Guy is a great speaker who knows how to keep the audience engaged. The talk he gave at the University of Waikato was amazing. It had a good balance between the science and faith topics. Both scientiﬁc and Christian audiences could get something out of it. His perspective on the relationship between science and faith is very interesting and not something commonly heard. In science, we make theories based on the knowledge we have. Sometimes it happens that we discover new things and those

theories don’t make sense anymore. This doesn’t stop us from doing research. In a similar way there are things about God that we can’t totally understand, but this shouldn’t stop us from having faith. On another note, he was very inspiring to young scientists. Some of his advice was to be fearless. He talked about the importance of the arts in the development of the person and how they can help scientists. He also talked about people who did science as though it was a competition to feed their ego. Science is more than this. It is something beautiful that should be shared with others as its main purpose. He referred to his years in Kenya, were looking at the stars was something that in the middle of poverty and hardness, could made the kids excited and happy. I would strongly recommend watching recordings of his talks. Finally, I think that we as Catholics should get to know the “science and faith” topic better.

At some point we will encounter students, members of the church, sons and daughters, who will have some questions. If we don’t guide them it’s very likely that someone else with very diﬀerent beliefs will. I did some research on his work before meeting with him. I found this quote online: “Religion needs science to keep it away from superstition and keep it close to reality, to protect it from creationism, which at the end of the day is a kind of paganism - it’s turning God into a nature god. “And science needs religion in order to have a conscience, to know that, just because something is possible, it may not be a good thing to do.” Feeling very proud about having done my homework I said: “I am going to quote you because I really agree with you on this.” He said: “That is actually John Paul ll but now you can use it like if it was yours.” Br Guy is one of a kind, we are very lucky to have him as the director of the Vatican Observatory.

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ketekorero August - October 2019

the religious life Light in the world weekend

ive as Children of Light (Ephesians 5:8) and be a light to others as we overcome darkness in our homes, community and the world. We are asked to Awake, Arise and Fulfill our ministry by radiating the fragrant aroma of Jesus in the way we live our life and give service to Him. This is the main message of the CFC Oceania Conference held on 26-28 April 2019 in Auckland, New Zealand. The occasion was officially opened by CFC-NZ National Director Allan Sadsad with delegates from New Zealand, Australia and American Samoa. Over 600 brethren have enthusiastically joined the conference. All were looking forward to a spirit-filled weekend and stimulating fellowship with brothers and sisters from different parts of Oceania. Some of them came with their families, with the youngsters participating in the creative activities. Although it has been a big sacrifice for most to come, time and resource-wise, when they finally arrived at the venue, there was an overflowing display of joy and fulfilment. The auditorium was filled with laughter, jubilant singing and powerful praise and worship. It was total elation and ecstasy to witness everyone in a state of

Above left, Māori welcome ceremony during the Oceania Conference. Above, Father Benito Velasco, CFC Spiritual Adviser for the Diocese of Christchurch, celebrating the Holy Eucharist during the conference. total surrender to the Lord and filled with the Holy Spirit. The weekend was opened by the celebration of the Holy Eucharist and culminated on Sunday by the Divine Mercy Prayer. CFC Mission Head for Asia and Oceania, Bong Arjonillo, delivered the first talk by highlighting the importance of the home as the primary place where we experience fully the love of God and find our true identity as children of God. As we recognize the realities of life and the challenges that we face, we should likewise be reminded that God is love and the answer to the challenges of our families and in our lives. The next two talks were given by Global International Council member, Joe Yamamoto and Australia Country Coordinator, Alan Baino, which reminded us of our true calling. We are to live as children of light so that we can fulfill our ministry and shine brightly as examples of “goodness, righteousness and truth”. We ought to live our lives sin-free and serve as beacons of light to others with Jesus as the true source of light and fragrant aroma. “Be the

Light” was the title of the last talk by New Zealand Country Coordinator, Steve Maningat. We should rekindle our gifts, be active evangelizers of the good news and fulfill our ministry with Jesus’ light shining through us. The messages delivered by both the speakers and sharers were equally powerful and inspiring. They have laid the foundations on how best we can manifest in our lives the light of Jesus and radiate this light to others through our respective ministry or services in the community. This occasion also marked the 25 Anniversary of CFC in Auckland. CFC New Zealand has come a long way from a mere gathering of a few couples in Auckland to the establishment of five chapters in Auckland alone and a solid presence in several parts of both the North and South Islands. It is present in all six dioceses in New Zealand with mission areas in Samoa, American Samoa, Cook Islands and Tonga. The festivities were marked by the interpretative dance performances of the CFCNZ National Council, Family Ministries and five Auckland chapters. All the areas were very well represented and have shared their talents either by singing or dancing. We hugely thank the Auckland service team for their untiring service and commitment from the planning stage to the successful completion of the event. We are grateful for the presence and invaluable participation of our brethren from all over Oceania. The presence of the Lord is truly in our midst as we stand witness to a victorious conference. Indeed, it was a blessed, inspiring and powerful weekend. “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the L rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the L rises upon you and his glory appears over you.” Isaiah 60:1-2 CFC NZ National Council

Caritas celebrates 50 years of action

aritas Aotearoa New Zealand is celebrating its ‘Jubilee Year’ this year, representing 50 years since national bodies were established for justice, peace and development, including the provision of Catholic volunteers overseas. Cardinal John Dew and new Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand, Novatus Rugambwa, celebrated a special Mass in June to mark this occasion in Wellington. Fifty years ago, the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference/He Huinga o ngā Pīhopa Katorika o Aotearoa established national bodies for Catholic overseas aid, justice and peace, and provision of lay volunteers overseas. Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is responsible to the Bishops in providing an avenue for Catholics to be actively involved in overcoming poverty and injustice. The organisation grew out of Catholic concern in the 1950s and 1960s for justice and a fairer distribution of the world’s resources; as well as the Second Vatican Council’s promotion of the Church’s concern for social issues and the role of the laity. Caritas is holding a series of Diocesan Masses

to acknowledge and honour all those, past and present, supporting the Church’s mission for justice, peace and development. Anniversary masses were held in Dunedin and Christchurch in March. Following their attendance at the Vatican Council on the role of the Laity in the 1960s, former Archbishop of Wellington Cardinal Reginald Delargey, Bishop of Christchurch Brian Ashby, Fr John Curnow and Jocelyn Franklin were instrumental in the beginning of Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand. They committed themselves to ‘reading the signs of the times’, meaning the church should listen to, learn from, and respond to the world around it. Today, Caritas continues to read the signs of the times and apply See, Judge, Act to the issues of our day in Aotearoa New Zealand and overseas. In 1975, it joined the international Caritas network of 165 Catholic aid, development and social justice agencies, adopting the Caritas name in 1992. A short history of the organisation is also available on the Caritas website at: https://caritas.org.nz/who-we-are/our-history

ketekorero August - October 2019

the religious life David Beirne's passion for faith

Cynthia Piper n June, family, friends and former colleagues gathered at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Cambridge to celebrate the life of David Beirne, a highly respected and loved colleague of the Chanel Centre “family” for over 33 years. Many people around the Hamilton Diocese will remember David in his role as general manager of the Catholic Integrated Schools’ Office between 1986 and 2001. In his late teens, David migrated from post-war England to New Zealand to take up a farming career. The decision to come to this country was decided on the toss of a coin – New Zealand won, and Canada lost! After trying his hand at farming, David was encouraged to train as a teacher. He taught in several schools around Hamilton including Insoll Avenue Primary School and later became the principal of St Joseph Catholic School, Fairfield. In 1986, David was shouldertapped by Bishop Edward Gaines to become the general manager of Catholic Integrated Schools’ Office (CISO). Passionate about his faith and education, David worked tirelessly for the good of Catholic education in the diocese and New Zealand. In many ways, he was a man ahead of his time. He initiated the annual Hamilton Diocesan Board of Trustees conferences. These were very successful and led to the establishment of the National Catholic Education Convention. He was the driving force behind the centralisation of collecting attendance dues on behalf of the bishop. This move was a great help to many parishes, which handled the payments previously. David’s determination and hard

Farewell to our Marist Sisters

Sister Lorraine Campbell with Sisters Margaret and Mary. work resulted in the establishment of Bishop Edward Gaines Catholic School, Tokoroa in 1995; the first State-Integrated primary school after the integration of Catholic schools in New Zealand in the early 1980s. David oversaw the establishment of two more primary schools in our diocese - St Patrick’s, Taupo in 1996, and St Thomas More, Mt Maunganui in 2001. In late 2001, David resigned as schools’ manager, to concentrate on the establishment of Aquinas College in Tauranga. Two years later, with Aquinas College open, David decided to retire. However, retirement didn’t seem to suit him. He was a man who enjoyed new challenges. So, at the age of 67, David studied and qualified as a real estate agent, selling homes and retirement villas for a couple of years. To the delight of the schools’ office in 2006, David rejoined the team on a part-time basis updating the property records and acting as the credit controller for the collection of attendance dues. David’s humble, gentle manner enabled him to work with and support families having difficulties paying their dues. He truly cared for all families and helped many through difficult times. David’s interest in history saw him take on a new challenge; he reduced his hours in the school’s office and became the diocesan archivist. In late 2018 David finally retired from his work at the Hamilton Diocese. David had a passion for his faith and loved to discuss theology and Church teachings in depth. He believed in lifelong education and later in life he discovered the writings of Pierre Teilhard

Marist Sisters Mary Dore and Margaret Therese were farewelled from Rotorua to go into retirement in Auckland on 19 May. The farewell was held for the sisters after the 10 am Mass at St Mary’s Church. Eddie Kirk, the Parish Council Chairperson, told the congregation that the parish had been blessed to have had the sisters for 20-plus years. Sister Lorraine Campbell, spoke on behalf of the Sr Jane O’Carroll, the leader in New Zealand of the Marist Sisters. “I would like to thank you for your care and love for Mary and Margaret.” Sr Lorraine said there had been ﬁve Marist sisters in Rotorua, of which she was the ﬁrst having come in 1993. “We would like to thank you, parishioners, for the love and care you have given us. If you wish

sisters to return among you, you have to look inside yourselves and your families. “It’s only parents who can encourage their children into a vocation in the priesthood and the religious life. So, if you wish for priests, brothers or sisters, ﬁnd them among yourselves. “You must tap the shoulders of young people and encourage them to serve God’s people.” Thanking the parishioners, Sr Lorraine said the Marists would continue to pray for the people of Rotorua. Note, Sr Margaret passed away peacefully at Mary MacKillop Care, Auckland, on 28 June 2019. Sisters Mary and Margaret featured in the Kete Korero November 2016-January 2017 edition. Go to: https://issuu.com/ catholicdh/docs/kete_ korero_november_2016_ final_com

de Chardin S.J., and Bro Guy Consolmagno S.J.. David believed people should keep learning, questioning and challenging, and not accept others’ viewpoints passively. However, when they challenge, they should do so from a position of informed knowledge. In 2013, David organised a moot, inviting speakers to debate issues current within the Church. Much to David’s disappointment, some aspects of the debate were taken out of context and highlighted by the Catholic media causing unintended consequences for some speakers. However, David must have had some inside knowledge, because within a couple of months Pope Francis was addressing many of

the same issues, including calling for a new theology of women in the Church, and encouraging pastors to get “the smell of the sheep” on them. David’s wife Marie passed away suddenly in 2012. He felt her loss immensely, but continued to keep himself busy, forging new friendships in Resthaven Retirement Village and getting involved in the many social activities, initiating many of them. Earlier this year, at the age of 82, David was diagnosed with cancer. His strong faith and loving family and friends helped him through his illness until his death on 13 June. He is survived by his daughter Caroline, granddaughters Madeleine and Evelyn and greatgrandson Carter.

ketekorero August - October 2019

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