Kete Korero February 2015 by Catholic Diocese of Hamilton, NZ

ketekorero February - April 2015

The official publication of the Catholic Diocese of Hamilton February - April 2015

New Bishop Ordained Bishop profiles Maori take step forward Judy Hindrup to smell the roses

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ketekorero February - April 2015

bishop’s message

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So we begin our journey

n Ash Wednesday we began a journey together, our spiritual journey through the season of Lent. At the heart of this spiritual journey is the invitation for us to renew our relationship with God, with our neighbour, especially the poor or oppressed, and to renew our sense of self as being created in the image and likeness of God, the God who calls us to the abundance of his life and love. All of us, the daily Mass-goer or come to Mass only occasionally, the layperson, religious or deacon, priest or bishop, can experience criticism, negativity, indifference, cynicism, fear, unresolved hurts or bitterness in our lives. These attitudes can blind us to the state of our relationships with God, neighbour and self. The psalmist reminds us, Sin speaks to the sinner in the depths of their hearts. There is no fear of God before their eyes. They so flatter themselves in their minds that they know not their guilt. But Lent is not simply a matter of “not sinning.” In today’s Gospel we hear Jesus say, “The time has come and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News”. Our English word “repent” is a poor translation of the original Biblical Greek which is perhaps better translated “be converted”, in other words turn your whole heart and mind to living through the eyes of Jesus and love through his heart. One way of helping us do this is St Ignatius of Loyola’s Examen where at the end of the day we reflect on the day with the Lord. So, having found a comfortable quiet prayer space, we begin by simply stilling ourselves and praying, Holy Spirit, guide me as I reflect on my day. We then reflect on what we are grateful for – our life, who we are, our health, the people we love, our faith, all the moments of the day, the people we met, the sun or the rain, the beauty we noticed, the smiles we received, the moments we felt we helped people. Remember God has given us all these things to help us on the path to salvation. And most important of all thank God for being God – for wanting us to come to him, for the gift of his Son. As we go through these we simply pray, thank you Lord and this helps us recognise how blessed we are. Only after we have done this do we reflect on what we regret from the day. Notice in particular what the Lord calls to your mind – that thought, the harsh words, the anger. And bring them honestly before Jesus - Lord, I’m sorry, you know how I struggle with this issue in my life. Forgive me and help me do better tomorrow. What the Examen encourages is a continual rediscovery of how blessed we are and God’s great love for us. And, as Jesus gently reveals our sins to us, we recognise it is not so that we might feel guilt but rather that we are being led to a deeper conversion of heart. The Examen has helped me on my spiritual journey. I hope and pray that it will help you on yours. May your Lent be a time of conversion and blessing.

www.proudtobecatholic.org.nz

Features Bishop Stephen Lowe’s Ordination Families, young people, priestly shepherds top new bishop’s thinking Decon Vincent answers quiet call of the Spirit Beautiful occasion for ordinations in Morrinsveille Judy set to smell the flowers Why Plenary Indulgences are very good things and how to obtain them

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Parish News Maori step forward in new diocese role 6 Great day at St Joseph’s, Te Puna 6 Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at St Pius X Parish, Hamilton 7 Whakatane parish Seniors’ Christmas Luncheon 10 Youth Youth Regeneration event witnesses Christ

School News Principals take national roles John Paul College opening of centre Senior Pupil Awards

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Sponsors 16 The Kete Korero is an official publication of the Catholic Diocese of Hamilton. Deadline for contributions to the next issue is 14 April 2015 Kete Korero Magazine c-/ 51 Grey St, P.O. Box 4353, Hamilton East 3247 Editor: Michael R. Smith, P.O. Box 6215, Whakarewarewa, Rotorua 3010 Tel: 07 349 4107, kete@cdh.org.nz Videos: http:/tinyurl.com/ketekorero Sponsorship and advertising: David Barrowclough, c-/ Chanel Centre 0800 843 233 Fax 07 8567035 or email: cdf@cdh.org.nz Design and layout: Sandy Thompson, Advocate Print 248 Fenton Street, Rotorua 3010 Printing: Beacon Print Ltd, 207 Wilson Road, Hastings 4153 ISSN: (print) 2357-2221 & (online) 2357-223X

+ Steve

The road ahead streches out for new bishop After the celebrations, inevitably comes the hard work. The 1000 people who attended the ordination of Bishop Stephen Lowe and the many well-wishers throughout the Hamilton Diocese and beyond celebrated with the Hokitika-born priest this longawaited ceremony. None more probably than Bishop Emeritus Denis Browne, who has patiently continued to guide a diocese covering the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Poverty Bay and King Country regions while a successor was found. Throughout 2013 and 2014 a number of names were mentioned, but then all went quiet until the papal announcement that Fr Steve Lowe had been appointed as bishop. The new bishop has the credential for the task both as a parish priest, his studies in spirituality and in the six years he spent before this as shepherd for the psychological and spiritual development of

young men at the Holy Cross Seminary. The good will expressed towards Bishop Lowe was as obvious as it was genuine throughout the lead up the ordination. As he travelled throughout the diocese, the openness he displayed was returned to him by the people he met, be it formally or when they came upon him greeting parishioners at a local church service. That is not to say his tasks won’t be many and difficult. Aside from the challenges the Catholic Church faces globally, the Hamilton Diocese is at a crucial stage. The strategy launched last year “Who is my neighbour?” is poised to go into the next phase of embedding and enlarging some of the important changes mooted by its authors. The day before the joyful celebration at Hamilton’s Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Hamilton, a powhiri was held

for the bishop at nearby Hui Te Rangiora Marae. As recently as his January visit to the Philippines, Pope Francis has addressed the need to respect the “inalienable rights of indigenous peoples” and the need to ensure social justice. Bishop Steve has experience in the issues confronting many parishioners through his time working for the NZ Forest Service and its Timberlands NZ commercial offspring. The fact that he is making his an early parish visit to the tiny Eastern Bay of Plenty township of Murupara indicates his grasp on the business at hand. In this edition of Kete Korero, we profile both our new bishop (pages 4-5) and our retiring bishop (pages 8-9). I trust these articles and others help provide insights in where we have been and where we are going. Michael Smith - Editor

ketekorero February - April 2015

feature

The shepherd meets his flock

Bishop Steve’s shield focuses on the spiritual life. Ko te Ariki Tōku Hēpara The Lord is My Shepherd

light that shone on the newly ordained Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Hamlton Steve Lowe reflected the spiritual and joyful nature of the ceremony. The two hour long service on 13 Feburary 2015 was a historic occasion for the diocese, being only the second after the 1988 ordination for Bishop Max Takuira Matthew Mariu as the first Maori bishop. Although full of ceremonial tradition, the ordination had light and touching moments. After his 38 years as a bishop, Bishop Emeritus Denis Browne expressed relief when passing over the mitre to Bishop Steve. Towards the end of the service, colours lit up the wall around him as the setting sun shone through the entry portal window of “Our Lady of the Rosary”. Suddenly the colours were gone and a single light shone down the wall and on to the new bishop. Bishop Steve’s popularity as a priest and now as bishop was reflected in the well-wishers who thronged about him after the ceremony. Earlier, a message was delivered from Pope Francis expessing support to the people of the Hamilton Catholic Diocese for the consecration of Bishop Steve the new Bishop of Hamilton. The message came via His Excellency Archbishop Martin Krebs, apostolic nuncio to New Zealand and the Pacific Islands and was delivered at the ordination and during a powhiri at Hui Te Rangiora Marae in Hamilton a day earlier. A large contingent of people from throughout the diocese was welcomed on to the marae around midday, followed a couple of hours later by the group accompanying Bishop Steve, including Bishop Emeritus Denis Browne and Archbishop Martin Krebs. Addressing the gathering, Archbishop Krebs said he was pleased to be able to join them. “The Holy Father sends me to this solemn beginning of Father Stephen’s ministry here in Hamilton and as part of the Bishop’s Conference here in New Zealand. “Please take my presence here among you as a visible expression of Pope Francis’s wish that we celebrate well this beginning of Father Stephen’s ministry as a bishop and blessing to you all who will accompany the bishop in his ministry.” Pope Francis felt very close to New Zealand, as indicated when he appointed John Dew, the Archbishop of Wellington, as a new cardinal. “You can see how he feels so close to New Zealand, having us here.” A day later, a congregation of about 1000 people saw the Hokitika born and bred Fr Steve Lowe become the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Hamilton at the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Hamilton. Images from the ordination ceremony and the powhiri are available on the Kete Korero facebook page at http://tinyurl.com/ketekoreofb

ketekorero February - April 2015

feature

Families, young people, priestly shepherds top new bishop’s thinking Michael Smith

focus on increasing the number of families and young people at Mass and the role of priests as the shepherd are foremost in the thinking of the newly ordained Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Hamilton, Stephen Lowe. Bishop Lowe was due to be ordained at the Hamilton on 13 February 2015 [See Page 3]. His appointment follows the retirement of now Emeritus Bishop Denis Browne, who was the Bishop of Hamilton for the last 20 years. Bishop Browne will retire in the diocese [See Pages 8-9]. Kete Korero took the opportunity to interview the then Bishop-Elect Stephen Lowe as he visited priests and parishes throughout the diocese over the holiday period early this year. During his visit to Rotorua, he held meetings with the local priests and was able to celebrate Mass at St Michael’s Church. Bishop Steve’s appointment does come at a time of considerable change in the diocese, with the introduction of the “Who is My Neighbour?” strategic plan for reshaping parishes. Although he had read the plan, his first priority as bishop was to have extensive time with the priests. “I am having the big conversation with the priests about all sorts of aspects of their life but invariably the ‘Who is My Neighbour’ process is coming up. So that’s been for me a good way of starting to assess

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how the ‘Who is My Neighbour’ process is going, how the priests are feeling about it, and at the same time clarifying my own thoughts about it.” Although we will never know why he was chosen for the job, there is something in Bishop Steve’s background that would have suggested he might be ideally suited for the task ahead. Much of During visits to priests throughout the dioccese, Bishop Steve his formative background is revealed Lowe celebrated Mass. In these pics he is greeting parishioners in his contribution to the book “God at St Michael’s in Rotorua. Knows Where They Came From!” [See “I was back in a parish for three weeks when details below]. The book contains stories of four men of faith from Hokitika, and how the [papal] nuncio rang and invited me to come to their faith lives were shaped and developed in a Wellington the following day and he told me that the Holy Father had appointed me the Bishop of small West Coast town context. Hamilton.” The quick bio gives an outline of his schooling – Father Mark Field of Tauranga, in welcoming his at Hokitika Primary School and then at St Mary’s Primary School, followed by Westland High School. appointment, described Bishop Steve as “A good However, Bishop Steve’s section of the book shows man, with a good mind and a good heart”. So how an understanding of the influences of a family with would he describe himself? “At heart I would say I love being a priest and diverse backgrounds – from an “anti-Catholic” Presbyterian grandfather to an Irish Catholic family my model of priest is the shepherd; the shepherd including Blessed Columba Marmion, a Benedictine with the Heart of Christ, hopefully. And that’s the priest, who was one of the most popular and widely formation work I was doing in Holy Cross Seminary read Catholic spiritual authors of the 20th century in Auckland. That was the model of priesthood I wanted to impart to the guys. prior to Vatican II. Born in 1962, Bishop Steve was a post-Second Vatican Council child. He quotes Pope John Paul II, Cardinal Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI, and the current Pope Francis.

“That’s what I try to live and the way I try to love, and I certainly enjoyed and loved parish life. It really has been a great joy for me. So, yes, maybe a good parish priest and, please God, a good bishop.”

His life after school also provides an idea of somebody who has experienced and dealt with change. For the first eight years after schooling, he was with the government’s Forest Service which later corporatised to the NZ Timberlands Limited, the production side of the state forestry assets. He worked in Hokitika, Christchurch and Timaru, and it was in the last of these places that he felt the call to priesthood and entered Holy Cross Seminary in 1990 and was ordained priest in 1996. Then followed spells in Mairehau, Ashburton and Greymouth as an assistant priest, following by an appointment as parish priest of Timaru North for five years.

At the seminary he was more involved in the personal, human development of the seminarians rather than academic aspects. He notes how Pope John Paul talked about the four areas of formation for men training to be priests: Human, which is the foundation of it all formation; the spiritual formation, which animates the life of the priest; the academic formation which assists shaping the student’s mind and heart; and, pastoral formation which is the goal or end of the whole formation journey.

Asked to study for two years towards being the Formation Director for the Holy Cross Seminary in Auckland, Bishop Steve studied for two years in Rome. He returned to start at Holy Cross in 2008, where he was until last year when after which he was looking forward to getting back into a parish.

“My role was mainly the human formation; working on the development of the human person and giving them a model of priesthood. So it was very much dealing with the person rather than with the academic side of things.” His friend and blogger, Fr John O’Connor, recently reminded readers how when Bishop Steve was ordained as a priest he chose an inspirational quote “Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all”.

ketekorero February - April 2015

feature “For me the Cross has always been significant and those are the last words of the hymn ‘When I Survey the Wondrous Cross’. And I think ultimately priesthood is emulating the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, giving oneself totally to the love of God, and for the love of His people. And it’s got to be love that impels us. “Priesthood is not a job, it’s a relationship. It’s sharing, if you like, in Christ’s relationship with his people but also that relationship each one of us is called to have with God. And so love impels me to give everything.” The Catholic Church is facing challenges globally, with one writer recently pinpointing what he described as the “desperate shortage of priests” and the drop of in attendance, or membership, of the church. Bishop Steve says that attendance is the big issue, and says the culture doesn’t support the Christian faith as it once did. “We live in a more secularised world, so it presents us with new challenges. But not everything of the secular age is necessarily bad, and I think it is a matter of us looking for the opportunities that are available today that weren’t available before.” He identified his number one concern as the need to have more families and young people at Mass. “If we haven’t got the young families; if we haven’t got the teenagers and young adults at Mass, we are not going to have vocations. “It is a matter of us looking at ourselves as a parish – how do we present the Catholic faith? What is the attraction that would draw people and what was it that was attractive about Christ and drew

people to him? “So we have to look at ourselves to a certain extent to being attractive, living the Gospel of Joy as [Pope] Francis would say.”

Deacon Vincent answers quiet call of the Spirit

Bishop Steve says it is probably too soon to say which of Pope Francis’ messages could resonate with the Hamilton Diocese but he highlighted the Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation to the Church, Evangelii Gaudium, The Joy of the Gospel. “I think that this letter really sets a manifesto of this papacy. And so I think really studying and working with that is going to be quite critical. He brings an enthusiasm and a joy that is attractive, such that non-Catholics are talking about him. That’s what I really think we need to replicate in our parishes and in the lives of our priests and people. “That joy of being Catholic. The diocesan motto is “Proud to be Catholic” and that should be seen in us.” Although people in the South Island have reluctantly bid farewell to Hamilton’s new bishop and he is sad to leave family and friends, he does believe that this was the Lord’s call to him. “It’s funny how the Lord seems to go before us and we don’t know quite where we are going but when things happen, it suddenly makes sense,” Bishop Steve says. For a full version of this interview, see the video online at www.proudtobecatholic. org.nz The book God Knows Where They Come From? was published by The Kynaston Charitable Trust in conjunction with Craigs Design & Print Ltd, PO Box 99, Invercargill 9840.

Beautiful occasion for ordinations in Morrinsville

Joseph George (Fairfield, left) and Stuart Young (Morrinsville) ordained as Transitional Deacons at the new church in Morrinsville. It was a most beautiful occasion for all who were gathered in the new church. Stuart says in a note: “My thanks must go to Almighty God for his patience and steadfast guidance throughout my life, and especially as he led me through pilgrimage and discernment to this day.”

By John Fong Vincent Shaw is pictured above being ordained to the Permanent Diaconate during the Sunday morning Mass at St Thomas More Catholic Church in Mount Maunganui on 18 January. Emeritus Bishop Denis Browne was ordaining prelate and principal celebrant. Concelebrants were Bishop-Elect Steve Lowe, the parish priest Fr Darren McFarlane and the previous parish priest Fr Michael Gielen, together with Deacons Terri Sorenson and Henk Gielen assisting. Transitional Deacon Danny Fraser-Jones was master of ceremonies. Parishioners and well-wishers packed St Thomas More to capacity to witness, participate in, and rejoice at one of their parishioners accepting and undertaking the diaconal ministry. Deacon Vince was born in Manchester, England to devoted Catholic parents. He had a paternal uncle and three cousins who were in religious life. He married Christine in 1980 and they have two adult children. In 1996, the family emigrated to New Zealand and Deacon Vince taught in Morrinsville and Te Kauwhata before moving to Tauranga to be head of mathematics at Aquinas College, as he felt a call to be involved in Catholic education. Four years ago he took up the role of director of religious studies at Aquinas College, Tauranga. No “road to Damascus” moment led to his becoming a deacon, but rather he experienced an insistent but quiet calling of the Spirit. Further, God-incidences confirmed for him the path he was to take. Deacon Vince had an interesting start in life: born six weeks premature, he and twin-brother Stephen struggled to survive. Stephen died shortly after birth and Vincent was placed in an incubator with the result that he became blind. However, at nine months, he spontaneously regained his sight. He attributes this to the prayers of his parents, as the condition is invariably permanent. The past one and a half years have been a struggle for the family. In July 2013 Deacon Vince was diagnosed with cancer and underwent surgery. Despite these setbacks, he continued with his diaconal training. He is recovering, thanks to the expertise of medical practitioners and the prayers of very many people. He explained his reason for becoming a deacon. “I love this Church of ours, and I look forward to serving the people of God.” As a child he was shown to always say hello to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. He said that we are lucky to have the real presence of our Saviour right there, whenever we need Him. That little red light gave him goosebumps, and, strangely, a feeling of inner peace and contentment. He added, “With Jesus at my side, I know I can withstand all the little and large problems that life throws my way.”

ketekorero February - April 2015

parish news Maori step forward in new diocese role The ministry of Maori in the Catholic Diocese of Hamilton has taken a major step forward with the formalisation of Whaia te Whaea as one of the new collegial areas under the s ‘Who is my neighbour?’ strategic plan. Most of the focus on the strategy implementation has been around developing various parishes into collegial areas combining priests, churches and administration. However, under the plan, Whaia te Whaea will become a collegial area in its own right to play an important role in the re-invigoration and growth of Maori throughout the diocese. Frs Hemi Hekiera and David Gledhill, who were based at St Joseph’s in Te Puna, Tauranga, have relocated to Rotorua to occupy the former convent of the Sisters of Mercy adjacent to St Michael’s Catholic School in Rotorua. The priests were contracted in 2007 by the bishop to implement changes in the way the Maori ministry works in the diocese. The contract ends later this year. Fr David says they are contracted to the Maori of the Hamilton diocese, and other dioceses if required, and are accountable to the bishop with the diocesan priests in the care of the Maori. “We are assisting the Maori communities to take their place within the diocesan policy of ‘Who is my neighbour?’. We would consider ourselves, with the people, to be partners in this project.” One of the vehicles in implementing this policy

would be assisting people both ways - to be culturally comfortable. Fr Hemi says moving to the existing Rotorua site will give them a base to work from at the centre of the diocese and not bound to a parish structure. Frs Hemi and David say they know what they want to do but it is not always easy to implement from a priest, a parish or their point of view.

Fathers David Gledhill (left) and Hemi Hekiera

“The culture of the church, whilst it is such an important part of the mission of the church, also has to hear the culture of the people in a very special way, not just as an extra. “The culture of the work of the church is very important for the Maori people at this time of history.” It is important because this is the way the church is moving in every culture in the world, Fr Hemi says. “While the church saw itself as the ‘special culture’, it was also part of the dominant culture, and I don’t think it is true anymore. I think the culture of all peoples has to be listened to and evolved into the culture of Christ.” This blending in together of various cultures could be done in different ways, and was particularly important as Maori grew to a greater sense of their culture. “The challenge for Maori is that the renaissance of

the people has seen them come a long way. It has left the church behind and we have to help the church to catch up with the changes taking place.” Fr Hemi says it is hoped they can go back to young Maori people to help them once more capture the beauty of Catholicity and the beauty of Maoritanga. If this could be done, then he believes they would have made an important start towards the understanding of their part in the church. “We are not so much worried about people going to church at this stage, but we are worried about finding an understanding where they can be identified and gain an understanding how they are as Catholics and Maori.” Frs Hemi and Gledhill recognise their mission will take a lot of hard work but some of the groundwork has been done and they are encouraged the way some existing structures allow people to come in as Maori and Catholics.

Great day at St Joseph’s, Te Puna God bless Ataraita and Enoka Ngatai who celebrate their Diamond Wedding (60 years married!) on 15 January 2015. Nga mihi aroha ki a kourua. Similar to seeing other notices for people I know or have known - tinged with a little knowledge of the Māori invitation for everyone to “just come” - and with the added impetus that this was a parish event within our own new parish - I decided to go. It was really special – in that uniquely welcoming and hospitable Māori style. Made me think – more of us who should have been there. Ataraita and Enoka happen to be old friends. We were all producing babies – the usual five or six in those “olden days” of the 1960s - at Mt Maunganui when Father McGivern had those much treasured “Mothers Group” meetings. Since then, apart from mainly casual meetings, we have gone our own different ways ways that led to Enoka and Ataraita now having a substantial, family-owned and operated dairy farm on the western end of Matakana Island, near where Enoka was born in much humbler circumstances, and an enclave of seven family homes (one built by and for each member of the family) on Matapihi Road.

Their six children have all succeeded in both the pakeha and the Māori worlds and have between them produced 23 mokopuna and six mokopuna tuarua. Ataraita and Enoka were both awarded the Queen’s Service Medal in 2011. So, just before 11 am, I was welcomed with open arms, and many kisses (some from people I hardly knew and many I didn’t know) to the Thanksgiving Mass in the beautiful, historic Church of St Joseph’s Te Puna, with no greater invitation than the Newsletter, to celebrate the Diamond Wedding Anniversary of a marriage, in that same church, on that same day, 15 January, 60 years ago. And celebrate we did - you should have been there! The Mass was fabulous. It was led, in Māori, by Father Mark Field, who concelebrated with Pa Hemi, with of course magnificent singing, plenty of humour – the bridegroom responded to Father Mark’s formal invitation to renew his marriage vows with Ataraita with “Do I have another choice?” – and the prayerful reverence that this church seems to demand. At the end of Mass the family presented framed Apostolic Blessings from Pope Francis,

Ataraita and Enoka Ngatai

a personalised signed message, with gilt tassel, from Queen Elizabeth, and congratulatory signed greeting cards from Governor-General Sir Gerry Mateparae and Prime Minister John Key. And then, to cap it all off, that Māori hospitality of the beautiful “cuppa teas” in the peaceful, tree-shaded, cool surroundings of the Te Puna church property. It really was a great day! Made me think – somehow we must get to know our own parishioners better, and celebrate with them, including those from the former Parish of St Joseph, as friends. By Sir Peter Trapski First Published in Smile, the magazine of the Tauranga Parish.

ketekorero February - April 2015

parish news Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at St Pius X parish, Hamilton By Rosemary Roberts Last year while Fr Gerard was walking across Spain, a lovely Jesuit priest from Australia looked after St Pius X parish for a few weeks. I was talking to him one day after Mass, and mentioned that my boys were at a Montessori preschool. He asked if I’d ever heard about Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. I hadn’t. Google to the rescue. I was blown away by what I found. Over the year my eldest son had been at Montessori, I had come to really appreciate the distinctive nature of Montessori education. I loved that it was based on years of observation by Maria Montessori of how children learn and what they are capable of. I loved that this observation continued in the classroom and each child was respectfully treated as an individual person with individual needs and capabilities. I loved that the children could work, learn, and see to their physical needs independently (yes! from age three and even younger) because the environment was set up perfectly to allow that. I loved the three year age groupings, chosen according to the planes of development the children were in and allowing them to learn from and teach each other. I loved the order and serenity of the classroom. I loved that the children learned not only maths and language and geography, but also grace and courtesy and practical life skills too. Basically I loved it all and considered it to be a beautiful method of enabling the human person to flourish on (almost) all levels from a very young age. There was, however one area of learning where it was up to my husband and me alone, with no help from the school: the Faith. This was something that was not going smoothly with our two and four year olds. They weren’t the type to like to join in things and got self-conscious (or just silly) during Mass and prayer times. Picture books were some use, but limited. Trying to explain abstract concepts was futile since their brains were not yet capable of abstraction.

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When I discovered Catechesis of the Good Shepherd I knew I had finally found the answer to helping young children form a relationship with God and I wondered if we would ever have access to it. I went back to Google. I searched for atria in Hamilton. Unsurprisingly, nothing I couldn’t find much else in New Zealand either (I’ve since learned of more but they were not easy to find!). Then I had a conversation with two mums who were also planning on sending their children to our Montessori preschool and they mentioned there was an atrium at St Mary’s in Tauranga, and how wonderful would it be for us to have access to one too. At this stage we had no plans to set up an atrium, but I wanted to know more. I searched for books on the topic and found “The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in a Parish Setting” on fishpond.co.nz for $5. In January of 2014 I went away for a week, read the book and did a lot of praying, and came home convinced we needed to start the Catechesis in our parish. I just had no idea how. To set up an atrium, one needs to attend officially sanctioned training and get a manual with all the instructions on how to make what. It is possible to start without doing this, but it would be very difficult to implement the programme faithfully and in a way the children would get the most benefit. It seemed there was training in Australia occasionally, and plenty in the US, but those didn’t seem like options. Eventually I found out about training being run by an Anglican parish in Dunedin in June/July. I approached Fr Gerard, who was very supportive of the idea, and once the parish council had approved it I tried to convince people to go to the training. I assumed I couldn’t, due to having a tiny baby. But nobody was interested, so after lots more prayer and correspondence with the trainer, we decided I would go to Dunedin for the three to six years age group portion of the training and the trainer would come back to Hamilton in January 2015 to train more people and give us enough to start up with the six to nine years age group also. Fast forward to the start of 2015 and we have a wonderful committee of four mums who have been working extremely hard to put everything together to run the training at the end of January and start atrium sessions shortly afterwards. A few other parishioners have also signed up to train as catechists and there has been some other involvement from the parish,

but we’d love more. An extremely generous carpenter in Putaruru has made items proportioned to small children - an altar, a baptismal font, a sacristy cabinet, a lectern, a tabernacle, and a model of the City of Jerusalem. The atrium has taken shape as pictured. You can follow our progress on our website: cgsstpiusxhamilton.wordpress.com or facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/cgsstpiusx The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd outline: The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a formation process for children aged three to 12 years. It is grounded in scriptural and liturgical study using the Montessori principles as a tangible, yet indirect self-teaching method used for Christian developed by Dr Sofia Cavalletti and Dr Gianna Gobbi since 1954. The Catechesis is based on the principle that the child desires to draw near to God. The process allows children to hear the Gospel through the use of materials with sufficient richness to excite their senses. The children are free to work with these materials that represent essential proclamations of the Christian message. The adult’s task is to prepare the sacred space for children, called ’the atrium’, so they can respond to this holy relationship, first proclaimed to them through Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Themes are offered in such a way as to develop the religious potential present in every child.

ketekorero February - April 2015

profile Bishop Emeritus Denis Browne reflects on decades of service By Michael Kilkelly

fter years of faithful and dedicated service to the Diocese of Hamilton, the people of New Zealand, and the Catholic Church in Oceania, Bishop Denis Browne finally begins his well-deserved retirement. As a figure of leadership for our diocese he has led us through periods of change and uncertainty, all the while continuing to kindle the flame entrusted to him at his ordination and at his appointment here. As he prepares to embrace a much more relaxed schedule, he has continued to work behind the scenes to ensure the transition to the leadership of his successor is as smooth as possible. Speaking about his legacy and his time as a shepherd to the people of the Hamilton Diocese, Bishop Browne is unfailingly modest, preferring instead to deflect praise to his priests, advisors, and the support of the diocese. Every few minutes the phone will ring and our interview paused as he speaks to well-wishers, advice seekers, or even politely informs a caller they have the wrong number. These phone calls testify not only to the immense workload he has carried since 1977 when he was first ordained a bishop, but also to the admiration and respect he has earned during his time in that role. It was a completely different world when a young Denis Browne made the decision to follow a vocation to the priesthood at the age of 13, attending Holy Name Seminary in Christchurch where he did his secondary schooling as a seminarian. “My brother had gone there before me and he was coming home and telling stories and bringing the young seminarians with him,” he says, “I think the bug caught there.” Ordained a priest in 1962 as the Church prepared to undergo perhaps the greatest transformation in its history, Bishop Denis recalls the excitement of those years as the reforms of the Second Vatican Council began taking place. His first appointment was to Gisborne which he describes as “a beautiful parish, a lovely community, and an ideal place to learn the teachings of the Second Vatican Council and to put them into practice.” He describes the council as having “a big part” both in his service as a priest and later as a bishop. After five years in Gisborne he was transferred

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to Auckland for a further seven years. He then felt a calling to serve as a missionary priest in the Pacific Islands, serving in Tonga. He describes his appointment by Paul VI as Bishop of the Cook Islands and Niue as coming “out of the blue.” “I don’t think anyone ever expects it,” he says, “I got the shock of my life.” He explains how, when he was called to a meeting with the Bishop of Tonga during Holy Week, he thought he was in for a lecture for having broken protocol. Instead, Bishop Finau informed him of his appointment remarking “Denis I don’t know what it is but this sort of thing only happens to idiots like you and me.” “It was a great schooling to be Bishop of Rarotonga for those first six years,” he recalls. The quiet surroundings and relatively small Catholic population in the Pacific at that time provided an ideal environment for the newly ordained Bishop Denis to learn what he describes as “the tricks of the trade.” In 1983 he was transferred to the Auckland Diocese where the full realisation of the size of his new task hit home. At the time, the diocese was going through what he describes as “a revolution” as immigration, especially from Asia and the Pacific, increased cultural diversity within parishes and the diocese as a whole. “I was very fortunate that when I got to New Zealand in the 1980s, the big immigration intake was of Pacific Islanders. That helped me, because they felt as though they owned me even though they were trying to settle into life in New Zealand.”

Support essential for leader’s success With his new challenge and the changing social landscape came a heavy workload, and the bishop is quick to point out the support of figures like Brother Pat Lynch in the education sector as being instrumental to the successes he has overseen. Learning to share responsibility with those around him is something he describes as being essential to any leader’s success. “We wouldn’t have been able to do half the things we’ve done in this diocese without wise collaboration,” he says, “I’ve had wonderful support from people from the finance council, on

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our schools council, and on our pastoral council. In a way you share the burden with them and their faith really shines out as they commit themselves generously to the church.” “Our bishops today are probably a lot more pastoral,” he says. He again goes back to his first experiences as a bishop in the Cook Islands, describing how he was also the youngest priest while he was the bishop of that diocese. When new priests arrived from New Zealand and Australia the newly ordained bishop faced the challenge of building up a communal spirit within the presbyterium, the family of the priests, which was spread over an expansive and isolated diocese. “I decided I would spend one week on each island, and there were 15 of them,” he explains, “It was so successful as it gave me chance to meet the priests as well as the community. It was so successful I did it each year.” These ‘pastoral visits’ could not continue at the same length once he returned to New Zealand but he would take the time to spend on weekend every couple of years in each of his parishes to maintain the link between priests and bishop, diocese and parish. “It spells out to me what you should be as a bishop, you’re a pastor. Primarily you’re a teacher but you can’t teach unless you know your students. You learn as a teacher by walking the journey with the people.” This responsibility which the bishop undertakes

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ketekorero February - April 2015

profile is “a different ball game” now according to Bishop Denis who laughs as he describes about how Archbishop Liston used to inform his priests they were being transferred via mail. These days, he explains, the decision is a very careful collaboration between bishop, priest and diocese which attempts to make the best decision for everyone involved. That’s not to say problems and difficulties have not arisen during his many years in charge, they are an unavoidable companion to any leadership role. “The most important thing is faith in God,” he says, “It is God’s church and God’s community. Either you can get annoyed and brassed off about it or you can leave it in God’s hands.” It’s advice that when taken to heart is an extremely fulfilling way to view our parishes, our diocese, and the Church when so often there are things we wish we could change for our own personal comfort or interests. He makes it clear however it is an extremely difficult philosophy to follow as he wryly describes a recent incident which him quite “brassed off.” Avoiding these problems and conflicts he believes hinges on maintaining personal relationship with those around him to ensure there is always understanding even if an issue should arise. The importance of this relationship is one of the reasons Bishop Denis was so excited at the appointment of Bishop Steven Lowe telling me, “Bishop Steven knows many of the priests in our diocese through being in the seminary with them or through his role as the Formator at the seminary as the more recently ordained priests know him... all of them except one knew him well. I think that’s really important as a bishop...he is their peer in a way but he’s also their bishop. He’s such a gifted person i think there are really exciting times ahead for Hamilton Diocese” He is also pragmatic in describing the task which awaits his successor. “We’ve got all sorts of challenges of course. We’ve got the introduction of different ethnic groups into the parishes. One of the great challenges is that we’ve got to, while we welcome these people, we also make them aware they’re not just visitors. There are other challenges... we need more priests...we’ve got the amalgamation of parishes going on. These will be challenges for the people as well. But the faith of the community is strong.”

Upbeat future for Church in diocese On this note the conversation turns to the future of the Church within the Hamilton Diocese, a future which he believes we should feel upbeat about.

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He recently ordained Danny Fraser-Jones to the diaconate and was due to ordain more before the ordination of the new bishop. This means Godwilling Bishop Steven will have three new priests ordained within the first year of his ordination as bishop. There has also been a very positive number of men expressing interest in discerning a vocation which he attributes to the encouragement of priests. For positive milestones like this to continue for years to come Bishop Denis believes prayer for vocations must increase. “I often don’t think we pray enough for vocations to the priesthood or religious life,” he says, a tradition which has been lost through the encouragement of youth to pursue worldly success and disregard their spiritual needs. Connecting with youth is a constant battle for leadership within the Church with social and technological advances meaning trends are ephemeral and what appeals to them is constantly changing. “Young people need to have a haven through which they can grow in their faith and it comes about through good leadership,” he explains, “In this diocese we’ve always been blessed with a good youth ministry team and I’ve always tried to support them as much as possible. They’ve got the wavelength of young people, as we get older we can lose it a little. The role we have as pastors is to try and support people as much as possible.” While he may perhaps be understating his role in encouraging and supporting the faith in youth through his presence at events like SetFree, his comments once again underscore his ability to discern when decisions and tasks require the involvement of others, a real strength of his leadership. Finally the conversation turns to his legacy. How does he want to be remembered? What achievement does he take the most pride in? He is obviously uncomfortable blowing his own trumpet and takes a short period of time to consider his answer. “I’ve been thinking about that a lot (his legacy). What are you leaving after you’ve been bishop in Hamilton for 20 years...what are the things that I’m proud of and there are three of four things which have been milestones for me over the last 20 years.” Fittingly he names some of the initiatives, such as his roles in

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the foundation of Aquinas College and the Tyburn Monastery at Ngakuru and the growth of permanent diaconate within the diocese, which define his time as Bishop of Hamilton. He is careful to avoid taking full credit for these projects but his pride especially in the foundation of the Tyburn Monastery, a ‘“powerhouse of prayer” he had long desired for the diocese, is evident.

These communities will remain for decades to come as physical symbols of the immense time and effort Bishop Denis Browne has dedicated to his apostolic ministry. Each parish will also bear the spiritual legacy of a man who has for so long been allowed his time and energy to be devoted to the service of the Hamilton Diocese. As he looks forward to a life of quiet prayer, and perhaps the occasional round of golf, he can be sure of the continued support and prayers of the people of the diocese which he has served so faithfully and will continue to serve in retirement.

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ketekorero February - April 2015

parish news Whakatane parish Seniors’ Christmas Luncheon

it was with the Mass and singing of the hymns in both Maori and English. Fr. Mark reminded us of Bishop Pompallier saying the first Mass in Tauranga on 8 March 1840 just across the harbour in Otumoetai.

Mass at Matakana Island

Willing helpers assisted Brenda and Bernie Whelan to hold the luncheon for senior parishioners on in December. Much food was brought along, and there were items of music from the Whakatane Convent School children and kitchen helpers sang some carols too. The sunny weather lifted everyone’s spirits although of course, no one had to sit outside. A fantastic time was had by partygoers. By T. Kingi

Sunday 18th January dawned a beautiful day and 110 adults and 20 children from Tauranga, Te Puna, Mt. Maunganui and Katikati Parishes gathered at the Omokoroa Wharf for the 10.30am ferry to Matakana Island. It was low tide so we had a zig-zag trip over as the ferry had to follow the channels. There was the option of a bus trip or a short walk from the wharf to the iconic St. Joseph’s Church where we joined the Matakana Island parishioners for Mass. The Church was soon full, and the overflow from the gathering of 160 were seated outside under cover from the midday sun.

After Mass we walked or bussed further up the road to the Back Packers for a shared or picnic lunch before returning to the wharf to catch the 2.30pm ferry back to Omokoroa. It was a wonderful opportunity to get to know our neighbours in the parish so next time the trip is offered make sure you go. By Paul Hickey

Kaumatua Hauata Palmer welcomed us to the island before Mass, which was concelebrated by Fr Mark Field and Pa Hemi Hemi Hekiera who returned from Rotorua for the occasion. What

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ketekorero February - April 2015

youth Youth Regeneration event witnesses Christ SetFree is a weekend long event that seeks to provide young people, especially those young people who have limited involvement with the Catholic Church, with an opportunity to encounter Christ through prayer and sacrament, music and youth culture. SetFree began in 2010 and has been running annually since then. Last year over 300 young people gathered to celebrate our Catholic faith and encounter Christ. The planning team is proud to deliver excellent speakers, videos and music in a professional and engaging atmosphere. It is rewarding to see so many young people

making that important choice for God in their own lives. SetFree is an extraordinary event that bears great fruit for the life of the church; building parish youth groups and strengthening Catholic character in schools. Pope Francis has stressed, the church must be a “place of God’s mercy and love, where everyone can feel themselves welcomed”. In this light, we are excited to welcome all young people from Cape Reinga to Bluff, those who are Christian and non-Christian, from every diocese in Aotearoa to join us at the 2015 SetFree National Catholic Youth Festival between 10 and 12 April in Matamata, Waikato. The keynote speaker for SetFree 2015 is Jackie Angel. Jackie is a full-time traveling speaker, singer/songwriter, and worship leader from Orange County, CA. She has released two worship albums and has been involved in youth ministry since she graduated high school. Jackie now travels the globe speaking to young people about God’s love and leading worship for various events and ministries. She is friends with people who are passionate about God, food, coffee, saints, volleyball, spiritual books, quoting stupid things, the beach, accents, and bowling.

for the weekend. Please consider joining the SetFree Guardian Angels program. We need your financial help to fund those youth who are unable to pay the full registration cost and to cover the aforementioned event costs. Your gift will ensure this wonderful event continues in 2015 and beyond. If you choose to join the program you will receive the ‘Pray for Us’ Hamilton Diocese youth magnet and a comprehensive review of SetFree 2015. Please pray for SetFree and the youth of the Hamilton Diocese. Alex Bailey and Briege Koning

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In the spirit of Pope Francis’s message of inclusiveness, the Hamilton Catholic Diocese’s annual “SetFree” event is being thrown open to young people throughout New Zealand.

The graces received by participants and leaders at the event are freely given but the SetFree event is not free of costs. In order to provide a quality and effective event there are necessary costs. These include: volunteer leader accommodation, volunteer band accommodation, guest speaker flights, sound and lighting gear, advertising and promotional material, and bus transport. The registration fee each participant pays only covers their accommodation and food

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ketekorero February - April 2015

school news Principals take national roles

JPC honours Bishop Emeritus Denis Browne

Two principals from the Catholic Diocese of Hamilton have taken leadership roles in the New Zealand Catholic Primary Principals’ Association. Michael Mokai (above right), the new president of the association’s executive, is principal of St Columba’s in Hamilton. Danny Nicholls (above left) is an executive member and secretary of the association and Principal of St Patrick’s in Taupo. Before becoming president, Michael had two years as vice-president and Danny was previously the secretary for the Hamilton Catholic Principals’ Association as well as being secretary of the Taupo Principals Association. Mike says the Hamilton Diocese has had a strong tradition of having presidents of the national organisations. As well as the inaugural president, Jan Pratt, they have included John Coulam, Bill Ahern, and Greg Day, making four of the last six presidents. The role of the association plays an advocacy role for Catholic principals and schools at the national level, Michael says. The executive works closely alongside the Catholic Education Office and has a strong relationship with the New Zealand Principals’ Association and liaises with its counterpart organisation in Australia. One of the most controversial current themes the executive is discussing has been the government-led “Investing In Education success” policy encouraging schools to form Communities of Schools, which will set shared achievement goals. Although there was often discussion about the level of baptised students in schools, Michael says this varies from school to school and diocese to diocese.

Bishop Emeritus Denis Browne opening a new wing at John Paul College in Rotorua named in his honour. The opening took place the day before the ordination of Bishop Steve Lowe and the new bishop joined his predecessor at JPC, along with the Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand Archbishop martin Krebs. Pics courtesy of Margaret Stokes

Brothers remembered The school year started sadly for staff and pupils at Campion College in Gisborne following the death of student John Wakelin and his older brother Paul. John, 18, and Paul, 23, drowned at the city’s popular Makorori Beach. The funeral for John and Paul took place on 30 January in the College gym. The following has been supplied: It is at times like these that we begin to reflect on life and realise that it is truly a gift. The only sure thing is that it will not last forever. When we focus on that unpredictability brought home to us through our loss we hopefully grow in our love, appreciation, and understanding of others. Had we known that John and Paul were to be taken from this world in the last week, how would we have responded differently? Perhaps that is how we should respond on a daily basis to all those we come in contact with. Our Christian faith teaches us that death is not the end. It is a door that opens up to a new relationship with God. The difficulty is that it is a door that only opens one way, so we often live with the doubt and uncertainty of what is on the other side. Our Christian faith also teaches us that we will all be reunited with those we love, and we can use this to help give us the strength to overcome the grief that we experience from the separation. We pray for John and Paul and for their family at this time. May they find strength from the prayers and the support of loved ones. We mourn the separation that has occurred through death. We celebrate the lives that have been lived and we grow from the opportunity to strengthen our relationship with others and hopefully deepen our own faith understanding.

ketekorero February - April 2015

school news Senior Pupil Awards Sacred Heart Girls College

St John’s College

Huon Fraser (left) the Dux of Year 13 at St John’s College; and Proxime Accessit to the Dux, Francis Douie The senior award winners from Sacred Heart Girls College were: Tara Fernandez-Ritchie, Dux (top left); Emily Tyler, Proxime Accessit for runner-up to the Dux (above); and Rhegan Tu’akoi, winner of the Age Quod Agis Award (left).

John Paul College

Fintan Walsh, First Aggregate (Dux) at John Paul College.

Dux - Year 12 Samuel Jaques

Campion College

(L to R) Isabella Hampson Dux of the College for 2014 and Anna Summerfield Runner Up

Aquinas College

Dux Charlotte Skelton

Callum Fraser Dux - Year 11

Proxime Accessit Sam Boggiss

Touchstone Award Maynard Scott

(L to R) Angela Mathers – BOT Special Character Award and Nadia Stander General Excellence Award

(L to R) Elizabeth Baker and Darryl Wright – PTFA Service Award and Nicole Torrie – Sportswoman and Matthew Scott – Sportsman

Second Aggregate (Proxime Accessit) Stanley Holt Third Aggregate equal Timothy Bradley Third Aggregate equal Manjot Lall Third Aggregate equal in Year 12 Third Aggregate equal in Year 12 Andrew Fairweather Second Aggregate in Year 12 Cayley Nel First Aggregate in Year 12 Rebecca Colby Third Aggregate in Year 11 Shelby-Samantha Hager Second Aggregate in Year 11 Christian James First Aggregate in Year 11 Loren Skudder-Hill

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ketekorero February - April 2015

feature

Judy Hindrup set to smell the roses A

drive to help people has led Judy Hindrup to dedicate a large portion of her working life to leading the team at Atawhai Assisi Home and Hospital near Hamilton. Assisi is owned and operated by the Sisters of Mercy and is located in park-like grounds with mature trees and 500 rose bushes on Matangi Road. Judy retires from the position as chief executive officer of Assisi after an involvement with the facility dating back to 16 March 1992. Before starting at Assisi, Judy had spent 19 years working at Waikato District Health Board. She initially worked in Rotorua as a district nurse and then in Hamilton as supervisor for district nurses throughout the Waikato region. As a district nurse, Judy could see how she was able to influence the lives of individuals and she could also do this through moving into management. However, coming to manage a charity gave her the opportunity help others from another perspective. “I have always wanted, since I became a district nurse as a 24-year-old, to try to make things better. Through my work here and my ability to work nationally representing the sisters has given me an opportunity to have some influence on health services and services for older people.” Nationally, Judy spent 13 years on the council of New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services. She was on the council’s services for older people policy group throughout that time and the convener for the last year. Judy worked on the national council for the wider group until two years ago when she decided it was time to slow down. As part of her work with the council, Judy was also on standards committees, including representing the age care sector in the review of the health and disability sector standards. Judy officially marks 23 years with Assisi on 16 March and retires on 2 April. She describes her initial time after starting at Assisi as culture shock. Although her mother was brought up a Catholic, she did not have a lot of involvement in the church. So she learned more about the religion and how it functioned. At that time too, Assisi was owned by the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood Sisters, who opened the care facility in 1971 and the hospital in 1973. The Franciscan Sisters withdrew from New Zealand in 1993, and the Sisters of Mercy took over Assisi. When she was initially employed, Judy was asked how she would manage the Catholic mission with no sisters or a change of sisters. However, the Franciscan sisters sent Judy to the annual Australian Catholic Health Care Conference, where she learned a wider view of what mission was and how it could be integrated into the everyday lives of people.

With Judy Hindrup are, from left, Benjamin Joy registered nurse, who started with in January, 2013; Liz Vanstone, hospital nurse manager celebrates 26 years at Assisi in 2015; Mary Shaw, food services manager, who celebrates 40 years at Assisi this year. The first major challenge for Judy came not long after she started when the government changed the rules around subsidies for elderly care. Assisi was converting the former convent to have additional bedrooms provided for people with low needs. However, the new rules meant people in this group needed to be assessed before they were able to be admitted. “The rules changed in about three months of us starting to fill those beds and we couldn’t readily admit that group of people anymore.” As people had to be income and asset tested, the wing instead became open to those with more disabilities. At the same time as the government rules changed, the facility was transferred from Franciscan to Mercy control, which in turn led to a misunderstanding that the changes in funding were a result of the new ownership. Judy describes the experience for older people then and now of coming into care as having to open a “window of learning”. “The only time you might be ready for it is the time when you might be faced with it.” In the early days, many of the elderly who came in had struggled to bring up their families through the Great Depression. The people coming in the past 10 years were born in the 1920s and 1930s, and they have a different view as to what the depression was about. Early on, older folk tended to be reluctant to come into care, because they promised family to leave the house to children or give them money. So a lot of time was spent counselling them, often discussing how well the children were already doing. “So you tell them how they did a good job bringing up their children and how they don’t need the money – this is your time.” Employment aspects of managing the facility have also been changing. A government push for more unionised sites has been followed more recently by the government-led move for a less unionised workforce. The need to validate everything was a huge change in process in terms of human resources, health and safety and care management. “When I started, a person’s file was an A4 envelope which had just been transferred into manila folders. Now files are much fuller, with personal appraisals and other details.” Assisi had 42 beds when Judy started and during her time three new wings, have been built with 10, 11, and 16 rooms in 2001, 2004 and 2010. The first two wings were built with donations from the Lion Foundation and the Perry Foundation, and the recent 16-bed wing was built with a very generous donation from the Sisters of Mercy. Judy says she is now looking forward to catching up with her gardening and spending more time with her grandchildren.

ketekorero February - April 2015

feature Why Plenary Indulgences are very good things and how to obtain them By Fr Matt McAuslin

2. Reception of Holy Communion.

A number of people in recent weeks have asked me about indulgences. So I thought I would explain what they are and how to get one.

3. Prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father. The Prayer for the Pope’s intentions is left to the choice of the faithful, but at least an “Our Father” and a “Hail Mary” are the traditional norm.

In a nut shell the Church teaches that: An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints. An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin. The faithful can gain indulgences for themselves or apply them to the dead (Catechism no. 1471). So indulgences are very good things. The Church encourages us to make use of them. And, as noted, we can obtain them either for ourselves or for those in purgatory. It may surprise you to know, that we are actually able to obtain a plenary indulgence daily (but only one per day). How to obtain an indulgence So how does one obtain a plenary indulgence? The following are required: 1. Sacramental Confession. A single sacramental confession suffices for gaining several plenary indulgences but the mind of the Church is that confession within 20 days either before or afterwards suffices.

4. All attachment to sin, even to venial sin, is to be absent. Obviously one has to be in a State of Grace 5. One other pious activity. There is a list of them published by the Holy See in 1968. Here, in my opinion, are the easiest four. Note: One of the following (a or b or c or d) is required.

• 14 stations are required. Although it is customary for the icons to represent pictures or images, 14 simple crosses will suffice. • A movement from one station to the next is required. But if the stations are made publicly and it is not possible for everyone taking part to go from station to station, it suffices if at least the one conducting the exercise goes from station to station, the others remaining in their places. • Those who are “impeded” can gain the same indulgence if they spend at least one half an hour in pious reading and meditation on the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ.

a. Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament. A plenary indulgence is granted to those who visit the Most Blessed Sacrament for at least one half hour (together with the other prerequisites (constants) of a plenary indulgence. A partial indulgence is granted to those who visit and adore the Most Blessed Sacrament without the other constants or for any period less than one half hour.

Of note, Pope Paul VI decreed: A single sacramental confession suffices for gaining several plenary indulgences, but Communion must be received and prayers for the Supreme Pontiff’s intentions recited for the gaining of each plenary indulgence.

b. A Plenary Indulgence is granted, if the Rosary is recited in a Church or in a family group or pious association.

One simply says to God that what is being sought is a Plenary Indulgence for XYZ person or the Holy Soul of God’s choice. No Indulgence gets wasted.

c. Reading of Sacred Scripture. While a partial indulgence is granted to those who read from Sacred Scripture with the veneration which the divine word is due, a Plenary Indulgence is granted to those who read for at least one half an hour.

There are plenty more resources available to read about all about indulgences (partial and plenary). If this is confusing please feel free to contact me.

d. The Way of the Cross. • Must be done before Stations of the Cross legitimately erected.

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This article originally appeared in the Tokoroa Parish newsletter. For those of you with the internet you may like to read my sources: • http://www.holysoulscrusade.org/indulgences. html • http://www.catholic.com/tracts/myths-aboutindulgences • h t t p : / / w w w . e w t n . c o m / e x p e r t / a n s w e r s / indulgences_conditions.htm • http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/tribunals/ apost_penit/documents/rc_trib_appen_ pro_20000129_indulgence_en.html

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ketekorero February - April 2015

ADVERTORIAL

Strong values and powerful client aspiration are the key drivers of Crombie Lockwood’s culture and the reason New Zealanders trust them to protect their livelihoods. “Through a commitment to understand your business, we will earn your trust and through proactive advice and solutions, position you to financially survive any insurable event.” Crombie Lockwood has a network of 780 staff in 23 offices and has a long association with the Catholic Church in New Zealand. It’s evident the company’s vision isn’t just on paper but woven through Crombie Lockwood’s business practice; their risk assessment tool, Redline, is one proof of this. Redline is a conversation-based risk review. It provides a deep understanding of a client’s business which, in turn, informs the architects to build an insurance programme specific to each client’s requirements, with no gaps and no overlaps. Terry Mooney has been the insurance advisor of the Hamilton Diocese area for over 15 years and stands by the Redline assessment tool. “When assessing risks it’s fundamental that assumptions aren’t made. Redline ensures that every risk is accounted for,” says Mooney. Crombie Lockwood is also actively involved in the community. Hamilton and Tauranga brokers have a close bond with over 20 charities including organisations such as Waikato and Waipuna Hospices, Department of Conservation, Hamilton Gardens, Sunrise, the MS Society, Marine Beach and the Good Neighbour Trust. Crombie Lockwood’s recent acquisition by Arthur J Gallagher means they now have access to more insurance markets and innovative solutions than ever before, providing more evidence that their aspiration is well and truly at the forefront of everything they do. “We look forward to providing the benefits of these to the Diocese, our clients and new prospects alike,” says Mooney. For focused insurance advice, please contact Terry Mooney on (07) 579 7622 or your nearest Crombie Lockwood office on 0800 CROMBIE (0800 276 6243).