Diocese of Palmerston North – priestly appointments 2023
Fr Craig Butler, Local Administrator for the Diocese of Palmerston North, announced the following appointments and moves in January for 2023.
Category: Diocesan News
Archdiocese clergy appointments for 2023
Cardinal John Dew has announced the following clergy appointments for 2023 for the Archdiocese of Wellington, effective from 1 February 2023.
Sr Francesca Bourke – centenarian
On 19 December 2022 Sister Francesca Bourke rsj, of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart will be celebrating her 100th birthday in Whanganui. Family, Sisters and friends will be gathering with her to reminisce and be thankful for her long life.
Workshop about film on Pope’s vision for the environment
To mark World Day of the Poor on November 13, Dr Mary Eastham and Dr Mary Nash held a workshop at Palmerston North’s diocesan centre about The Letter – a new documentary, directed by Emmy-winner Nicholas Brown. The film premiered at the Vatican on 4 October and can be viewed online at theletterfilm.org
Catholic school principal to Palmerston North deputy mayor
Palmerston North’s new deputy mayor, Debi Marshall-Lobb, is a former Catholic school principal, including at Hato Pāora Catholic Māori Boys’ College and Masterton’s Chanel College.
Retreats on the rise
Christian Life Community Wellington offered Fr Michael Hansen sj’s five-week retreat in daily life ‘Inner Peace in Friendship with Jesus’ over August and September. A group of 30 people – including through Zoom – met every Sunday afternoon at the Home of Compassion, Island Bay. The retreat was a grace-filled experience for participants and givers.
Eucharistic Adoration
Before the start of Holy Week in April this year, on 8 April about 100 parishioners spent time in silent adoration during a 13-hour night vigil. Adoration was enhanced with rosaries, hymns, bible readings and prayers for divine mercy.
St Vincent de Paul feast day Mass
Members of the Society of St Vincent de Paul from Kapi Mana, Wellington and Hutt Wairarapa Areas gathered at Tawa parish’s Our Lady of Fatima Church, on Sunday 25 September, to celebrate their annual feast day.
Memorial Masses for the departed
Several parishes in our two dioceses celebrated their annual memorial Masses on or near 2 November – All Souls Day – to remember all those departed from their parishes during the past year. Here are some of their stories.
Care for creation
Every year during the Season of Creation, the Catholic Parish of Hastings responds to Pope Francis’ call to ‘Listen to the Cry of the Earth’. The Pope’s 2022 theme, ‘The Burning Bush (Ex 3:1-12), Listen to the Voice of Creation’, challenges how we see and understand the world: the creative voice of God speaking through all creation ‘the sweet song in praise of our Creator’; and destructive power of human activity as it negatively affects our environment.