Diocesan priests hold Assembly this week

Friday, September 20th, 2013

This week diocesan priests from throughout New Zealand have been attending the National Assembly for Diocesan Priests at the Sudima Hotel in Rotorua from Monday through to Friday. Close to 200 priests have been attending the Assembly.

This is the 3rd Assembly to be held since the first took place in 2003. The last two took place in Blenheim, but the organising committee, chaired by Msgr Paul Farmer of Auckland, with one priest from each of New Zealand’s dioceses, decided it would be good to have a North Island venue this time.

Farmer said the Assembly is an initiative of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, giving diocesan priests an opportunity to take a break, be together and renew and make friendships and enjoy some rest and recreation.

“The bishops, in initiating these assemblies, see them as showing support for their priests and recognising the contributions they make,” Farmer said.

“It also allows priests who may be new to New Zealand to meet their confreres from other parts of the country.”

CathNews previously reported erroneously, that The Archbishop of Manila Cardinal Tagale was a speaker at the Assembly. Cardinal Tagale however unable to attend. CathNews regrets this error.

ASource