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The new papal nuncio to New Zealand and the Pacific has formally presented his credentials to Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro.
Archbishop Gábor Pintér succeeds former papal nuncio Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa who returned to Rome in March after suffering a stroke last October.
Our new Vatican ambassador, who comes from Hungary, has most recently undertaken diplomatic missions as Nuncio in Belarus and in Honduras.
One of a Nuncio’s key tasks is overseeing recommendations about potential bishops as incumbents approach the mandatory retirement age of 75 or when dioceses become vacant.
At present all six of New Zealand’s dioceses have bishops, with no vacancies expected in the next 12 years or more. Across the Pacific’s 17 dioceses most bishops are also much younger than 75.
Pintér says this means he will have more time to visit Catholic communities across the far-flung region and share Pope Francis’ vision with them.
“It is important for nuncios to make pastoral visits, to be among the people and to transmit the message of the Pope,” he notes.
“It’s a great honour for me to be a representative of the Holy Father and to go in many countries of the world and to be some kind of bridge between the Pope and the local church.
“We cannot know the future, but I think much of my time will be dedicated to those pastoral visits, to talk to bishops, priests, religious and laity, to make connections and to have the chance to assure the presence and the closeness of the Pope among these peoples.”
He is looking forward to the challenges of getting to know and understand the wide Catholic territory where he will be working.
“I know also that there are a lot of differences between New Zealand and the islands, and within the Pacific Islands there are a lot of differences. So I have to learn, and to learn, I of course have to listen to people. That’s my first very important task.”
Pintér will also participate in civic affairs with governments, with other ambassadors and with the diplomatic corps.
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