CathNews New Zealand

On Monday 12 March, Dr Anne Tuohy was formally welcomed to her new role as the inaugural Director of The Catholic Institute of Aotearoa New Zealand. Members of Dr Tuohy’s family, along with Bishop Peter Cullinane, representatives of the local Maori community, The Catholic Institute staff and board members, and Interim Principal Paul Ferris attended the whakatau held in the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.

Originally from Wellington, Dr Tuohy was appointed Director of The Catholic Institute in November of last year while she was a Senior Lecturer at the Australian Catholic University’s School of Theology in Strathfield.

At the whakatau Dr Tuohy said, “I feel very honoured and a little overwhelmed at the open hearted welcome I have received from the community and would like to thank all the people who have made this exciting job a reality. I am also deeply appreciative of the love and support of my family – and in light of the recent death of my father this ‘coming home’ is for me even more timely”.

Chairperson of The Catholic Institute Council, Patrick Waite, welcomed Dr Tuohy, and Bishop Cullinane thanked Paul Ferris for his work in establishing the foundations for the Institute. There was a commissioning and anointing ceremony for Dr Tuohy, and staff members lit candles in the colours of The Catholic Institute logo.

Dr Tuohy said she looked forward to “working together to help foster and nurture the work of the Institute – work that we pray brings the ‘living water’ referred to in the reading from John’s gospel to the Catholic community of Aotearoa New Zealand”.