It is 26 years since Pā Wiremu Te Awhitu died on the 29th July 1994. Some would argue he is an Aotearoa saint waiting to be recognised. Every year people from the Hamilton Diocese and beyond gather at his birthplace Okahukura, north of Taumarunui to celebrate his life. His family have a marae there dedicated Read more
Father Maurice Carmody met the funeral directors — at the required social distance – by the roadside outside his home, which is close to the parish church, to conduct a simple funeral rite. Standing near the open rear door of the hearse, he said the prayers of final commendation while the family watched and prayed Read more
Marguerite Osborne has been farewelled as she retires. Marguerite Osborne has been Chairperson to the Wellington Archdiocesan Māori Catholic pastoral advisory group named Te Kahu o te Rangi. She is the first person on the left in the photograph above. She accepted this role around 2010 at the invitation of then new Vicar for Māori, Read more
The Justice and Peace Commission of Catholic Diocese of Auckland is asking the government to intervene in the Ihumātau land dispute. They have asked the government to purchase the disputed land. Deacon Chris Sullivan, the Ihumātao Response Team leader says the Government needs to take the land back first. “Because it was the Government back in Read more
The special hui at Whangarei Hato Werahiko Kawerio parish on June 8.was pivotal as part of a consultation process to establish and formalise the structure of a Katorika Māori Commission. It was the first-ever in Auckland diocese that encompasses Tamaki ki Te Taitokerau and potentially Hauraki. Continue reading in NZ Catholic
Father (Tim) Anton Timmerman died last weekend in Auckland just four months after celebrating his 100th birthday. He was a priest for 73 years and served in Rotorua for over 60 years. He retired in 2008. Originally from the Netherlands, Timmerman studied to be a priest there, being ordained in 1945. In 1949 he came Read more
Kīngi Tuheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero VII met with Holiness Pope Francis at the Vatican on Saturday. At the meeting, the Kīngi formally invited the Pope to New Zealand to visit him at Turangawaewae Marae. It was Kīngi Tuheitia’s first visit to Rome and his first such Papal engagement, usually reserved for heads of state. They Read more
Judge Damian Hohepa Stone was sworn in as a Māori Land Court judge in the presence of 300 family, friends and colleagues last Friday. His former school Hato Pāora College hosted the event. Stone says he hopes events like this will help inspire the current students. “I am now part of a judicial group who have Read more
Recently Te Wānanga o Raukawa opened a building called Te Ara a Tāwhaki. In this building is a central Lecture Theatre called ‘Te Kete Uruuru Rangi.’ It is surrounded by carvings. As part of those carvings, there are sets of ‘pou’ (carved wall features or poles) which express the ancestral links each hapū has. One Read more
Members of the Central Council (Te Kaunihera Matua) of the Māori Catholic Easter Meeting (called the Hui Aranga) met in Taranaki on Friday 12th October. After the meeting, the rangatahi section took a walk around part of Mt Taranaki. Part of the purpose of the Easter Hui Aranga is to engage young Māori in embracing who Read more