Bishop Paul Martin, the Catholic Bishop of Christchurch, is proposing to create five new parishes in Christchurch by merging 12 existing parishes. The proposed changes were announced at Sunday masses throughout the Diocese via a video message on Pentecost Sunday. Parishioners have been asked to provide feedback by August 30. The five new parishes would Read more
The merger of the four parishes in Invercargill will take place about the first Sunday in Advent this year, according to St Mary’s parish priest Fr Chris O’Neill. In preparation for this, the number of Masses in the city will be reduced in mid-June. The most significant effect will be that at several of the Read more
The Catholic church is about to sell off a clutch of high-profile properties in Kapiti to fund a new church and school. Following the merger of its Paraparaumu and Waikanae parishes, the church has decided to sell both its existing churches and the current St Patricks School site in Paraparaumu. In their place, the church Read more
A special Mass to launch the unification of three Hastings Catholic parishes into one was held at St John’s College yesterday. The inaugural Mass for the combined parishes of Heretaunga Plains drew almost 1000 Catholics. The celebrant for the service was Bishop Charles Drennan, the second Catholic Bishop of Palmerston North. The move to unify Read more
Cardinal John Dew has signed off on the purchase of the 4.2 hectare Bunnings site in Paraparaumu for a new church and parish centre. The move is part of the plan to centralise parish facilities on the Kapiti coast. The parishes in Waikanae and Paraparaumu were merged just over a year ago to form the Read more
Some parents of Our Lady of Fatima School students were shocked to see a sign promoting a new school that would close their own because they believed consultation on the details of the decision was open until late July. The school, in Christchurch New Zealand, is to be closed along with another school, St Paul’s Read more
The Catholic parishes of Masterton, Carterton (including Greytown) and Featherston (including Martinborough) are merging into ”One Wairarapa Parish”. In an open letter to Catholics in Wairarapa, Father Julian Wagg says all parishes in New Zealand face unprecedented challenges because of a wide range of factors and the Archdiocese of Wellington. “As a result we are required to undergo the Read more
Plans are being made to merge three New Plymouth parishes; St Joseph’s in the central city, St Philomena’s Brooklands and Fitzroy’s Our Lady Help of Christians. About 200 people turned out last week to a series of presentations given by a steering group which has the task of explaining the move and organising consultation with Read more