In his first newsletter as Archbishop of Wellington, Martin highlighted the significance of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This is the driving force behind building a strong Christian community and spreading the Good News, he said.

"If I am not in love with Jesus Christ, I won't be motivated to build the Christian community or be a proclaimer of the Good News to others.

"If I am to fall in love, then I need to know Jesus and share in his life and allow the Holy Spirit to set me on fire," maintains Martin.

To foster this love, he emphasised the need to develop a profound understanding of Jesus' life and to allow the Holy Spirit to ignite one's spiritual journey.

Recognising that this process can be challenging and even unsettling, Martin encouraged the faithful in the Archdiocese to step out of their comfort zones in pursuit of a deeper connection with Jesus.

"I urge us all to become proficient in prayer and dedicate daily time to communicate with God, not limiting it to an hour on Sundays alone," the Archbishop remarked.

He emphasised the importance of nourishing one's spiritual life through regular participation in the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist and the gift of Reconciliation.

Additionally, he is encouraging people to engage with spiritual literature, articles and podcasts to enrich their souls and minds He particularly stressed the significance of this mission for those in leadership roles within the Church,

He went so far as to say by reflecting spiritually in these ways will motivate leaders to contribute to building a vibrant community and become effective evangelisers.

"I hope that, as leaders within the Church, we can strive to facilitate growth in our faith and deepen our relationship with God," the Archbishop said.

He called for a collective effort to support one another in this journey of faith, highlighting the responsibility of those in authority to promote the teachings and beliefs of the Church.

As the archdiocese moves forward, the archbishop called members to action.

Expressing his awareness of the often-unseen efforts of numerous individuals working within the Church community, the archbishop invited everyone to take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate these valuable contributions.

He described them as living witnesses to faith, exemplifying true belief through their actions.

Faithfulness to the Church's teachings, he stressed, is essential for Catholic institutions to uphold their name and for individuals to genuinely give witness to their faith through ministry, leadership and active participation.

"It isn't my personal opinion that actually decides things, it is what the Church believes and teaches, and this is actually a protection for us.

"In our highly individualistic society, the Church does hold universal truths that are not dependent on the whims of the age. It can be a challenge for us to live and proclaim this, but that doesn't stop the truth of it.

"In this light, each of us, especially those who are in positions of authority or have a responsibility for an area of Church life, have to keep asking ourselves are we teaching and living what the Church believes?

"A Catholic institution, if it is going to bear that name, needs to be faithful to what that means."

On Saturday, at 11 am, Archbishop Martin will be installed as the eighth Catholic archbishop of Wellington at St Teresa's Pro-Cathedral, Karori.

Source

• Supplied: Archdiocese of Wellington

This was the question 350 Catholics from the Wellington Archdiocese explored last weekend at Synod '17.

The weekend - a culmination of months of prayer, planning, discussion, submissions, inspiration and hard work - was an inclusive and culturally diverse event.

Prayers and readings were offered by representatives in the Maori, Tongan, Tamil, Samoan and Tagalog languages; the music was described as "superb"; and young people (many pictured above) featured strongly in leading prayers, contributing to discussions and adding to the vibrant and hopeful mood.

Beginning with Vespers at Wellington's Sacred Heart Cathedral - which opened with Cardinal John reading an encouraging message from Cardinal Pietro Parolin on behalf of Pope Francis - a weekend of goodwill, fellowship, discussion and discernment followed.

Throughout Saturday and Sunday, participants worked in a series of small groups to explore the 11 topics identified in the planning process:

• the peripheries of society
• developing a spirituality of service
• finding leaders
• using your assets wisely
• deepening your bicultural relationship
• as members of one Body of Christ
• your own peripheries
• caring for creation
• fellow Christians
• accompanying one another
• supporting marriage and families

After intensive work summarising and analysing the results, the organisers presented Cardinal John with 120 recommendations for him to consider.

One of the organisers pointed out that these recommendations resulting from Synod '17 will form the bones of a long term plan for the archdiocese.

When discussing the weekend, many participants commented on how enlightening and stimulating they found it.

"Fantastically well organised; hats off to the behind-scenes workers," a small group agreed.

"Hearing from young people was refreshing," several people said.

Young people themselves were positive about the opportunity to contribute. "It was a very insightful experience. I'm honoured and privileged to be part of it," a young woman said.

Her friend was just as positive: "It's inspiring and hopeful for the future of the Church".

"Wonderful and uplifting," added the oldest participant.

Cardinal John is delighted with Synod '17's success. "A wonderful weekend with great participation and an appreciation for the discernment process used."

Source

• Juliet Palmer
• Image: Juliet Palmer

In May and June, everyone in the Archdiocese was invited to participate in determining the Synod agenda.

The input from this participation phase has now been analysed.

As a result of the input, two new topics have been introduced - one on spirituality and one relating to the use of our assets.

Welcom has published a summary of responses to the Synod Click here to read them.

In a letter to parish priests and other parish bodies dated March 3, Cardinal Dew wrote about a consultation process with archdiocese departments last year.

This has resulted in renaming departments as vicariates, so as to better represent the archbishop in what he is seeking to do.

Cardinal Dew wrote that this means supporting him in his mission as archbishop and supporting "parishes and communities build our re-imagined church in the archdiocese".

The vicariates are:-

• Parish Leadership Ministry - led by Mary-Ann Greaney
• Family and Young Church Ministry - led by Dr Chris Duthie-Jung
• Education and Catholic Schools Education Services - led by Jenny Gordon
• Catholic Social Services - led by Lesley Hooper
• Finance - led by Angela Kelly-Smith.

Cardinal Dew added that there will also be the role of General Manager (and diocesan financial administrator), filled by Paul Bayliss.

The cardinal wrote that two new part-time positions have been created in his office - pastoral assistant (stewardship), who will be Lorraine McArthur, and a projects assistant who is yet to be appointed.

The latter position will lead and organise the process to have an archdiocesan synod in 2016/17, and will involve other duties assisting the cardinal.

Cardinal Dew noted that an overall change of this magnitude would be accompanied by some "sad outcomes".

"The Pastoral Services Department that has served us so well will cease to exist at the end of March, and Michael Noonan will be leaving at that time."

In the re-organisation, Cardinal Dew wrote, "we have set out to be more focussed and to have fewer organisational layers between the people working in the Catholic Centre".

The parish leadership ministry vicariate will be responsible for "helping parishes put in place the collaborative pastoral leadership model that is central to re-imagining the archdiocese and supporting the successful creation of our new parishes".

Mary-Ann Greaney is also responsible for the "Launch Out" programme which forms lay leaders for the future.

Sources

• Archbishop of Wellington
• Image: Anglican Taonga (New Zealand Herald)

Some parishes will merge to create a new parish. All parish churches will be retained.

The parish mergers will be implemented over a period of two years and will be completed no later that 1 February 2016.

Before making his decision Archbishop John worked with a focus group that he appointed two years ago.

With the focus group he drew up a series of proposals which from May through August 2013 were taken to parishes and pastoral areas for a broad-based consultation.

Hundreds of people have taken part in discussions and consultations relating to the document. Archbishop John says "the responses bear the results of deep reflection and fervent prayer, for which I am very grateful. It is very clear that the discussions were accompanied by a sense of excitement and with great energy and passion, which are wonderful gifts to bring to the life of the Church."

"This is not an easy time for the Archdiocese. We face unprecedented challenges. We could ignore them and refuse to change, but change is in the very nature of things. Not to change is to stagnate and die. What helps us, of course, is that we know God is with us," say Archbishop John.

Click here for PDF version of the Promulgating Booklet and Appendices

Source

• The Archdiocese of Wellington
• Wel-Com

Vatican authorities provided the New Zealand officials with the wrong arrival date and he arrived a day before he was expected.

Cardinal Rodriguez survived a not unusual "bumpy" arrival into Wellington, which is well known for its high winds, but there was no one to meet him at Wellington airport.

So he caught a taxi and asked the driver to take him to the Catholic cathedral. The taxi driver went to a Baptist church, and Cardinal Rodriguez had to advise him to use his GPS device to find the Catholic destination. continue reading

Source

• Michael Otto CNS
• Image: Mark Mitchell. Supplied by NZCBC

Mullin said earthquake premiums had more than doubled since the Canterbury quakes, despite insurers offering less cover.

Faced with rocketing insurance premiums, the archdiocese is proposing to scrap natural disaster cover for most of its churches.

Under the proposal, 43 churches and about 60 community halls between Levin and Westport would be financially unprotected if hit by an earthquake or tsunami.

Major buildings, including Sacred Heart Cathedral and St Mary of the Angels church in Wellington, would retain some quake cover, he said.

But other smaller churches, including the centres of many suburban parishes in the Hutt Valley and Wellington, would not be covered.

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• Image: tripadvisor.com
  

In a circular distributed on 7 December Archbishop Dew wrote:

"As you are aware, early last year I initiated a Focus Group to look at the future of the Archdiocese, and to help me discern what the future might look like in terms of what resources we have for the mission of the Archdiocese, how many parishes will we need to help us fulfill that mission."

We are now ready to take the next step. We have drawn up a set of proposals regarding the future of the Archdiocese. Early in the New Year, I will present these proposals to the three canonical bodies (Council of Priests, Board of Administration, Archdiocesan Pastoral Council).

"I will also arrange for meetings with clergy and lay pastoral leaders. I will then begin a series of meetings in regions and/or Pastoral Areas to present these proposals to all in the Archdiocese. Details of these proposals will be given in the documentation provided at each of these meetings. I look forward to sharing this "future full of hope" with you , and listening to your response."

Archbishop Dew says he is grateful for the work of the Focus Group. "They have been totally dedicated to the task at hand. We have met many times, engaged in a widespread consultation process, read a huge amount of information, studied and debated options for the future. Above all, we have prayed through this material, and listened for the voice of the Spirit calling us into "a future full of hope" (cf Jer 29:11)."

Source

• Archdiocese of Wellington
• Image: Open Calais

Since it started from discussion at the 1988 and 1998 diocesan synods, Cardinal Tom Williams says the programme and the lay pastoral leaders it forms have become indispensable.

The candidates must pass 18 papers for an NZQA-approved Diploma in Pastoral Leadership. This includes planning and carrying out each year a mentored, supervised and evaluated pastoral project. Once passed they are eligible for appointment to a parish or chaplaincy, complementing the ministry of parish priest or priest chaplain.

Source

• Welcom
• Launch Out

The Archdiocese is facing a price-tag of more than $3 million just to complete assessments and decide on remedial work for each of the 181 parish buildings in the area.

It has been assessing all parish buildings as part of Project Stronger, to identify which churches and schools are an earthquake risk.

The figures revealed by Archdiocesan General Manager, Paul Bayliss, in a recently completed Roadshow round the parishes show that after an initial assessment on 2011:

• 50% of parish buildings are considered to be of immediate concern and need assessment.
• A further 30% need assessment in the short-medium term.
• Only 20% of parish buildings have no or low risk factors.

The assessment of schools showed:

• 20% need assessment in the short-medium term.
• 80% need assessment as part of the normal maintenance/development programme for our schools
• CSBL manage this process on behalf of proprietors of the dioceses of Palmerston North and Wellington.
• There are many non-integrated buildings (Halls, Churches) used by schools regularly that are a parish responsibility.
• In the case of some Halls the parish may not even know they are responsible.

A follow up assessment shows that after assessments on 41 out of 181 parish and archdiocesan buildings

36 considered Earthquake-Prone (<34%NBS)

• 1 of these assigned for demolition
• 1 closed to ongoing use
• 3 buildings are now being remedied
• 31 being reviewed for appropriate action by the Project Working Group

2 considered Earthquake-Risks (34<67%NBS)

• Remedial action may be needed in short-medium term on both

3 considered buildings of continual use with no medium term remedial action needed (67%NBS+)

• 1 recently remedied
• 1 completing minor work based on assessment recommendations to bring to 100%NBS
• 1 built in mid-1980's

In a letter entitled "Keep Calm and Grow Stronger" issued on 29 March 2012 Archbishop Dew says "The parish buildings throughout the Archdiocese of Wellington have been created and cared for by generations of committed Catholics."

"It now falls to our generation to decide on the building legacy we will provide for those to come, who will seek to live in vibrant faith communities in this place."

Dew said the Archdiocese "will use technical advice from experts such as scientists, engineers and architects - but, as always, it is only the guidance of the Holy Spirit, through prayer and discussion, that can lead us to truly wise answers. I ask you, then, to pray for the Project Stronger Working Group, the Focus Group and the pastoral leadership throughout the Archdiocese as they help us all to understand these complex issues."

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• Archdiocese of Wellington
• Project Stronger
• Image: Sumner community

"There are some critics of the new translation," he says "let's prayerfully keep a perspective on the changes and an open mind that this is, as we have been saying for a long time, 'New words, deeper meaning, same Mass.' We will discover a 'deeper meaning' only when we give ourselves a fair go and approach these words prayerfully."

The full text of Archbishop Dew's Letter to Parish Priests, Lay Leaders and School Principals:

It is not only the new road rules which come into effect this Sunday, this is also the day when the Revised Roman Missal becomes the official text for all Masses celebrated in New Zealand.

There has been a great deal of ink spilled, emails written and words spoken, over the new English translation of the Mass, that is, the new edition of the Roman Missal, which will become the only approved text to be used in New Zealand as from this Sunday. There have been many discussions surrounding the new translations and the process that led to their approval. Depending on who you read — it's a beautiful translation that preserves the majesty of the original Latin; or it's not much of a change at all; or it's an overly literal translation that sounds awkward and clumsy.

It's probably unfair to judge until a few months have passed, and the priests and people have had the chance to hear and speak and pray with the changes. Over 12 months ago people were confused and upset over the change from "and also with you" to "and with your spirit." But people seem to have become used to that now, and are appreciating the biblical source of that phrase. Now some are concerned about the translation of the Our Father we will use at Mass - at all English Masses around the world.

As one priest wrote "This is still the Mass: We are still celebrating Christ who is in our midst... We must not let anything get in the way of that." We remember that we are coming together as one people to pray as Jesus taught us.

Many of the prayers are different, it will take us some time to become used to them, but the Church's prayer and Liturgy is never about our personal preference, but about what Christ is doing for us. As many priests will tell you, it takes a while to move from saying the prayers of the Mass to praying them. From feeling like you are performing to praying with the congregation. And at some point I know we will feel comfortable with the new English translation.

There are some critics of the new translation; let's prayerfully keep a perspective on the changes and an open mind that this is as we have been saying for a long time "New words, deeper meaning, same Mass." We will discover a "deeper meaning" only when we give ourselves a fair go and approach these words prayerfully.

One of the things I would encourage Clergy, Lay Pastoral Leaders, and teachers in our schools to do is to read and become familiar with the General Instruction on the Roman Missal (GIRM) which is at the beginning of the Missal. The GIRM gives the principles and guidelines for our liturgies, which when prayed with and reflected on, will enable us to lead people in prayerful and well celebrated Liturgies.

Source

• Archdiocese of Wellington
• Image: National Liturgy Office

A review document looking at resourcing across the archdiocese concluded funds ought to be channelled more towards supporting those already working with young people

"It would be very sad if a parish had to close; we are trying to avoid that at all costs." he said

The church had invested in training more laymen and women for leadership roles, but they were not able to perform many religious rites, which needed a priest.

Source:

www.stuff.co.nz