iinformnform ISSUE 61 June 2005 Newsletter of the Catholic Bishop of Christchurch Farewell Welcome Pope John Paul 11 Pope Benedict XVI A man of faith A man of faith A man with a great love of God A man with a great love of God A man who knew Jesus A man who desires to be close to Jesus A man with great devotion to Mary A man with a true devotion to Mary A man of courage A man of humility A man of compassion A man of gentleness A man of insight A man who loves the truth A man of vision A man who is strong and resolute A man of conviction A man of learning and knowledge A man of strength A man of wide experience A man of peace A man who desires to reach out to all people Truly a man of God. Truly a man of God. Many are calling him ʻPope John Paul the Greatʼ May the Holy Spirit protect and guide him as our chief May he rest in Peace. shepherd. May the Holy Spirit shine through him for all to see. Amen. Feast of Corpus Christi A special centenary Mass of thanksgiving was celebrated in the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament on this day. The celebrant was Archbishop John Dew. Our Bishop John presided and Bishops Colin Campbell and Denis Browne were concelebrants. The photo shows them preparing to enter the Cathedral for the Mass. Bishops left to right are: Bishop John Cunneen, Archbishop John Dew and Bishops Denis Browne and Colin Campbell. Also in the photo are the administrator of the Cathedral and the Vicar General of the Diocese. 1 Interview with Bishop John His stroke and how it has too many hours and could have kept aff ected him. in better shape. “Some weeks before I had been at On the night of his stroke, Bishop a conference and I was able to say, John Cunneen lay asleep in ʻIʼm now 70 years old and have Christchurch Hospital, cradled in never had a day in hospital. But one the arms of God, unaware of the day I might make up for lost timeʼ. I gloomy prognosis of ward staff. didnʼt realise it was going to happen The Bishop had given himself up quite so quickly.” completely to the will of God and Bishop John cannot say enough to only later did he discover how close praise the hospital staff and to thank he had come to leaving this world family, friends and diocesan staff for the next. for their support during his illness “Iʼve since learnt that a couple of and convalescence. He had two young doctors at the hospital told weeks in Christchurch Hospital and the chaplain that night that they then 10 weeks at Princess Margaret didnʼt expect me to live through the Hospital. night.” He says his faith never wavered Bishop John, now 73, says he was the recent Centennial Mass at the during the diffi cult early days and aware that things were not right Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament clearly recalls his arrival at hospital when he had the stroke in July 2003 (May 29) that a search was under and receiving the sacrament of the and remained fully conscious of way to name a co-adjutor bishop for anointing of the sick from chaplain what was happening around him on the diocese, who would eventually Father Kevin OʼGrady. being taken to hospital and admitted take over as bishop. “I made an act there. At the fi ve-yearly his faith never of contrition, While he realised how incapacitated visit of New knowing that he was, he says he suffered no pain Zealandʼs bishops to the Lord would and was at peace with himself. He Rome in September wavered during the look after me. did not doubt that he would recover, last year, Bishop The chaplain but was philosophical that God John sought advice diffi cult early days brought me would look after him whether he on what could be done. communion every day – that was a lived or died. “I asked the late Pope (John Paul II) great comfort to me – and there was “I knew that things would work out for help and he said yes. Mass in the hospital on Saturday the way they were meant to. There “Iʼm not as effective and effi cient afternoons at 4 oʼclock.” was a sense of frustration, yes, but in my movements as I was. For Bishop John says he is looking Iʼm fortunate to have the sort of the good of the diocese and the forward to his golden jubilee as a temperament that enables me to say, importance of Episcopal leadership priest next year. ʻif this is what the Lord wants from in the diocese, I need help. The “I have been a bishop for 12 years me, then so be itʼ. assistant bishop will and a priest for 49 years. A bishop “Iʼm not a pessimist. I “they didn’t need to fi nd his feet as a retires at 75. I would have liked to woke up and Iʼm alive bishop, then I will step complete that, but itʼs not to be.” – praise the Lord.” expect me to down.” Paul Gorman Bishop John now The Bishop will not put a senses the time has live through date on that, but says as a come to move on to retired bishop he will still the next stage of life. want to be able to help He has made a good the night.” out in the diocese as he recovery and has learned to write can. left-handed, but still has to take a His stroke came out of the blue. handful of tablets each day, has had Bishop John had enjoyed generally to give up driving, and tires easily. good health, although he realises For those reasons, he announced at now he had perhaps been working 2 He established a presbytery and convent and built up a thriving parish community in the busy township. There this big, but gentle man, this humble and holy priest was held in the highest esteem by the whole community. After Twizel he served as the parish priest of Mairehau, Hokitika, Waimate, Ashburton and fi nally Greymouth The Reverend Father where he was at the same time parish priest of Cobden- Bill Grounds died peacefully Runanga and Grey Valley parishes. In all of these parishes in Christchurch Hospital on he was the loved pastor and wise mentor, a devoted priest Sunday April 16, 2005. His and a friend to so many. health had been gradually He served for many years on the Council of Priests and deteriorating over recent years as a Bishopʼs Consultor as well as being a member of the and took a decisive turn for the Clergy Car Committee. worst when he was on holiday His funeral was celebrated with a Vigil Mass in Greymouth with priest friends towards the and the Requiem Mass at the Cathedral in Christchurch on end of January this year. In April Wednesday April 20th. Since then a Monthʼs Mind Mass he underwent major surgery from has been celebrated at Ashburton and also at Papanui which he never really recovered. where he was baptised. Fr. Bill was ordained a priest of our At these Masses the attendance of his family and diocese of Christchurch on July 2nd 1961. He served as many friends, and so many people from near and far, assistant priest in Hokitika, Ashburton, Bryndwr, Rangiora parishioners and former parishioners from all over the and Mairehau parishes. diocese and from further afi eld was a much more eloquent In 1971 he was appointed the fi rst parish priest of the new tribute to this quiet, good man and holy priest, than any town of Twizel. This was a centre for a Hydro Electric words might be. Project entailing a vast network of canals, dams and power May he now rest peacefully in the fullness of Life with the stations in the MacKenzie Basin. Initially he lived in a small, Lord he so faithfully served. cold one room hut in the single menʼs camp, sharing with them the communal facilities. It was a Spartan existence. Tertiary Chaplaincy Team In early March Bishop John came to the chapel at Rochester and Rutherford Hall to commission the newly appointed Tertiary Chaplaincy Team. During the Mass he installed them and presented them with certifi cates of offi ce. He also gave to Vincent Chia, the coordinator, a simple wooden cross to be held in the chaplaincy centre, Kolbe House. He told them it was a symbol of the service they were undertaking, which was ʻto take up the cross and follow Jesusʼ as they endeavoured to bring the Good News to the Tertiary Institutes. Team members left to right are Keeren The team ministers to Lincoln and Canterbury University and the Christchurch Flanagan, Vincent Chia (coordinator) School of Education. Through the coordinator they are accountable to the Director and Sam Flores. They can be contacted of the Diocesan Youth Team. They are encouraged to work closely with the Tertiary at Kolbe House, 5 Rountree Street. Priest Chaplain, Fr. Mike Doyle. Phone 348-8882 or Email: [email protected] Young Catholic Adults This group of young professional men and women have decided to meet every week to do bible study, discuss the teachings of the Catholic Church and pray. In this photo there are six doctors, a lawyer/accountant and a dentist. Although they lead such busy lives they make the time to be together because of their desire to learn and to grow in faith.