THE MON T HLY MAGAZINE FOR T HE CA T HOLI C S OF T HE DUNE D IN DIO C ESE HE ABLE T June 2011T T Issue No 165 Duo celebrate their jubilees By PAT VELTKAMP SMITH EMERITUS Bishop Len Boyle had a treat to beat ahead of celebrations for his golden jubilee, celebrating 50 years since his ordination to the priesthood on June 29, 1961. A classmate from seminary days, Fr Danny Johns, of Fiji, came south from his current posting in Hamilton to spend a weekend reminiscing with Bishop Len. They headed to Winton, where they had spent summers in the late 1950s and 1960, working in Memories of carefree students days are revived as Emeritus Bishop shearing sheds while living with the Boyle family Len Boyle and Fr Danny Johns, from Hamilton, look through a in the Top Pub. Danny Johns was a natural athlete scrapbook. PHOTO: PAT VELTKAMP SMITH and the Boyle boys were, too, so they would go to every athletic meeting and race, with points for the shield contested between On May 13, Bishop Len and Tuatapere, Browns, Winton and Cathedral parish priest Fr John Otautau. Harrison were honoured at a Danny Johns was a natural Mass and luncheon at Holy sportsman who became a Cross Centre, Mosgiel. It was professional runner and earned Fr Harrison’s 40th anniversary what he remembered as “many of ordination and the day pounds’’ each summer. He kept was notable for a “wonderful a scrapbook of the meets and atmosphere”, Bishop Len said. others have been fascinated to “We felt it was a celebration see the names, places and times of priesthood,” Bishop Len said, and realise much of the writing adding that it was uplifting for as that of Bishop Len’s brother, all present, which included not the late V. K. (Vince) Boyle. only diocesan priests but several Danny Johns played rugby, bishops from around New both union and league. For one, Zealand. he was “Danny Johns” and the Looking back, Bishop Len other “Johnny Dans”. said he had “no regrets at all” “Have they made a mistake with about responding to the call to your name there?’’ wondered priesthood and would happily someone. “have the same life again”. “Not exactly,’’ said Fr Johns, still A highlight of his time as Bishop the genial colourful character of Dunedin was ordaining young of half a century back. Players men as priests, he said. had to choose one code or the Cardinal Thomas Williams other but if you couldn’t decide preached the homily at the Emeritus Bishop Len Boyle and Fr John Harrison which, using two names was the jubilee Mass. after their jubilee Mass. PHOTO: NICHOLAS DILLON answer. ● Cardinal’s homily – page 5 The Tablet June 2011 Standing of diocese’s schools and colleges reflected in rolls By GILLIAN VINE SCHOOL rolls in the diocese are “trending very well”, diocesan director of Catholic education Tony Hanning says. At the start of term 1, the rolls of the four secondary colleges remained stable, with 852 students at Kavanagh College (853 in 2010), Verdon College 619 (583), St Kevin’s 415 (414) and St Peter’s 399 (409). “All the colleges and schools are well-staffed and well- resourced,” Mr Hanning said. Faith is an important component of Catholic schools’ There were 2553 children enrolled in Catholic primary special character. Here a group of pupils from Sacred Heart schools at the start of 2011 compared with 2510 at the School, in Dunedin, celebrate a Passover meal during an beginning of 2010. Easter study project. “We’re certainly holding our own,” Mr Hanning said. The figures were tallied before the Christchurch earthquake in February, “which caused some unexpected spikes” in Consent for school site upheld school rolls, he said. EXPANDING St Joseph’s Queenstown primary school by The roll at St Joseph’s School, in Oamaru, had risen more building on a second site on 2.6ha at Speargrass Flat, near than 20 per cent. In February 2010, it was 173. “This year it Arrowtown, has moved a step closer with the granting of was 208 and is still climbing,” Mr Hanning said. resource consent. “There’s a lot of confidence in the school; they’re very Last month, the Environment Court granted the consent, the proactive and the school’s Dominican Choir is a very good judge dismissing appeals by opponents of the development. outreach vehicle, helping make the school known and “We’re very pleased to have a decision that is favourable respected in the community,” he said. to the bishop,” diocesan director of Catholic education Tony St Mary’s Milton and St Joseph’s Balclutha were doing well, Hanning said. “All appeals were dismissed and the earlier as was St Joseph’s Invercargill, and there was “good growth at decision by the Queenstown Lakes District Council to grant Winton”. No school had seen any significant drop on 2010. consent was upheld.” “There is very satisfying growth that’s almost against the Work on a time frame to develop the site could now begin, demographic trends,” Mr Hanning said. he said. Lawrence Peeters Bishop’s diary Trusted Professional JUNE 12 – Confirmation and Visitation, St Joseph’s Cathedral Parish 19 – Oamaru Parish Confirmation Award winning agent. and Visitation 26 – Mosgiel Parish Confirmation 6 star service. and Visitation Your real estate professional. 29 – Priests’ Council Meeting JULY Call me today! 3 – Green Island Parish Confirmation and Visitation m: 021 992 993 6 – Congregational Leaders MREINZ Meeting a/h: 454 2585 9 – Kaikorai Parish Confirmation [email protected] Dunedin Phone 477 6838 Metro Realty Ltd Licensed REAA 2008 and Visitation 2 June 2011 The Tablet Padre ‘an inspiration’ during service in Timor AT the end of May, army chaplain Fr Tony Many a young Anzac from [Helicopter Harrison returned to his Queenstown Point of Departure], a third of his age, parish after six months in Timor with was humbled as Tony would draw level the New Zealand Army. During his and pass at the end of long runs. His time in Timor, he was presented with high 7s result on the beep test in boots the Timor Leste Solidarity Medal by and gas mask was no mean feat as well. President José Ramos-Horta. He always remained calm, too, when, at Writing about the tour of duty in The PT, it would be announced ‘males do 60 Bugle, a magazine produced for families push ups and females 40’, so 62-year- and service personnel associated old Tony would have more to do than a with overseas deployments, Major Ian 20-year-old on the same mission.” Lattimore acknowledged “the great Carol Voyce, DSO at Burnham, added support of two very key people of our her thanks for Fr Tony’s “wonderful contingent”. contributions” to the magazine during The first was Contingent Sergeant his time in Timor. Major “Putz” Patuwai and the second, In the same issue of The Bugle, Fr Tony “our padre, Fr Tony Harrison”. described religious and Anzac Day Fr Tony Harrison is presented with Major Lattimore wrote: “Tony was very observance in Timor. the Timor Leste Solidarity Medal by involved with the local community, On a normal Sunday, the churches were President José Ramos-Horta. which is deeply religious, and to whom not able to contain the congregations, Tony was a man of great status. He so people brought their own chairs and hours on foot to hear confessions at has been an inspiration to us all, not sat outside. one of his 20 chapels. only for his calm, professional and “Mass in the local language on Palm “It could be well argued that the commonsense approach, but also for Sunday began at 9am and finished two people don’t have the religious his personal and professional standards. and a half hours later [so] the usual education standard that we do in 10.30am Mass New Zealand but they know what had to wait until they believe and are unafraid to give 11.30am. The expression to it. During my time, I have churches were visited a number of villages and as soon o v e r f l o w i n g as people became aware that I was a for the 3pm priest, they would be almost lining up celebration on for a blessing,” Fr Tony wrote. Good Friday and Anzac Day was celebrated in the again for the defence compound in Timor’s capital, celebration of the Dili, with New Zealanders and Vigil of Easter. Australians working in Timor swelling “Further out the numbers at the Dawn Service. in the villages “The service concluded with the outside Dili it is reading of the words of Ataturk being much the same. read by the Superintendent of the One priest I Turkish Police contingent in Timor. A group from a Timor church with (in uniform) Fr Tony spoke with was Afterwards, a small group of us visited Harrison (left rear) and Major Ian Lattimore. travelling eight four of the memorial sites.” The deadline for the July issue of The Tablet is Friday, June 24. Contact the editor c/o 26 St Vincent de Paul Society Franklin St, Dunedin 9010; email [email protected]; or Wellington Area phone 021-705-708. 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