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AUTUMN ISSUE 104 MARCH 2016 The Most Reverend Barry Phillip Jones DD 9th Bishop of Christchurch Born 29 August 1941 Ordained Priest 4 July 1966 Ordained Co-adjutor Bishop 4 October 2006 Bishop of Diocese 4 May 2007 Died 13 February 2016 RIP INFORM MARCH 2016 1 Autumn Issue 104. March 2016 NGA MIHI NUI FROM From the Diocesan Administrator THE EDITORIAL Greetings in Christ. It is with great sadness that I write this column. Bishop Barry Jones died on DESK Saturday 13 February and was buried on Friday 19 February, following a packed and Welcome to Inform Issue 104. As moving Requiem Mass. Bishop Barry received many tributes both from within the it arrives in your parish, we are all Church and from the wider community — a testament to his humble, gentle and recalling the paradox of the crowd strong leadership. We will miss him greatly. May he rest in peace. who welcomed Jesus to Jerusalem As you will know, I have been appointed Administrator of the Diocese while we on Palm Sunday, who then put Him await a new Bishop. The role of Administrator is an interim one which the Church to death on the ultimate instrument provides when a Bishop dies and there is no immediate successor. Obviously I am of torture on Good Friday. I trust you not a bishop but have the authority, working with a group of priests called the have had a holy Lent and are able to Consultors who are set up to advise the bishop of a diocese, to oversee the life of the enter fully into the intensity of Holy diocese in this waiting time. Much of the life of our diocese and our parishes will Week. continue as usual. Pray that God will guide Pope Francis and those involved in the As I write to you, I am keenly appointment of the new Bishop. aware that we have all experienced In this Lenten Season let us open our hearts to the Lord so that his love can purify much joy and sorrow in the last us — waking us up to a deeper awareness of his loving presence and the needs of three months. We celebrated the others. In this Year of Mercy, Jesus calls us to find him in our brothers and sisters, to ordinations of three new priests to forgive and to bring reconciliation. our diocese. We formally welcomed God bless those entering fully into the Church Fr Rick Loughnan Administrator, Catholic Diocese of Christchurch at Easter. We rejoiced as more of our parish churches were opened for the first time since the Canterbury earthquakes. At the same time, we recall the Bishop’s Office– Mike Stopforh sadness of those earthquakes and are still being reminded of them in Accessing support for those Woolston. Other churches are being recent tremors. We have seen our affected by the recent worked on to enable them to be opened neighbours in Fiji suffer the worst earthquakes again at a later time; St John the storm in the South Pacific. Most With the recent significant earthquakes Evangelist Leeston, St Joseph's Temuka especially, we have shared our grief in the Christchurch area, some people and St Mary's Hokitika. as news of Bishop Jones’ death may be feeling anxious, stressed or reached us. Half of this issue of upset. Catholic Social Services are happy Catholic Inform is given over to honouring to be a first port of call for people if you Marriage Bishop Barry. We have reprinted (or people you know) are being effected. Educators his obituary, first printed in the Catholic Social Services can be contacted conference Christchurch Press of 20 February. A by phoning 03-379 0012 or email Every two years a number of those who worked closely [email protected] conference is held for with him have offered their thoughts Marriage Educators. and recollections of him. Bishop Clergy changes for 2016 The next conference Meeking’s homily from Bishop Clergy changes usually happen at the is entitled "The Art of Barry’s Requiem is printed in full. end of January of each year. This year Marriage — Crafting We hear from the parishes, cover clergy changes will happen in July. Strong Marriages events in the diocese and enjoy the and Families for Life". Cardinal John youthful enthusiasm of our new Churches again open Dew will be the speaker on the opening school leaders. Not all secondary Just in time for Christmas, a number night, speaking about the Synod on the schools are covered in this issue due of our churches came back into service. Family. The conference is in Auckland to time constraints, so we will carry This included St Peter's Beckenham, St from 20-22 May. For information contact this feature over to Inform Issue Matthew's Bryndwr, Our Lady of the Therese Roughan, [email protected] 105. Coverage of the three priestly Assumption Hoon Hay and St Anne's or phone 03 351 8002. ordinations had to wait for this issue as did our feature on the Little Company of Mary: we still have a taste of the Year for Consecrated Life. Prayer for a new Bishop Thanks to all contributors to For the Appointment of a new Bishop; Inform 104 and to you for reading it! Please pass it on. That the Holy Spirit would guide Pope Francis In Christ, and all those involved in the appointment of Ken Joblin (Editor) a new Bishop for the Diocese of Christchurch. Zachary Ashley (Assistant Editor) Lord hear us. Deadline for next issue: Friday 27 May 2016 2 INFORM MARCH 2016 Bishop’s Office Cyclone Winston devastation in Fiji: –worse than we could ever have imagined There Is Room at the Inn In Fiji, Cyclone Winston reached wind Christmas Eve saw Parishioners of St speeds of 325km/hour overnight on Cathosorts Matthew's Bryndwr in the Holy Trinity Saturday, 20 February. The damage is St Joseph's Papanui Passionist Parish, welcomed into their newly extreme and includes flooding, major Family Group is known as restored church. A working bee was held loss of crops, destroyed buildings, Cathosorts. In October 2015, they one week prior to Christmas and the loss of electricity and water and decided to cook a meal for the church was looking great. Parishioners telecommunications connectivity. Entire families at Ronald McDonald House are very pleased to have a church in villages have also been destroyed. here in Christchurch. which to worship. Their very nice parish Speaking from the town of Ba (in "We had a busy evening cooking hall is now returned to its proper use. the north-western area of Viti Levu for the families in the house and island), Iosefa Nainima, Director of the plating up 17 meals for families Bishop’s Office – Mike Stopforh Justice and Development Commission, who were unable to be at the house Archdiocese of Suva said “the at dinnertime. We made a sausage devastation is far worse than we could pasta dish and sticky date pudding have imagined, food supplies, water, with toffee sauce and ice cream for shelter (tarpaulins and tents) are likely dessert. We held a children's music to be the greatest needs. Also tools and group while dinner was being seeds for people to meet their medium/ prepared for the many children long term food requirements." in the house. Our own children The storm is the strongest ever to have coped admirably with the chopping, appeared in the Southern Hemisphere, dicing, grating and mixing to help and there are nearly 50,000 people out." taking shelter in 800 evacuation centres Catholic shop will soon be at 373 Manchester "Not only do my family know on at present. The Fijian Government has St (St Mary’s) in the new centre. Same phone a personal level how wonderful it is declared a 30 day nation-wide state of 3662853 etc. We have good stocks of First to have a meal cooked for you when emergency. Communion goods, Candles, Missals etc. you are in the house with a sick In Tonga there was also widespread child in the hospital down the road, destruction and more than 2,500 people but doing this for others was a true Website messages evacuated from their homes. blessing for our children — service The diocesan website: www.chch. Caritas is accepting donations to the to others is a gift I wanted to give catholic.org.nz advertises events Fiji Fund for their response to this major them. We received a lovely thank happening within the diocese. As a emergency and the long-term recovery. you card from the families in the parish, school, or church group you are You can donate online at www.caritas. house. It is the first time our group welcome to advertise events. You can org.nz or call Caritas on 0800 22 10 22. has done this but it is unanimous list your event from the link on the home Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is the that we will be going back again page under ‘events’. New Zealand Catholic Bishops agency this year." for justice, peace and development. INFORM MARCH 2016 3 Around the Parishes Kerala on the Coast On a sunny January evening, Greymouth's contingent provided the music. Indian Community from Kerala held their The singing was quite heavenly. Fr Francis New Year celebrations. Jolly from St Mary's Hokitika celebrated the The Mass at St Patrick's Church in Mass in the Malayalam language. All then Greymouth was attended by some thirty enjoyed a South Indian meal and partook community members joined by five others of games.