The Newsletter of the Catholic Bishop of Christchurch WINTER ISSUE 101 : JULY 2015 New Parish Hoping to Preserve Our Celebrating Complex Breaks Category 1 Cathedral the Year for Ground Pages 10-11 Consecrated Life Page 3 Pages 12-13 The Privilege of Taking Communion to the Sick Page 16 INFORM JULY 2015 1 FROM THE BISHOP E hoa ma, dear friends in Christ. will reveal an I was overjoyed to discover recently accurate view that there is a chance that the nave of the state of of our glorious but wrecked Cathedral the nave and of the Blessed Sacrament might be whether it is salvageable. A huge amount of work feasible to save has been put in with regard to the it. If it is able Cathedral by the Cathedral Management to be saved, it Board. Lance Ryan is the Chair, and its would be used Karen Meehan and Sarah Prendergast job share members are Fr Chris Friel, Kathryn once again for the secretary role at Mid Canterbury Parish. Dalziel, Tony Sewell and Simon Pascoe. the worship of Eighteen scenarios for the future of God after being sealed at both front and Beyond Job Descriptions, the Cathedral were developed in great back. Office Doors and Working detail and scored, according to a number Hours of standards. Recent photographs show the interior of the nave to be still Working as a Parish Secretary in beautiful but only some deconstruction, Ashburton, my nearest colleague is 100 and entry for inspection purposes, kilometres away. So, when the diocese sent out an invitation to join other parish secretaries and finance personnel Winter Issue 101. JULY 2015 in a formation day, it went straight into NGA MIHI NUI FROM THE EDITORIAL DESK my diary! More than twenty attended this Welcome to Inform Issue 101. This a wonderful section focussing on formation day at Christ the King in issue covers the period from Holy consecrated life with some words Burnside. Following Mass, parish week, Eastertide and into Ordinary from the Carmel. priest Fr Rick Loughnan spoke on the Time. Along with all our usual It is great to see such vitality in parish secretary in the mission of the features, I am very pleased we have our diocese. In the words of our last Church. Immediately, I recalled my great geographic coverage of our editor, Gerard Duignan, “Thanks to all own job interview. My parish priest Diocese with contributions featuring contributors to Inform and to you for asked me why I was interested in the our Geymouth, Whataroa and reading it! Please pass it on.” position. I replied that I regarded the Timaru parishes. A central feature In Christ, role as a vocation as well as a job. This covers the decision of our bishop to Ken Joblin (Interim Editor) was an interesting topic of discussion. do everything possible to save the Zac Ashley (Interim Assistant Editor) Our work is willingly and consciously nave of our beautiful Cathedral of Deadline for next issue: Friday 28 a calling; extending well beyond the Blessed Sacrament. We have August 2015 our job description, office doors and working hours. Our work is not purely paperwork; it is also a calling of love Fond Farewell — love for God and love for neighbour. The Diocese wishes Rosalie Matthews The role of a parish secretary is diverse: every blessing as she takes up new each parish is unique, many secretaries employment with the Department of work in isolation and with a broad set Corrections. Rosalie is the voice we so of responsibilities and so the day was a often encounter when we ring Cathedral valuable opportunity to meet, put faces House, and the welcoming presence we to names, share commonalities and encounter when arriving there. Many empower each other with understanding thanks for all your good work over the and sharing, as well as reflection and last eight years. prayer. Karen Meehan — Parish Secretary Catholic Parish of Mid Canterbury (Ashburton-Methven-Rakaia-Tinwald) 2 INFORM JULY 2015 Bishop’s Pastoral Office A computer generated image of final Smartloving design of the building development at ‘Breakthrough’ St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral In May we were fortunate to attend the Smartloving ‘Breakthrough’ workshop given by Francine and Byron Pirola, directors of the Marriage Resource Centre in Australia. This workshop was hosted by the Christchurch Diocese Marriage Educators Committee. The Breakthrough workshop is a new resource developed by the Pirolas who see that it is increasingly hard New Complex Breaks Ground for married couples to commit to a If you have been to St Mary’s Pro- for hire to other choirs and music full weekend retreat. Breakthrough Cathedral recently, you may have groups to use. It will also be a music provides many of the same benefits of noticed some building activity close by. events centre for the City. “It marks a a traditional weekend programme but St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral Administrator huge step forward and is a vital boost is packaged in a half day format. It was is Fr Chris Friel. He said that “After in morale for all those involved in the very well received by around 20 couples. three years of development, our new ministry of music,” said Pro-Cathedral A series of short presentations alternated parish complex finally broke ground a Musical Director, Don Whelan. With with times for private reflection. We few weeks ago. It is another welcomed performances and events both locally looked at conflict resolution, forgiveness re-start for our diocese and city.” and internationally, the highly regarded and tools for improving communication. The new development includes offices CBS Choir and orchestra is an integral The content was practical, grounded in for use by the parish, an expanded part of the diocese. The new facility will Catholic theology and delivered with Catholic Shop, a state of the art choir be very welcome. With the anticipated humour and candour. We were both space, music and instrument storage move back to the Cathedral, the plan is amazed at how much quality material areas, rehearsal room, library storage that the building will be re-deployed in was covered in such a short time and and kitchen facilities. With new the future. It is hoped the new building delivered in a way that did not feel landscaping and improved off street car will be completed and opened in rushed or superficial. parking, the facility will be available December 2015. A further session was provided in the afternoon for those involved in raise money for Nepal because art is marriage education within the diocese. his favourite subject and “hopefully It explored the Spirituality of Marriage it will help them rebuild their houses and identified the unique characteristics and repair all the destruction”. of this sacrament as lived out in our “The students felt a special empathy daily lives. It was a day well spent for the people of Nepal because gaining insight and tools to refresh our they remember the Christchurch relationship. If you get the opportunity earthquakes and have felt rumbles to attend a Breakthrough workshop, we themselves in Fairlie,” said St Joseph’s would highly recommend it. Principal, Angela Marshall. Some For more, visit smartloving.org Small School, Big Heart people were concerned by news Rob and Tracey Haughey reports that money was not reaching Marriage Educators — St Francis of Assisi Parish, Mairehau. St Joseph’s Primary School in Fairlie people in Nepal, so I told the kids may be small in size, but the school to call Caritas and ask whether the Rob and Tracey Haughey of 45 students has shown they are money raised will go directly to the big of heart by raising $13,000 for people that need it.” Caritas’ ongoing emergency relief “New Zealand and Nepal have work in Nepal. Aiming to raise just close ties, and Ben Pawsey is part of $1,000 by auctioning their own a new generation that continues to artworks and works donated by local strengthen those bonds,” said Mark artists, the students’ expectations Mitchell, Humanitarian Programmes were far exceeded by what became a Coordinator for Caritas Aotearoa New community event. Held in early June, Zealand. Caritas has so far provided the charity art auction attracted more much needed shelter, water, food and than 100 people and donations were hygiene kits to more than 137,000 made by more than 70 artists and Nepalese people in the worst affected local businesses. areas of the country. In mid-June, Year 6 student Ben Pawsey came Caritas received funds from students up with the idea of an art auction to and teachers at St Joseph’s School. INFORM JULY 2015 3 Bishop’s Office Marriage Tribunal L to R, Ken Joblin, Fr Tony Harrison, fees to end Marianne Daly, and Mike Stopforth The New Zealand Catholic Bishops have decided the marriage tribunal will no longer charge fees for the marriage annulment process. Cardinal John Dew, Moderator of the Tribunal, announced the decision on behalf of the Bishops saying “The Tribunal process is an important pastoral ministry within the Church at a very difficult time in people’s lives seeking an annulment of their marriage. The Bishops wanted to ensure that cost was no longer a barrier to people seeking an annulment.” Those who are currently undertaking an annulment process have been informed by Tribunal staff of the change directly in relation to their particular circumstances. This decision was made at the April meeting of the Bishops Conference and Are You Licensed To Sing? time was needed to seek expert advice I don’t know about you, but my sacred our use of music meets copyright law on tax matters and to inform current music memory begins in the 1970’s and ensure we are showing care for our clients.