Deacon Danny Karatea-Goddard will be taking on a new part-time role with the Secretariat
for the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference.
Deacon Karatea-Goddard will be supporting the secretariat and the bishops in their commitment to Catholic Māori.
“This is a highly significant appointment which deepens the bicultural partnership of the Church in Aotearoa and further recognises the considered advice of Te Rūnanga o te Hahi Katorika ki Aotearoa on the great need to strengthen the place and space of Māori in the Catholic Church”, said Bishop Patrick Dunn, the NZCBC president.
Speaking of his appointment, Palmerston North-based Deacon Karatea-Goddard noted
the Wellington connections of himself and his wife, Maru.
“It has always been our intention to come home to Wellington, to seek work which
would enable Maru and me to serve and minister to the community that nurtured us
during our formative years. I feel privileged that the opportunity to do this has come in
the form of a role which continues my work with te Hahi Katorika.”
Bishop Dunn said that the bishops are grateful that “Deacon Karatea-Goddard will
be supporting us in the kaupapa of growing our faith among Māori”.
“The role that he will take up with the bishops on a part-time basis will also help us with some of the detailed work needed in areas of translations and communications,” Bishop Dunn said.
“Deacon Danny also has considerable pastoral experience and we look forward to the
contribution he will make.”
Bishop Dunn noted that Deacon Karatea-Goddard has been working in the Palmerston
North diocese as vicar to Māori.
“ . . . [W]hile his role with the bishops’ conference secretariat is part-time, he will also
have direct pastoral responsibilities in the archdiocese of Wellington as Tūranga Māori”,
Bishop Patrick said.
NZCBC secretary Bishop Charles Drennan said “Deacon Danny together with his wife
Maru and whānau have been a tremendous blessing to the diocese of Palmerston North, particularly since Danny’s ordination to the diaconate.”
The bishop added that “Danny’s gift of articulating Catholic Māori thinking and illuminating
faith at work among Māori will be of invaluable help in our formation as bishops and our ability to shepherd tangata whenua”.
Deacon Karatea-Goddard and his wife have served together on Te Rūnanga o te Hahi
Katorika ki Aotearoa.
The deacon has made a strong contribution to the Māori translation team for the National Liturgy Office for the further development of liturgical texts in Te Reo. Prior to working for the Church, Deacon Karatea-Goddard, a qualified teacher, held several significant roles in education and Māori development.
Deacon Karatea-Goddard will be officially welcomed to Wellington archdiocese on February 27 at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, with people gathering outside at 12.30pm for a powhiri at 1pm.
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