Proceeds from the sale of the site at 20 Ponsonby Rd will go to refurbishing the St Columba Centre and adjacent Holy Cross Seminary in nearby Vermont St, Ponsonby.

The upgrade will see Te Kupenga-Catholic Theological College move its Auckland campus from 20 Ponsonby Rd to the St Columba Centre, giving staff and students a modern space better integrated with the seminary.

Barring issues related to the Covid-19 pandemic, the move to Vermont St is expected to happen around Easter, which is in mid-April this year.

The Ponsonby Rd site had been owned 50-50 by the NZCBC and the Society of Mary. The Society has agreed to purchase the NZCBC share and plans to host some of its ministry agencies at the site, including Logos, a Marist youth development project.

Te Kupenga was formed in January, 2020 by merging the former Good Shepherd College with the former Catholic Institute, creating three subsidiaries, including Catholic Theological College. It had always been planned to eventually move Catholic Theological College to another site.

NZCBC secretary and Bishop of Auckland Stephen Lowe said the bishops were pleased the Ponsonby Rd site will continue to house entities devoted to the mission of the Church.

“The buildings in which we perform our ministry may change, but our passion for the mission of the Church and the Gospel of Christ is enduring,” said Bishop Lowe.

“The bishops are grateful and very appreciative of the work and patience of staff of Te Kupenga and Holy Cross Seminary for helping bring these changes into effect, and we acknowledge the significant disruption to staff and students caused by construction works and moving premises.”

Catholic Theological College Level 7 head and lecturer Fr Merv Duffy said: “It will be hard leaving 20 Ponsonby Road – we’ve taught from here for 21 years – but the Vermont Street site has more parking, which will benefit our students.”

Photo: The property at 20 Ponsonby Rd.

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Bishop Dunn said plans are tentative, but they hope that Bishop Lowe will move up to Auckland by the middle of February 2022.

Bishop Dunn will move to St John Vianney House in Vermont Street, “but will still be available to help during these days of transition”. Former Bishop of both Auckland and Hamilton, Bishop Denis Browne, currently resides there as well.

“I know you will join me in welcoming Bishop Steve as he takes up the rather daunting task of moving to Auckland at the start of next year,” he said in a letter addressed to the diocesan staff.

In the letter, Bishop Dunn revealed he had written Pope Francis in June last year, seeking retirement.

“Most of you will be aware that in recent years, especially from 2018 onwards, I have been facing significant eyesight issues. Despite the best efforts of my eye specialists, the situation has not improved. This led me in June 2020 to write to Pope Francis saying that I thought I was reaching the end of the road in my service as bishop and that our wonderful Diocese needed someone who could read easily and could drive to take my place,” he said. “The appointment of Bishop Steve is an answer to my prayers!”

In the letter, Bishop Dunn expressed his gratitude to the diocesan staff.

“I do thank you all for your support and friendship over the years, and especially for your patience in recent times as I have struggled with poor vision. I have told Bishop Steve that he will have the best staff in all the world to help him as he settles into his new role,” he said.

Bishop Dunn, who celebrated his 25^th episcopal anniversary on July 25, 2019, noted that it was around this time, too, when he was appointed bishop of Auckland.

When he was appointed auxiliary bishop at the age of 44, he said he was very hesitant but was told by then Auckland Bishop Browne that the only answer he (Bishop Dunn) could give was “yes”.

“My old friend, Brother Richard Dunleavy FMS, turned 89 this week. He mentioned that he loves the prayer of Dag Hammarskjold, the one-time Secretary-General of the United Nations: ‘Dear Lord, for all that has been; thank you. For all that is to come; yes!’,” Bishop Dunn said.

“I am trying to make that my prayer also at this time,” he said.

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The appointment was announced in Rome at midnight New Zealand time.

Bishop Lowe replaces Bishop Patrick Dunn, who has served since 1994 and is retiring.

The Diocese of Auckland has almost 40 per cent of New Zealand’s 471,000 Catholics.

“I am humbled at being asked by the Holy Father to be the Bishop of Auckland and the successor of Bishop Pat Dunn, a much loved Bishop,” says Bishop Lowe.

“Auckland is our largest Diocese and our first Diocese. When I look at the bishops who have served Auckland, starting with Bishop Pompallier, they all had the challenges of their time and circumstances. But they also had their own unique gifts and talents and the gifts and talents of the people of God. So I’m looking forward to becoming part of the Diocese of Auckland as we work together for the building of God’s kingdom.”

Bishop Lowe was ordained as Bishop of Hamilton in February 2015. Born in Hokitika, he was ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Christchurch in his home town at Hokitika in 1996.

He served as the assistant priest in the Mairehau, Ashburton and Greymouth parishes before being appointed parish priest of Timaru North and Chaplain of Roncalli College in 2000. From 2005-2007 he completed a Licence in Spiritual Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

He was appointed to Holy Cross Seminary in Auckland in 2008 where he served as Formation Director until the end of 2014. While based there, he served for a time as Parish Priest of Ponsonby.

Bishop Lowe is the Vice President and Secretary of the NZ Catholic Bishops Conference, and the bishops’ representative on Te Rūnanga o te Hāhi Katorika ō Aotearoa, the Church’s national Māori advisory group. He is also a member of several other bodies including the National Safeguarding and Professional Standards Committee.

Bishop Lowe’s appointment to Auckland means the dioceses of Hamilton, Palmerston North and Christchurch are without bishops pending Pope Francis announcing new appointments.

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The General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops recently extended the deadline of the first (local) phase of the two-year international synodal process from next April to next August 15.

Hamilton Bishop Stephen Lowe, secretary of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, said that the original timeframe was difficult for Southern Hemisphere countries because of the typical late-December to January holiday period, which sees many people away from their usual parishes.

“As well, travel and gathering restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic have resulted in challenges for diocesan face-to-face engagement and more reliance on digital engagement,” he said. “Those at the margins are even harder to reach, and it is challenging to even engage those already connected with the idea of being a synodal church.”

“The extended date should allow each diocese more time to prepare parishes for synodality, and to engage more widely. It’s hoped that the ‘traffic light’ changes to the Covid-19 restrictions will allow people to gather more readily, particularly in Auckland and Hamilton,” Bishop Lowe said.

Pope Francis officially launched the synodal process – themed “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission” – on October 10. The diocesan phase, now extended, began on October 17 in dioceses around the world. The Pope wants to hear what ordinary Catholics from around the world think of the future direction of the Church.

This “Synod on Synodality”  is the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in the Catholic Church.

After the diocesan phase of the process, the NZCBC will prepare a national synthesis for the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops. Syntheses from around the world will then serve as the basis for the first edition of the Instrumentum Laboris, which will be refined during a continental process, and a final version will be used at the Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in October, 2023.

Photo: Pope Francis leads a meeting with representatives of bishops’ conferences from around the world at the Vatican on October 9. The meeting came as the Vatican launched the process that will lead up to the assembly of the world Synod of Bishops in 2023. (CNS photo)

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The synod theme is: “For a synodal church: Communion, Participation, and Mission.” 

            Hamilton Bishop Stephen Lowe

During a homily at a Mass celebrated at his chapel because of Covid-19 restrictions, and live-streamed, Bishop Lowe said that discussion groups in parishes and elsewhere in Hamilton diocese will be able to submit their reflections to the diocesan office, from which a diocesan reflection on the questions in the synod preparatory document will be prepared. 

“Next year, around Easter, there will be a national gathering when we will reflect together as the Church in New Zealand, and this will all be fed into the process in Rome, where bishops and lay people from around the world will gather with Pope Francis,” Bishop Lowe said. 

He started his homily by recounting how a group of 40 people gathered in Hamilton diocese last year to discern together a strategic plan for the diocese for the next five years. 

“Out of that came our strategic plan. The three headings we had were together, on the journey, living no longer for ourselves but for Christ.” 

Now Pope Francis, in starting the synodal process which will culminate in the Synod of Bishops in Rome in 2023, “is asking for a Church that journeys together”. 

“It is always good when the Pope agrees with the Diocese of Hamilton!” Bishop Lowe joked. 

What Pope Francis is asking of the whole Church is that “we live in communion with each other, that we achieve a greater level of participation, where everybody has a part to play, and then together we open ourselves, the whole Church, up to mission”. 

“And he says to do this we have to be a Church that always remains open to the surprises that the Spirit will certainly prepare for us along the way.” 

God is always journeying to us and speaking to us, Bishop Lowe said. 

“Not that we are always journeying with him, or listening to him. Maybe it is a bit like the teenager when the parent is calling out to them and the teenager just doesn’t want to hear. Maybe we can be like that in our faith journey.” 

Reflecting on the Gospel of the day, in which Jesus said that those who want to be first must be a slave, Bishop Lowe said that one of the most important things a slave has to do is to listen, in order to find out what they have to do. This requires an attitude of humility, and a development of a discipline of listening to the Lord and being guided by him.  

“Jesus and his Spirit are always wanting to correct the Church, to guide the Church, just as he did for the disciples there, so he wants to do that today. That is what a synodal Church is all about. A synodal Church is one that listens to the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We do it in our own personal journey of faith, but we also need to do it together as the whole People of God.” 

Bishop Lowe cited the example of St Oscar Romero, who was transformed by listening to the suffering of his people in El Salvador, and his subsequent actions on their behalf led to his martyrdom. 

“To be a disciple of Christ means that we must be ready to lay down our life,” Bishop Lowe said. 

The bishop said he would be putting out a series of short videos addressing the material that the Church has distributed for the synod. 

“The Spirit calls us to participate,” Bishop Lowe said, “just not to be passively sitting on the pews on Sundays, and then going out to live our life as if nothing had changed. Because we are called to be people of mission.” 

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Hamilton Bishop Stephen Lowe

Hamilton Bishop Stephen Lowe has welcomed the synod material that was sent to dioceses from the Vatican, saying it is refreshingly short, readable and understandable. 

Bishop Lowe said that he, as NZCBC secretary, and Cardinal John Dew, as NZCBC president, have been in Zoom meetings with other Oceania bishops and with synod organisers in Rome ahead of the synod. This is the first time a consultation in this face-to-face fashion has taken place with regional bishops ahead of a synod process starting, and Bishop Lowe welcomed this.  

But the timing of the synod for this part of the world is not ideal, and synod organisers were told this, Bishop Lowe said, adding that the Australian bishops agreed with this too. 

“We go into summer, everything is winding down in December, nothing happens in January, and it takes until after Waitangi weekend for anything to start cranking up again,” he said. 

“We have made that point, and we have made that point for future synods. But what we did ask for was, when the documentation for it comes out, that it comes out early, so that we could have time, . . . .” 

Nonetheless, Bishop Lowe said the essence of synodality, which the synod will consider, is that “God calls every one of his people, individuals, to his love and life and service, and so he calls the Church, and so it about this discerning Church that is listening to the movement of the Holy Spirit”. 

Bishop Lowe told NZ Catholic that there is going to be a national online survey, as part of the local consultation process. “That is being worked out by all these representatives from different dioceses,” he said. “This is going to be the direction for the future.”  

Opening Masses for the synod process are scheduled to take place throughout New Zealand on October 17. Numbers attending in person will depend on the Covid-19 alert level restrictions in place in different regions. Auckland diocese is already inviting people to gather digitally at 7pm on Sunday, October 17, for a liturgy at which Bishop Patrick Dunn will formally open this phase of the synod in his diocese. 

Following this, the process of engaging with people, having discussions and feedback and collating responses, will start. A broad outline of the approach being adopted in some dioceses is that people will be formed to facilitate this process, then discussions and feedback will take place (with the aim that these involve as many people as possible), with diocesan summaries being prepared in December and January. Various prayer resources are also being made available. Pre-synodal diocesan meetings are envisaged for the end of January. 

Submissions from dioceses will then be sent to the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference in time for their meeting in February. According to the Christchurch diocese website, the New Zealand bishops’ “synthesis of the diocesan consultations will then form part of an Oceania document which will be submitted to the Vatican for the synod of bishops”. The Wellington archdiocese website adds that the six diocesan responses will be sent to the synod office in Rome. 

Each diocese is forming its own approach to the consultation process.  

In Auckland diocese, original frameworks concerning how the local phase of the synod journey would be implemented have had to be reconsidered, given the continuing lockdown restrictions facing most of the diocese, said pastoral services group leader Sr Sian Owen, RSJ. 

In October, eight zoom sessions are open to provide information and formation to those that will lead the process at local community level in Auckland diocese, Sr Sian said. Resources for sessions will be provided to communities through the diocesan website. 

“November and early December will be spent engaging as many people as possible in this important process,” Sr Sian said. “Every effort will be made to reach out to those at the periphery of the faith community.” 

“Through the diocesan website (www.aucklandcatholic.org.nz/synod/), groups and individuals will be able to respond to the synod. There will also be instructions concerning how non-digital responses might be made.” 

In Hamilton diocese, there will be various ways through which people can contribute, said diocesan media and events coordinator Brigid Conroy. People will be able to meet in groups physically and online to discuss and discern on key themes highlighted by the synod. They can also provide responses to a survey (online, email or postal), and can contribute to polls on social media. Prayer resources are also provided. 

In Dunedin diocese, Stephanie Swann is the diocesan contact person for the synod, and a synod organising committee has met several times. 

Dunedin Bishop Michael Dooley said that all parish Masses on October 17 will incorporate the official beginning of the synod process.  

“This will be followed up with opportunities through meetings, surveys and one-to-one interactions for people to participate over the next few months,” Bishop Dooley said.  

More information on the synod process in New Zealand dioceses will be available on diocese websites. The preparatory document for the synod is at www.synod.va/en/documents/english-version-of-the-preparatory-document.html 

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Though the Church opposes the deliberate taking of human life, it cannot turn away those who choose “assisted dying” under the new law, said Hamilton Bishop Stephen Lowe, the vice-president of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference.

“Life puts before us many questions and choices,” Bishop Lowe said. “As a Church we try to help people look at these questions and choices through a Christian lens. Individuals often find themselves in complex places. In these times the Church tries to offer guidance to people as best as she can, but people make their own choices.

“Often, as a Church, we find ourselves caring for people dealing with the consequences of such choices. Our pastoral practice is always called to be a reflection of our God, who does not abandon his people.”

The bishops have written a pastoral statement and a set of guidelines for chaplains, priests and other Catholic professionals who care for the dying. The Church’s Te Kupenga-Catholic Leadership Institute has been organising workshops on working with the law.

The Catholic Church in Aotearoa New Zealand opposed the End of Life Choice Act Referendum held at the 2020 general election. However the referendum was passed.

Bishop Lowe said “medically assisted dying” or euthanasia would not be offered in Catholic rest homes or hospices, just as many non-Catholic carers would not offer it.

“However, it will become available in a number of hospitals and other public care facilities throughout the country. These are the places of work or ministry for some of our Catholic community. We do not need to deny the objective wrong of euthanasia in order to accompany, with consolation and hope, those who might feel drawn or pushed towards this type of death,” said Bishop Lowe.

“The legal availability of euthanasia in New Zealand does not change Catholic convictions about the practice. At the same time, our faith tells us there is no place or situation, no matter how uncomfortable, where our faith cannot be expressed, or God’s grace encountered.”

The bishop’s document “Ministers of Consolation and Hope – Ngā Kaiārahi o te Aroha me te Tūmanako”, contains “principles and guidelines for those working with and ministering to people contemplating assisted dying”.

The pastoral statement is titled “Bearers of Consolation and Hope – Ngā Kaihāpai o te Aroha me te Tūmanako”.

The bishops said that, before writing the statement, they had surveyed Catholics, including priests, who work with, and minister to, the dying, sick and vulnerable.

“The responses we received were overwhelmingly characterised by a desire to show compassion in the face of complexity, combined with a profound respect for the Church’s teaching on euthanasia,” the pastoral statement explained.

“We do not need to deny the objective wrong of euthanasia in order to accompany, with consolation and hope, those who might feel drawn or pushed towards this type of death.”

In the documents, the bishops drew on several sources, including Scripture, the Church’s tradition of care for the sick and dying, and magisterial teaching, such as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s “Samaritanus Bonus”, which Pope Francis ordered to be published last year.

The bishops noted some of the truths spelled out in the CDF document that should be borne in mind. In many cases, the CDF document stated, the request for death is a symptom of the disease, aggravated by isolation and discomfort. Requests for death are not necessarily a true desire for euthanasia, but rather are almost always anguished pleas for help and love. Therefore, the Church’s expectation is that “spiritual accompaniment will be offered to those considering assisted dying who request it from a bearer or servant of consolation and hope”.

The bishops also noted the likelihood of diminished responsibility in those requesting this type of death, adding that hope is never extinguished, and even a firm intention of opting for an assisted death does not become an objective reality until the moment it is administered.

When spiritual accompaniment is requested from a priest, chaplain or pastoral worker, the “desire for a compassionate companion is already a sign of good intent”.

“In accepting their request in a spirit of mutual trust, we recognise and respect the person’s faith and their conscience. This entails a commitment to listen profoundly to them as their sacred journey towards death unfolds.”

Pastoral and spiritual accompaniment can be a “hikoi of hope”, which leaves open the way for an encounter with God.

Presenting the loving face of the Church as a mother “contributes to assuaging the terrible, desperate desire to end one’s life”, the bishops stated, again referencing the CDF document.

Therefore, the bishops stated, it is “proper that prayers are offered for and with those facing death and their family or whanau”.

“Similarly, it is proper that the Church’s sacraments – encounters with God – are provided to the person who requests them. In accordance with pastoral practice in other areas, the sacraments should only ever be declined in those very rare cases when someone seeks them in bad faith. All ministers are entitled to presume that a person asking for the sacraments does so in good faith.”

The bishops noted that accompanying someone who is expressing a desire for assisted dying does not imply moral agreement by the accompanier. Nor does it ask those doing the accompaniment to suspend belief in the Church’s expressed teaching on euthanasia. Rather, accompaniment ensures that no one is abandoned to desolation.

The bishops added that the Catholic ethical tradition makes clear distinctions between “moral distance”, “assent” and “physical proximity”. “Accompaniment does not necessarily mean endorsement.”

At the same time, cooperation in the act of facilitating or administering an assisted death must be excluded in all cases, the bishops stressed.

“The implementation of assisted dying for persons with a life-limiting illness will put many vulnerable people at risk. These include the elderly who may feel they have become a burden to family and society, and many others, some of whom will be young.”

The bishops acknowledged that family members of people requesting assisted death might have varying views, and they should be listened to and attended to with great sensitivity.

Speaking about individual conscience, the bishops stated that, “if an individual priest, chaplain, pastoral worker, healthcare professional or caregiver decides that there is a limit to their ability to accompany a person seeking assisted dying, such a decision should be fully respected”.

At the same time, they should ensure that “provision is made for the person to be accompanied by another.”

Regarding funerals, the bishops stated that parishes should “provide an integrated model of pastoral care, with priests ready to affirm God’s mercy by presiding at the funeral or tangi of those whose motivation for choosing assisted dying may well have come through an act which might be seen as one of anguish”.

The coming into force of the End of Life Choice Act provides Catholics with “an opportunity to renew our commitment to the dignity of every person in practical ways”, the bishops added.

These ways include advocating for equitably available effective palliative care; forming outward- looking parishes that reach out to the lonely, sick, elderly and disabled and their whānau; and supporting in prayer and other ways those who are engaged in caring for people at the end of life, including those contemplating assisted dying.

The pastoral statement can be viewed as a pdf file at: www.catholic.org.nz/assets/Uploads/Bearers-of-Consolation-and-Hope.pdf

The guidelines and principles can be viewed as a pdf file at: www.catholic.org.nz/assets/Uploads/Bearers-of-Consolation-and-Hope.pdf

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The bishops’ submission generally supports the aims of the bill as being in line with the Catholic Social Teaching principles of human dignity and common good, but the submission says parents and advisers to young people should not be restricted in giving advice for fear of breaking the law.

Hamilton Bishop Stephen Lowe and National Centre for Religious Studies resource developer and lecturer Lyn Smith spoke to the committee by Zoom on behalf of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference.

The Government bill would ban practices that seek to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. The Justice Committee received more than 100,000 submissions on the bill.

The bishops’ submission says: “The Catholic Church in Aotearoa New Zealand does not support, provide or participate in any kind of ‘conversion therapy’, by which we understand to be any programme that seeks by medical, psychological and/or spiritual means to ‘convert’ people from a homosexual or transgender orientation or identification towards a heterosexual one. Evidence shows that such programmes cause harm and suffering. Any harmful, coercive or abusive practice under any name is abhorrent to the Church and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

It adds: “We would not wish to see parents and advisers to young people restricted in giving advice consistent with both moral theology and Catholic Social Teaching out of fear of being seen to be breaking the law.”

Lyn Smith told the Justice committee that Catholic teaching was pastoral and promoted the dignity of the human person made in the image and likeness of God: “Children and young people seek out those in their lives they feel comfortable talking to when it comes to matters regarding sexuality. The Church’s pastoral approach to this area, especially under the guidance of Pope Francis and our bishops here in New Zealand, means that staff in Catholic education need to feel safe in continuing to provide this vital support to children and young people without the risk of or fear of prosecution.”

Bishop Lowe, who is also secretary and vice-president of the NZCBC, told the committee that “conversion therapy” did not respect a young person’s sacred journey from childhood to adulthood, and that was why the Catholic Church supported the legislation.

“At the same time, I would like to say… that I am concerned that there are many influences that our society is putting on our rangatahi which are sexualising them far too young and encouraging them to make big decisions before they have adequately come to adulthood,” said Bishop Lowe.

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The dioceses of Christchurch, Hamilton and Dunedin announced the resumption of Masses with a reminder to strictly adhere to Covid-19 health and safety protocols.

Wellington diocese, however, decided to continue the suspension of Sunday Masses, according to Cardinal John Dew’s pastoral letter released on September 21, 2021.

“Now that we know that we are going to be at Level 2 for the near future, I write to say that I have consulted with the Council of Priests, and we have agreed to stay with the current arrangement of NO MASSES in the meantime. I will update parishes again on 5 October,” he wrote.

“The reason for this is that the Delta variant of Covid-19 is very highly transmissible, and we have the responsibility to take care of each other and ensure that the virus is not passed on,” he said.

Cardinal Dew cited canon law 223 which states that the Church’s faithful must “take account of the common good of the Church”, and that “ecclesiastical authority is entitled to regulate, in view of the common good, the exercise of rights which are proper to Christ’s faithful”.

Cardinal Dew called for prayers, vigilance in keeping one another safe, patience and kindness.

“This is a time to be kind and merciful and to remember that public safety is more important than personal preference,” he said.

In Palmerston North, though, local administrator Fr Craig Butler said churches will be opened for public Masses beginning today based on conversations with Cardinal Dew, apostolic administrator, and the Council of Priests.

“The only real change announced yesterday is the increase of gatherings from 50 to 100 people, which means we need to be just as vigilant in terms of keeping our people and the wider community safe.  To be clear, everyone is obliged to follow the public health requirements, because public safety comes before personal rights and personal opinions,” Fr Butler said in a letter.

In Hamilton diocese, Bishop Stephen Lowe said Sunday Masses will resume, though not everyone may be accommodated as priests may celebrate two Masses a day only.

“The indoor gathering limit of 100 means we are not going to be able to accommodate everybody across the whole diocese. Some parishes will have extra Masses. However, given we don’t know how long we will remain at level 2, I have decided each priest may offer two Masses per day,” he said in a pastoral letter dated September 21, 2021.

He said the parishes will have the details about what Masses are being offered and how a booking system may apply.

“For those who are sick or uneasy about returning to Mass immediately, the dispensation from attending Sunday Mass continues,” he said.

He reminded everyone to adhere to the Covid-19 protocols when going to Mass.

“Please, do not give grief to those who ensure we do not exceed 100 people at each Mass,” he said.

“As we look forward to returning to Sunday Mass, let us pray for an end to the pandemic. Let us be grateful that New Zealand has not been impacted in the same way other countries have. Let us continue to work together to ensure the health and well-being of others. And, finally and most importantly, let us not lose sight of Christ our hope who cannot be locked down as he continues to redeem and re-create us.”

In the meantime, Dunedin Bishop Michael Dooley announced the resumption of Sunday Masses in the diocese on September 25.

“The celebration of Mass will be dependent on a restriction of 100 people and a venue in which people have adequate space,” he said, reminding the faithful that the dispensation for those uneasy about returning to Masses is continuing.

“The Covid pandemic has thrown up many challenges for us but, as people of faith, we remember the Christian message that we are God’s children and God is with us. With this hope, we can undertake those sacrifices that we are called to make for the health of our community,” he said.

He added that it is good to join together as a community “in a limited way on Sundays but we remember following restrictions is our practical means to love our neighbour in this time of pandemic”, he said.

The Christchurch diocese announced on its Facebook page that if parishes are able to meet Government requirements, Sunday Masses can resume.

“Parishes will communicate their own arrangements regarding Sunday Mass,” the post said.

“Some parishes will require Mass registration and a link will be available Wednesday evening.”

The parishes also need to provide a means for people to record their visit, physical distancing of 2 metres between bubbles and clean and sanitised shared surfaces.

Sunday Masses in most of the Auckland diocese remain suspended as the region moves to alert level 3, while parishes in the Northland and Coromandel area are in level 2.

In a pastoral letter dated September 14 when public gatherings were still restricted to 50 people, Bishop Patrick Dunn said he, with the Council of Priests, decided there will be no Sunday Masses during level 2.

“If parishes feel they can provide weekday Masses at Level 2, while also keeping the Government advice for worship and faith-based gatherings on the Ministry of Health website, they are welcome to do so,” he wrote.

Bishop Dunn also called on the people to get vaccinated.

The gathering limit of 100 at alert level 2, which applies to indoor and outdoor gatherings, does not include clergy at faith based services.

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This is to better reflect the active work Catholics need to do to help people facing significant life decisions.

The country’s Catholic bishops have approved the change in name and emphasis with a call for the faithful to show their love for life in deeds as well as words.

Support Life Sunday this year is Sunday, October 10. Its theme will be “Honouring and Supporting Health Carers”.

Hamilton Bishop Stephen Lowe, who is secretary of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, said the term “respect life” can seem passive.

“’Support Life’ reminds us that we are all called to both uphold the dignity of all life, and be active in the practical work needed to support people facing significant life decisions,” said Bishop Lowe.

“Many Catholics are uneasy with the recent legislative changes regarding euthanasia and abortion. Coupled with the continuing threat to life posed by Covid-19, we are being told people want new ways to respond to threats to life,” he said.

“The change of name will come with an explanation that the Catholic focus needs to move beyond political debate or legal argument, and extend to active, practical support for people facing a range of life challenges at the beginning of life, throughout life, and at the end of life.”

The day is formally the Day of Prayer to Support Life.  Bishop Lowe said the bishops’ Nathaniel Centre for Bioethics will, as in past years, prepare a wide range of parish resources for it. The resources will give examples of how Catholics can work more actively to support people’s lives, especially in health care.

“This year’s theme of supporting and honouring health carers is timely, especially given the frequency of the acknowledgements that Pope Francis gives to carers of all kinds, but especially health care workers, in the context of the pandemic,” said Bishop Lowe.

Photo: The Creation of Adam (detail) by Michelangelo (CNS Photo)

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