Bishop becomes a ‘parishioner of Matamata’

Bishop Emeritus Denis Browne

by JULIE SOUTH
“Blessed” is how Emeritus Bishop Denis Browne, CNZM, DD, describes his time in priestly ministry and his life in general.

Bishop Emeritus Denis Browne

Bishop Emeritus Denis Browne


Bishop Browne retired as Bishop of Hamilton on Friday February 13, when Bishop Stephen Lowe was ordained and installed in Hamilton. Pope Francis accepted Bishop Denis’s resignation on November 22, 2014.
NZ Catholic caught up with Bishop Denis, who now refers to himself as “parishioner of Matamata”, at his home in Matamata in February to reflect on some of the changes and high points in his 38 years as a bishop.
The bishop served five popes — Blessed Paul VI, John Paul I, St John Paul II, Benedict
XVI, and Francis. He enjoys reminding, tongue in cheek, our other bishops of his uniqueness.
Like all Kiwi priests, Bishop Browne said he prays for young men and women to feel the call to enter religious life. He appreciates the support required of families when a young man or woman answers Jesus’ call. In his own family of six children, the three boys became priests and two of his three sisters entered religious life. It must have been hard on his family.
His father and uncles ran a family business and thought it likely that one day one of the sons would pick up the reins. However, that did not happen.
He remembers the sense of togetherness that evolved as a result of Catholic primary and secondary school communities that were also part of parish communities. Each naturally led into and supported the others.
Bishop Patrick Dunn of Auckland and Bishop Browne have often talked on the excitement of baptising and confirming high school students. Although they are excited that they are freely choosing Confirmation, they both ponder the challenge of getting this generation to continue worshipping in a parish.
Something else the bishop ponders is how to bring Maori back to the Church. As a people, he said, they must feel spiritually bereft, and he remembers, with much love, worshipping alongside Hokianga Maori while he was bishop of Auckland.
“They were so devout,” he said. “Just think about Maori gatherings — they always start events with a karakia — a prayer. We need to support Maori in being able to hold onto their faith.”
Bishop Browne said the moving Maori welcome Bishop Lowe received at Hui Te Rangiora Marae in Hamilton on February 12 reminded him of when Dame Te Atairangikaahu, the Maori Queen, presented him with the Maori staff. She originally commissioned its carving for Bishop Edward Gaines on his ordination.
Dame Te Atairangikaahu came to the cathedral in 1995 to present Bishop Browne with the staff when he started his term as bishop of Hamilton.
The bishop said he believes the permanent diaconate is a gift to the diocese. With dwindling priest numbers, parish priests can no longer be as available as they once were. He thinks the diocese is blessed to have such a strong permanent diaconate.
“These men bring many gifts to the people of Hamilton,” he said, “and without them the parish priests would be under more pressure than they are already.” An example is preference cards for entry to Catholic schools.
Bishop Browne would prefer all parish priests to meet all families who ask for preference entry. “I know that’s no longer possible in all parishes,” he said “but knowing that committed laypeople are able to meet with preference-requesting families and thus help in
the community building process, it relieves the burdens on overloaded priests. The Hamilton diocese is blessed in this way.”
Asked about Who Is My Neighbour — the diocesan pastoral plan — the bishop said it was a work in progress.
“Some parishes are more accepting of this and are more ahead than others.”
He also feels for Bishop Lowe, who is coming in midstream with the plan. He said the bishop will have different ways of expressing his pastoral sensitivity, but the diocese is blessed to have such a pastoral man as shepherd.
Asked what makes a good bishop, he said he needs the willingness to be available, to be a teacher, to mix with his people as much as possible and attend as many functions as possible.
Reflecting on his days of visiting a different parish every weekend, he said it was hard work. He would meet parish councils, priests and other interested groups on Fridays and Saturdays. He would talk at all Masses each weekend. “When you’re
giving your all, it’s hard work week-in, week-out.”
He was disappointed that over the past couple of years he did not have the energy to continue regular parish visits and appreciated the patience of the people.
“I have been blessed to have had such an understanding diocese.”
Asked what he would like to see changed, he said he believed there was scope for adjusting
how bishops were appointed.
In New Zealand, the bishops know their priests best. In his opinion, it therefore makes
sense for the New Zealand Bishops Conference to make recommendations to Rome.
In New Zealand, each nuncio is appointed for five years. The geographic area of responsibility is New Zealand plus the Pacific Islands. That makes it hard for a nuncio to
form anything other than superficial relationships with priests.
However, the bishops know their men and so can make recommendations (or not) to Rome when it comes to episcopal appointments.
As far as everyday work goes, Bishop Browne said he believes bishops receive kudos for the hard work diocesan staff do behind the scenes. “I have been blessed with having amazing staff working very hard behind the scenes in all of my appointments.
“Bishop Eddie [Gaines] started something wonderful when he started Hamilton.”
Bishop Gaines apparently earned himself a papal rap over the knuckles in 1981. Wanting to create a sense of teamwork and cohesion in the new diocese, Bishop Gaines took priests on a 10 day team-building retreat. For one Sunday in 1981, all diocesan parishes were priestless. The retreat led to a strong priestly community where priests looked after and cared for each other — something that has flowed into today.
Fortunately, Bishop Gaines took the rap over the knuckles in his stride and set the tone for cohesion.
Bishop Browne said he is excited and pleased with the choice of the Pacific’s two newest cardinals.
Cardinal Soane Patita Mafi of Tonga was his altar boy when he was in Tonga. “The celebratory ceremony in Auckland on February 25 in honour of Cardinal Mafi was beautiful,” he said. He estimated that almost 2000 Tongan and Pacific Island faithful attended the ceremony in Mangere.
“Our Pacific community is alive and strong. It was a pleasure and honour to join in
the celebrations.”
New Zealand’s Cardinal John Dew served with Bishop Browne in the Cook Islands between 1980 and 1983 and Bishop Browne got to know him well. “He is a wonderful man who New Zealand Catholics can be proud to have as our shepherd.”
Another highlight was creating the Waikato Christian Social Services Village Trust in Hamilton in 1999 with the Most Reverend Sir David Moxon. That trust is based on a joint venture agreement between Presbyterian Support Services (Northern), the Waikato
Anglican Diocesan Trust Board and the Catholic Bishop of Hamilton diocese.
Bishop Browne said he has an excellent professional, personal and spiritual relationship with Archbishop Moxon, who is now in Rome as the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Representative to the Holy See and director of the Anglican Centre.
“We joined forces to stop the casino in Hamilton and won, but the casino appealed and they won that appeal, but we didn’t have the funds to pursue it any further,” he said.
Now he is enjoying retired life. He enjoys taking weekday Mass. In addition, Bishop Dunn has accepted Bishop Browne’s offer of service. From late June to September, Bishop Browne will supply Whitianga with weekend Masses while Fr Leo Doyle takes a holiday back home to Ireland.
NZ Catholic wishes Bishop Browne a long, healthy and blessed retirement and thanks him for for being a gracious and involved shepherd.

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