Last Mass at landmark St Gerard’s church

St Gerard's chapel

Wellington Cardinal John Dew at the last Mass at St Gerard’s.

Cardinal John Dew comforted the teary-eyed parishioners of the iconic St Gerard’s church in Wellington by calling on them “to trust that this is not the end, but to find something new and be surprised by God’s ways”.

Cardinal Dew celebrated the last Mass at St Gerard’s on May 23, Pentecost Sunday, and drew his homily heavily from the Pentecost Gospel, as he asked everyone to ask the Holy Spirit that they may be renewed and able to meet Jesus in Galilee.

“We cannot flee God or lock ourselves away. We cannot do that just because this church has been  used for the last time,” he said. “It’s
sad, but it’s not the end of our faith because our faith is our personal relationship with Jesus. Jesus is constantly saying to us, ‘let’s start anew. Let’s begin anew. I want you to be with me’,” he said.

The cardinal said the words the women heard at the empty tomb of Jesus, “Do not be afraid. You seek Jesus of Nazareth. He’s gone ahead of you to Galilee. There you will see him”, are as much for the people of today as for the women.

“Jesus has gone ahead of us, and we will still see him because ‘to go to Galilee’ means to begin anew. For the disciples, it meant going back to the place where they had first met Jesus, where he called them to follow him,” he said.

Cardinal Dew said the apostles had not understood Jesus, even though they had been with him (Jesus). Similarly, he pointed out, people sometimes lose heart or get angry and stop going to Masses.

“The Easter and Pentecost message is always the same: it’s possible to begin anew and it’s possible because of the power of God’s
Spirit. God always awakens new life in us, prepares a new history for us, and what might seem like a time of deep darkness, invites us again to begin and never lose hope,” he explained.

The church was packed with people, some overflowing outside the doors. Some openly wept as they bade farewell to a church that has
held “real sacred special” memories.

“While there may be confusion and concern and anxiety and sadness, there has to also be joy and gratitude, because we only have to
think of the way God’s grace had been poured out in this church in so many ways. Since 1908, for 113 years, the things that had happened

A screen grab of Cardinal Dew preaching at St Gerard’s church on May 23 in this church had brought God’s presence and God’s grace into the life of so many,” Cardinal Dew reminded them. “We have to give thanks for the incredible way God has gifted us in
those years.”

Cardinal Dew recalled the many Masses, baptisms, weddings, funerals and novenas that happened at the church since it was first run by the Redemptorists, and presently, ICPE Mission New Zealand.

“Today is the last time we will go forth from this church. But we go forth full of confidence because on this Pentecost Sunday, we are reminded again, we are gifted again, to go forth with his power and grace,”  he said.

The church has closed because the owners need to raise $11million to $13million for earthquake-strengthening work, but reportedly had raised only $42,000 by July last year.

The monastery and community chapel remain open.

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Rowena Orejana

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