Mike receives papal knighthood

The service of Mike Hanaray to the Church in Hamilton diocese and nationally has been recognised with a papal knighthood. 

Pope Francis has made Mr Hanaray a knight of the Papal Order of St Sylvester.  

A presentation was made by Bishop Stephen Lowe at Mr Hanaray’s home on July 10. 

According to information sent by Hamilton diocese to NZ Catholic, Mr Hanaray was one of the inaugural members of the Hamilton Diocesan Financial Council, set up in the new Hamilton diocese in the early 1980s, and he remains a key member to this day.  

He also is the current chairperson and a long serving member of the Diocesan Treasury Committee, a director and chairperson of the Jubilee Catholic Early Childhood Centre Limited, trustee of the St Mary’s Convent Chapel, and a member of his local parish finance committee.  

With more than 40 years of service to the diocese and support of its bishops, much of the success of Hamilton diocese can be attributed to him, the Hamilton diocese information stated. 

His financial skills, governance, good judgement and caring approach have also benefited the Catholic Church at a national level. Mr Hanaray was an elected board member of New Zealand Catholic Education Office Limited and New Zealand Catholic Education Office Finance Limited from 2008 to 2017. 

He was born in 1941, in Lower Hutt. All five of the siblings of the family spent some time in seminaries or religious institutes, with a brother going on to become a Marist Brother, and a sister being a Brigidine Sister.  

His love of, and service to, the Church, grew from early days of assisting his father with the weekly parish raffle and other activities. 

As a qualified chartered accountant, Mr Hanaray enjoyed a varied career in both the private sector and in chartered accounting firms, where he became a senior partner in his own firm, and always freely gave his time in both local and national matters, particularly in support of young and developing accountants. He is recognised as a Fellow Chartered Accountant for his service to the profession. 

According to the Hamilton diocese information, Mr Hanaray always “wore his Catholicity” proudly in the workplace, and among the many volunteer organisations he selflessly dedicated many hours to, including school boards of trustees, and a lifetime involvement in the Lions charitable organisation.