NZ Catholic Newspaper

Pope appoints Fr Michael Dooley as Bishop of Dunedin

NZ Catholic Staff — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 19:11:21 +0000

Pope Francis has appointed Fr Michael Dooley as the new Bishop of Dunedin diocese.
Bishop-elect Dooley will be the seventh Bishop of Dunedin and succeeds Bishop Colin Campbell who has served in this role for almost 14 years.New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (NZCBC) president Bishop Patrick Dunn said, “Father Michael’s affinity with the people of the Dunedin diocese and his long service to the region of Southland and Otago make him the ideal successor for this role.”

“I congratulate Bishop-Elect Michael on his appointment and my prayers are with him as he prepares to take up leadership of the diocese,” said Bishop Dunn.

Born in Invercargill in 1961 to parents, Joseph Dooley and Mary Hogan, Michael was educated at Heddon Bush Primary School and Central Southland College. After completing an engineering apprenticeship as a fitter and turner, he went on to do a Bachelor of Theology at Otago University and a Master of Theology at Melbourne’s College of Divinity.

Fr Michael Dooley was ordained on December 13, 1989. From 1995, he has served as a member of the Priests’ Council and was a Parish Priest for over 10 years in Southland and Otago. The bishop-elect was a director at the Holy Cross Formation Centre in Mosgiel and held the role of formator and spiritual Director at Holy Cross Seminary in Auckland,
In 2016, Bishop Colin Campbell appointed the then Fr Dooley to the role of vicar general for the Dunedin Diocese.

Bishop Campbell remarked, “I know that the people of the Dunedin diocese will warmly welcome the announcement that they now have a new bishop. I have had the pleasure of working with Michael and am delighted with his appointment – his pastoral roles and extensive experience in serving God as a parish leader, formator and spiritual guide have prepared him well for the position. May God bless him and guide him as he takes up this role.”

On the announcement, Bishop-elect Dooley said, “I have been blessed to serve in ministry as a priest in the diocese of Dunedin and I now take on this role as a bishop very aware of my need for God’s help and thankful for the support of so many wonderful people over the years and into the future.”

Bishop Campbell will continue on in the role of administrator of the Diocese, until the ordination and installation of Bishop-elect Dooley.

In recognising Bishop Campbell role as Dunedin’s Bishop for almost 14 years, Bishop Dunn said, “he has been a compassionate and selfless leader, very much loved by his clergy and people”.

“I thank him for his untiring service and long-standing commitment to all those in his diocese. We bishops have also greatly appreciated his wisdom and experience at our conference meetings.”

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First NZ Mass anniversary a focus for Year of Faith

Michael Otto — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 05:13:31 +0000

by MICHAEL OTTO
AUCKLAND — Pilgrimages to the Hokianga in 2013 to mark the 175th anniversary of the first Mass said in New Zealand, an outdoor Mass at a significant venue and a concerted effort by older Catholics to reconnect with young people were among Auckland suggestions in late June for the Year of Faith.
The suggestions arose at meetings of diocesan and parish leaders.
Bishop Patrick Dunn, the Auckland Diocesan Pastoral Council and city parish leaders met at St Mary’s College, Ponsonby, on June 30, and a meeting of Tai Tokerau parish representatives took place a week earlier.
Participants were told that planning is already under way for a significant celebration in the Hokianga in Northland on January 12-13 next year, to mark the first Mass said in New Zealand by Bishop Jean Baptiste Pompallier in 1838.
Draft plans for the celebrations envisage a Saturday evening Mass at Totara Point, followed by Benediction, with pilgrims then being hosted by various marae. On the Sunday, a Mass at Tamatea Marae at Motuti is planned.
The celebrations will be promoted in parishes, and donations sought to cover costs.
Speakers at the Auckland meeting talked of changes in the local Church in terms of the age and ethnicity of the people.
A senior lecturer in history at Massey University, Professor Peter Lineham, outlined Catholic trends evident from last year’s Church Life Survey, in which about one third of Auckland parishes participated.
Professor Lineham said the Catholic Church, being a universal church, is more open to new migrants than other denominations. People in Auckland parishes also show a high sense of belonging to the Church. But the Catholic Church in Auckland faces the challenge of finding new ways of communicating in different languages and cultural contexts.
Rates of small group membership and participation in mission activities in parishes are dropping. A growing proportion of Auckland Catholics also take the Bible literally.
Bishop Dunn painted a picture of the ethnic diversity of Auckland, its parishes and its clergy. He also said that the
population of the diocese is forecast to grow by more than 1 million people in the next two decades.
“The emerging world Church is here,” Bishop Dunn said.
Many parishes suggested a major outdoor Mass to mark the Year of Faith, either in the Domain or at Alexandra Park — which have both hosted outdoor Masses before.
Reconnecting with youth was another common theme.
Among the dozens of Year of Faith suggestions were: “Throw away the TV for one night a week and pray or do something which nourishes your faith” (South Hokianga).
“All religious to return to wearing a habit for the Year of Faith” (Eastern Region).

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New priest likes multicultural New Zealand

Michael Otto — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 05:15:33 +0000

by MICHAEL OTTO
AUCKLAND — Auckland diocese’s newest priest Fr Alfredo Garcia likes the multicultural character of his adopted home, New Zealand.
“It is like serving the whole world in a particular place,” Fr Garcia told NZ Catholic.
“It makes you feel the richness of the Church, as a people.”
Fr Garcia, 36, who came to New Zealand from the Philippines in 2010, was ordained to the presbyterate by Bishop Patrick Dunn at St Patrick’s Cathedral on May 26.

Bishop Patrick Dunn lays hands on Fr Alfredo Garcia at St Patrick's Cathedral on May 26.

Bishop Dunn referred to “God’s mysterious plan at this time in history, [in which] God is using the faith of the Church in the Philippines to help renew the Church in so many continents and also here in New Zealand”.
“Alfredo, I see you as very much part of that movement,” Bishop Dunn added, thanking Fr Garcia for his generosity and courage in coming to “a strange land” for his vocation.
The bishop also referred to the diversity of the Auckland presbyterate, noting the diocese’s priests come from 20 different countries of birth.
Fr Garcia said he was first attracted to priesthood as a child, with the role of the priest at the Eucharist impressing him. He also had a strong devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In the Philippines, Fr Garcia spent 12 years in formation with the Congregation of Sacred Stigmata of Our Lord Jesus Christ (the Stigmatines), an order whose aim is to be apostolic missionaries in obedience to the local bishop. During this time he was ordained as deacon.
But Fr Garcia eventually sought to clarify whether he was being called to life as a priest in a religious order. So he left the Stigmatines for a period and worked as a teacher and in other jobs.
But the call to a vocation was still strong and he applied to an Australian diocese after seeing television coverage of World Youth Day in Sydney in 2008, where Australian bishops talked about vocation shortages. But Fr Garcia was summonsed back to his Stigmatine congregation and he returned to them for several months.
Although he treasured his years with the congregation, he was eventually convinced God was calling him to something else.
An earlier application he made to Auckland diocese was acknowledged and, after an interview, he was invited to continue his formation in New Zealand.
After a brief time of orientation in Balmoral parish, he then spent several months in Northcote parish before moving to St Michael’s, Remuera, where he is now based.
Fr Garcia said he hopes to be available for anything the diocese asks of him.
This corresponds to the spirituality in which he has been formed, he said.
Fr Garcia celebrated his first Mass at St Michael’s Church, Remuera, on May 27.

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Large intake of seminary students expected for 2012

Michael Otto — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 02:46:00 +0000

by MICHAEL OTTO
AUCKLAND — The national diocesan seminary is expected to be at full capacity next year with an influx of students for the priesthood, NZ Catholic understands.
Holy Cross Seminary is understood to have given notice to the remaining tenants renting units on the property to vacate in the near future.
There are 10 units in the site, each capable of housing three students. One unit is used as guest quarters.
The nearby Ponsonby presbytery, which can house three students or more, is also an option for student accommodation.
NZ Catholic understands that although indications for student numbers for 2012 are very good, some prospective seminarians are still working through the admissions process. Final numbers will only be known when seminarians actually arrive next year.
New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference delegate for Holy Cross Seminary Bishop Patrick Dunn said the bishops would be delighted to see seminary numbers increase.
“It seems that Auckland may, at this stage, have five new entrants for 2012,” Bishop Dunn said.
Most of the new Auckland seminarians are in their late 20s, and all are New Zealand citizens, Bishop Dunn said.
“The very interesting thing for me is that for most of them the call to the priesthood has been in their hearts from about age 10, and most have seen their careers to this point as being preparatory for eventual entry into the seminary,” he said.
“World Youth Days in Sydney and Madrid have been influential, and so too has the Hearts
Aflame Summer School.”
Two seminarians will be on pastoral placement in parishes next year, NZ Catholic understands.
Holy Cross Seminary was officially opened in 1999, after the diocesan seminary had relocated from Holy Cross
College in Mosgiel in 1997.

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