NZ Catholic Newspaper

Tamaki misses mark with remarks

Rowena Orejana — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 20:30:35 +0000

Courage New Zealand chaplain Fr Peter Farrant said he would not take seriously the comments of Destiny Church Bishop Brian Tamaki linking the actions of gays, sinners and murderers with some earthquakes.
Bishop Tamaki made the comments on November 13, the day before the magnitude 7.8 earthquake in the South Island.

“I think [Tamaki’s statement] lacks theological thought. The Church stays as best it can with
modern thinking . . . and modern psychiatry. It’s definitely not what Pope Francis thinks,” said Fr Farrant.

“I’m sure he [Pope Francis] wouldn’t agree with that kind of understanding of God and God’s
mercy.”

Fr Farrant said the Pope has called for compassion towards people with same-sex attraction.

“If I was to speak of the difficulty for a person, male or female, who feels his [or her] sexual orientation is different from [what] his [or her] body is saying, he [or she] certainly
deserves a lot of compassion and empathy. . .,” the priest said.

Courage is a Catholic apostolate that assists people with same-sex attraction to live chaste lives.

Fr Farrant said he does not believe in so-called marriage equality or same-sex marriages.

“I understand, but I’m not going to say it’s alright,” he said.

“I believe God is alive. He’s an emotional loving God and a father. I would never go as far as to say God’s anger is shown in the earthquakes in Christchurch and in Kaikoura,” he said.

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Goodness comes from the Christchurch rubble

NZ Catholic Staff — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 03:31:02 +0000

by KATHLEEN CASEY
CHRISTCHURCH — On the Nazareth House site in Christchurch there’s a lot of space, a digger and truck amid remaining rubble and the 1939 Chapel of the Holy Family still standing tall.
Nazareth House, which provided care for the elderly, was severely damaged in the Christchurch earthquakes.
But the property is a demolition site with a difference. Paul King of Graceworks Demolition and Recycling, who won the contract and has spent six weeks with Arrow International on site, has donated two of the buildings to the Woodend Christian Camp, which has long needed accommodation for disabled people.
The oratory in the main block was deconstructed and delivered to the camp, followed days later by the top of the convent containing six ensuite bedrooms, lounge and laundry. New Zealand Building Relocators took two hours to lift this top storey and another three to deliver it overnight. The lower story has been demolished.

Paul King on the Nazareth House site.

The Nazareth Sister in charge, Sr Marie Townsend said, “We are delighted that Mr King has generously donated part of our former convent and the oratory to the Woodend Christian Camp”.
The Nazareth Sisters have moved into a temporary Versatile-built convent on the back of the property and are committed to remaining in Christchurch. Plans are under way for a new aged-care facility to replace the badly damaged 1987 complex, which catered for 80 residents.
For Mr King this is part of his everyday life. “God has given me this business; it’s up to me to use the materials we have. If I choose to give it away or sell it, it doesn’t really matter, it’s business. God has really looked after us. . . . For 13 years our focus has been on God and giving: The more we give the more he gives to us.”
A base of strong Christians amongst his eight staff enables him to take on workers “from really bad backgrounds”. They begin to change because of who they work with and Mr King encourages new education such as first aid courses, attaining truck licences and the use of the diggers. If they show skill he will encourage them to follow it. “Demolition is not for everyone. It’s hard on your body and hard on your mind.”
For many years a member of Rangiora Baptist church, which is now celebrating 150 years, Mr King has a background he’s not afraid to admit, including time in prison, so that he knows where these workers are at. At 26 he decided to give God a go. “I said ‘If you’re real, show me’. I ended up building big homes and then I fell into demolition.”
But his real love is deconstruction and recycling.
On site still is a central Christchurch rarity, a stone church. Sadly, it has to go, but many parts will be recycled, such as the untouched stained glass windows. Mr King said he wishes to continue what the Nazareth Sisters do — caring in the community.

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NZ principal thanks Sydney students for their support

Michael Otto — Fri, 18 May 2012 05:12:50 +0000

SYDNEY (CW) — The principal of a New Zealand school destroyed by the Christchurch earthquake last year visited Our Lady of Mercy College, Parramatta, last week to thank students for their generosity.
Anna Heffernan described the damage to her school, Marian College in Christchurch, from the February 2011 quake.
“It was not three weeks since these girls started at the school and it was destroyed,” she said. “We had no sewage, water or power.”
“We have been at two different sites since the earthquake – it really wasn’t much fun for that whole year.”
Ms Heffernan said the mood was lifted by the generosity of students who were then in Year 7 at Our Lady of Mercy, who raised money to buy shopping vouchers for Marian College students.
“The vouchers were really exactly what the girls needed to boost their spirits.
“They were genuinely excited about it.
“This trip gives me a great opportunity for me to say ‘thanks’ to the girls and let them know the real difference they made in the lives of girls their own age.”
The year 7 year coordinator at the time, Ann Marie Herd, knew staff at Marian College and arranged for her classes to host gold coin donation days.
— Story courtesy of Catholic Weekly, Sydney
http://www.catholicweekly.com.au/article.php?classID=1&subclassID=3&articleID=9973&class=Latest

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Lower Hutt Catholic church closed because of earthquake risk

NZ Catholic Staff — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 05:04:02 +0000

by NZ CATHOLIC staff
LOWER HUTT — Sts Peter and Paul church on Knights Rd in Lower Hutt has been closed because it is an earthquake risk.
There will be no Mass at the church for a while because of fears that it would collapse in a large earthquake.
The building will now undergo a detailed assessment to see if it has a future, and what it will cost to strengthen it.
Fr Bruce England made the announcement to parishioners on Sunday night. Easter Sunday Masses will now be held in the St Bernard’s College gymnasium.
Wellington archdiocese general manager Paul Bayliss emphasised that it does not necessarily mean the end of the building, which is only 11 per cent compliant with current regulations.
The decision to stop using the church was made on the basis of an initial assessment, after the cost of insurance increased following the Christchurch earthquakes.
Insurers now want a lot more information about buildings, he says. As part of an assessment of all diocese buildings, Sts Peter and Paul’s was identified as a problem.
Church policy is to allow individual parishes to decide the future of their buildings, and Mr Bayliss said the decision to stop using it was made by locals.
“In the interests of their parishioners and in the interests of being cautious, they will hold sessions elsewhere while they wait for a detailed evaluation.”
There are 180 buildings in the diocese, and every building has had an initial assessment. Wellington has a major problem, he said, as insurers have made it clear they cannot ignore the high earthquake risk. He would not comment on other Lower Hutt churches, but confirmed that there are other buildings that might need to be closed.
If the Sts Peter and Paul church does need replacing or expensive renovations, the parish will have to find the money.
“The bishop is not sitting on a pot of gold. It is up to each individual parish.”
One caller to Hutt News suggested that with uncertainty about at least two other Catholic churches, it could lead to parish mergers across the city.
Mr Bayliss said Wellington archbishop John Dew had instigated a review of parish boundaries, but that was put on hold while the earthquake issue is dealt with.
A Mission to the River Hutt — A History of the Catholic Church in the Hutt Valley 1850 to 2000 by B. J. Cullinane says the Sts Peter and Paul church was opened on September 17, 1945.
The builder, David Daily, struggled to get all the cement needed because of war-time restrictions. He eventually found enough cement and laid the foundation. He was subsequently fined for breaching wartime regulations, but the book does not record who paid the fine.

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Christchurch Catholic cathedral dome to be taken down

Michael Otto — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +0000

CHRISTCHURCH The main dome of the severely damaged Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Christchurch is to be removed over several months to reduce the risk of part or all of the remaining structure collapsing. The cathedrals bell towers and part of its front façade collapsed during the 6.3 magnitude earthquake on February 22.
According to a statement from Christchurch diocese, an engineers report based on an exterior inspection revealed that the dome of the cathedral is forcing the weight-bearing structures of the building outwards.
This represents a severe hazard to the surrounding area.
Another earthquake like that of February 22 would see the dome topple.
It is expected the removal of the dome will be done by cranes operating at a distance from the building.
A meeting was held on March 2 between Bishop of Christchurch Barry Jones, diocesan officials and expert advisers, at which the damage to the cathedral was considered.
The diocesan statement reported that no decision will be made about the future of the cathedral until a detailed engineering report is generated.
This will occur when access to the building is safely restored, after the dome has been removed. The present state of the building is so dangerous, no one may enter it for any reason.
Bishop Jones told NZ Catholic that many Catholics in Christchurch are very upset and are grieving [at the damage to the cathedral] because it is very precious to lots and lots of people.
Bishop Jones said many people are hoping that something of the historic cathedral can be saved.
Designed to be of the form of a Roman basilica by architect F.W. Petre, the neo-classic cathedral was opened by the Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr Thomas Carr, in 1905.
It was widely regarded as one of Christchurch’s most beautiful buildings and had had work done to strengthen it against earthquakes.
But it had not been used for Mass since being damaged in a September 4 earthquake.
The number of people confirmed as having been killed in the earthquake was 159 on March 2. That number is expected to rise to the mid-200s.
The eastern suburbs of the city and the central business district have been most badly affected. Most suburbs have electric power, but many are still without water and wastewater connections.
NZ Catholic understands Catholic churches at Lyttelton and Sumner have been severely damaged, and some others have sustained some damage.
Nonetheless, Masses went ahead at several churches in the city on February 28, which had been cleared as safe by engineers.
But in some other parishes where this was not the case, Masses were said outdoors or in other locations.

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Christchurch schools and churches off limits pending inspection

Michael Otto — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 12:00:00 +0000

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand No Catholic church or school in Christchurch will be able to be used until consulting engineers have declared it safe. Bishop of Christchurch Barry Jones made this announcement on February 25.
NZ Catholic understands some churches have been severely damaged, but others have escaped relatively unscathed.
Christchurch cathedral parish administrator Msgr Charles Drennan said that safety is a primary issue.
Msgr Drennan, who is bishop-designate for Palmerston North, and other priests have been forced to evacuate the cathedral rectory by authorities.
This is not because of any damage to the building, but because authorities want to clear the central city area of people for security reasons, Msgr Drennan said.
Christchurch’s Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament was severely damaged in the earthquake, which struck at 12.51pm local time on February 22.
Authorities have put the latest death toll at 113, with about 200 listed as missing. Among those confirmed dead are two babies.
Those missing include dozens of students and staff at an international English language school, which was in one of the buildings which collapsed.
Unconfirmed reports state several people from the Philippines are among the missing.
Hopes were raised that signs of life had been detected in the destroyed Holy Cross Catholic chapel in central Christchurch, but rescuers could not locate anyone on February 24.
NZ Catholic understands chapel administrator Fr Raymond Schmack assured Bishop Jones that he was the last person to leave the chapel.
At least 20 people are believed to have been killed when the spire of Christchurch’s Anglican Cathedral collapsed.
Bishop of Christchurch Barry Jones celebrated Mass at Our Lady of Victories Parish, Sockburn, in Christchurch on February 23, the day after the earthquake. It was offered for the people of the city and region, that they might know the love and peace of God in the midst of suffering.
The Mass began with the singing of Blessed John Henry Newman’s anthem Praise to the holiest in the height.
In his homily, Bishop Jones reflected on the nature of evil, but said that an earthquake is in no sense a consequence of or a punishment for human behaviour.
Bishop Jones read out a message from Pope Benedict XVI conveying the pontiffs condolences, spiritual closeness and blessings.
Society of Mary provincial for New Zealand, Fr Brian Cummings, SM, said the presbytery of St Mary’s parish, Christchurch North, had been destroyed, with one priest describing it as a complete wreck.
But no one had lived in the building since it suffered damage in the September 2011 earthquake, so a cautious approach had paid off, Fr Cummings said.
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand pledged NZ$25,000 towards relief and recovery.
The funds will support the St Vincent de Paul Society, Catholic Social Services and other agencies to respond to immediate needs, as well as providing long term recovery and assistance to those affected.
Caritas director Michael Smith said the organisation does not normally respond directly to emergencies within New Zealand, but the scale of the disaster requires an exceptional response.
About half of Christchurch requires fresh water to be trucked in and about a quarter of buildings were still without power late on February 24. Telecommunications are still out in the most severely affected areas. Many areas are without functioning sewerage lines.
Travel is problematic, as many roads have been damaged by liquefaction of underlying earth.
Thousands of homes are uninhabitable, causing many people to leave Christchurch for temporary accommodation in other centres. The New Zealand Government has declared a state of national emergency, for the first time in the nations history.
The Christchurch earthquake is shaping as New Zealands worst disaster. In 1979, 237 passengers and 20 crew were killed when an Air New Zealand DC-10 crashed on Mt Erebus in Antarctica.
In 1931, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Hawkes Bay in the North Island killed 256 people.

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