holy cross seminary – NZ Catholic Newspaper

Seminarians make hikoi to Hamilton diocese

Rowena Orejana — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 03:01:44 +0000

Seminarians from New Zealand’s national diocesan seminary went on a hikoi to Hamilton diocese to experience the New Zealand Church “in a more intimate way”. Holy Cross Seminary formation director Fr Michael Gielen said the seminarians have been visiting one of New Zealand’s dioceses every other year to experience the different cultures, people and spirituality. One of the highlights of the

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Four first year students at Holy Cross Seminary

Rowena Orejana — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 21:20:35 +0000

A Kiwi and three Vietnamese men entered Holy Cross Seminary this year to discern the plans God has in store for them. Former Manawatu youth minister Thomas Dravitzki, 26, is studying for Palmerston North diocese. Mr Dravitzki said he entered the seminary to explore the possibility of priesthood. Faith, like his life so far, had

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Seminary celebrates its history

Michael Otto — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 23:26:01 +0000

by PETER GRACE Horse care was once considered an important part of training for deacons — at least by some. At the Founders’ Mass for Holy Cross Seminary on May 4, celebrant Bishop Patrick Dunn summarised the pre-history and history of the seminary. Holy Cross Seminary opened in Mosgiel in 1900. Bishop Dunn told about

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Five respond to God’s call this year

Rowena Orejana — Tue, 14 Apr 2015 23:33:48 +0000

by ROWENA OREJANA
Holy Cross Seminary’s new director of formation, Fr Michael Gielen, called on young men to
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New formator loves being a priest

Rowena Orejana — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 22:00:57 +0000

by ROWENA OREJANA Who better to form men into priests than one who is still passionate about his vocation after 17 years? The new Holy Cross director of formation, Michael Gielen, loves priesthood.“For me it’s a great, great joy and a great privilege to be a priest. And I’ve always had that. Ever since I

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A 22-year journey to priesthood

Rowena Orejana — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 00:00:50 +0000

by ROWENA OREJANA AUCKLAND — It took Jeremy Palman 22 years to become a priest, but it was a great joy when he got there. Fr Palman was ordained by Bishop Patrick Dunn on August 9 at St Patrick’s Cathedral, in Auckland. “It was a great joy, it was an enormous joy. Sometimes I tell

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Health forces rector to depart early

Rowena Orejana — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 00:00:08 +0000

by PETER GRACE and ROWENA OREJANA AUCKLAND — The rector of Holy Cross Seminary from early 2012, Msgr Peter Jeffrey, has returned to Australia for medical treatment. After Mass at Sacred Heart Church in Ponsonby on June 8, parish priest Fr Robert Steele thanked Msgr Jeffrey for his service and contribution to Auckland diocese and

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Seminary opens its doors

Michael Otto — Mon, 19 May 2014 00:00:12 +0000

by MICHAEL OTTO AUCKLAND — They came, they saw and they had a jolly good time at Holy Cross Seminary’s first open day on its Vermont St, Ponsonby, site. A glorious afternoon on Good Shepherd Sunday, May 11, saw a steady trickle of visitors accompanied through the seminary’s public areas. Staff and students were on

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Diocese needs dollars to train seminarians

Rowena Orejana — Sun, 18 May 2014 22:01:18 +0000

by ROWENA OREJANA
PALMERSTON NORTH — Palmerston North diocese has launched the Seminary Appeal 2014 to fund the tertiary studies of its five seminarians.
The increase in the number of seminarians from one three years ago to five this year, coupled with the higher cost of education, caused a dent in the funds of the Seminary Trust. Two of the seminarians
are now on pastoral placement and may become deacons next year.
Bishop Charles Drennan said the diocese faces the same challenge as every family with a member undertaking tertiary level studies.
“Tertiary level studies in New Zealand have become expensive. The fees for Holy Cross Seminary and Good Shepherd College are significant budget items,” he said.
“As the case in the more recent history in New Zealand, we are getting a number of seminarians for whom English is not their mother tongue. And so there is the cost of language schools.”
In a bulletin posted in parish newsletters, the cost of language
school fees, immigration, English language fees and board
was placed at $40,000 a student a year. At the same time, Holy
Cross Seminary fees and Good Shepherd College fees are about
$55,000 a student a year.
The same bulletin stated that although the diocese is praying
for more seminarians, it is using the capital of the Seminary Trust
to fund their studies.
“Based on the current level of support and income, unless our Seminary Appeal is supported by a much larger range of parishioners, the trust will be fully depleted within three or four years,” it stated.
Palmerston North’s seminarians are Nathaniel Brazil, Vui Hoang, Bryan Buenger, Simone Masanga and Trung Nguyen.
Bishop Drennan said last year’s fund drive had a very good response. “Because we publicised the seminary appeal well and we were very transparent about the cost involved, we had a tremendous response. And indeed, as well as donations, we also had letters from parishioners, expressing their good wishes and prayers for seminarians.”
The bishop said there are parishioners who had been very generous in their support of the seminarians.
“The challenge, if you like, is to encourage a wider range of parishioners to contribute. And so we are looking for young professionals and people new to the workforce to step up and make their contribution,” he said. “I’m also very hopeful given the blessing of international priests in our diocese, I’m very hopeful
that our Indian and Filipino communities will also get behind this appeal.”
The Seminary Appeal 2014 seeks parishioners’ prayers, increased financial support and bequests to the Seminary Trust to rebuild it’s capital.

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Eight new diocesan seminarians this year

Michael Otto — Tue, 08 Apr 2014 00:22:01 +0000

by MICHAEL OTTO Eight new first year seminarians at Holy Cross Seminary make for a diverse group, reflecting the increasingly multi-cultural nature of the Church in New Zealand. But although there might be seven different ethnicities represented, most of them are young, aged in their twenties. Fadi Boless, 21, was born in Iraq, but his

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