NZ Catholic Newspaper

A loved principal leaves for island school

Michael Otto — Fri, 20 Sep 2013 05:24:08 +0000

by PETER GRACE
AUCKLAND — The Catholic school system’s loss was the state system’s gain when Henderson principal Kathy Moy-Low was farewelled in a “humbling experience” on August 16.
Mrs Moy-Low had been principal of Holy Cross Catholic Primary School in Henderson for 17 years.
The school’s acting principal, Janice Borsos, told NZ Catholic that the farewell began with a powhiri at the school hall at 1pm, and didn’t end until after 5pm.
Mrs Moy-Low had mentored deputy principals to become principals, Mrs Borsos said. “So, in her time here she’s actually had four or five deputy principals who have become principals, and they all went to Catholic schools.”
Mrs Moy-Low told NZ Catholic: “The farewell was was one of the most humbling experiences of my life.”

Kathy Moy-Low, second from left, and Brian Henoghan, far right, former Holy Cross principal, with three principals mentored by Mrs Low: From left, Rosemary Kemp, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Epsom; Paul Coakley, St Pius, Glen Innes; Ann McKeown, St Joseph’s, Orakei.

The day before was the Feast of the Assumption, she said, and at a school Mass that day she was presented with a statue of Our Lady.
On the Friday, the powhiri to call her on was called by a woman who had been a Holy Cross student 17 years earlier.
That was followed by a liturgy led by student council members. “They built the altar from things that were important to us, and led us in prayer,” as did parish priest Fr Paul Helsham, OFMCap.
That was followed by speeches and afternoon tea in the staff room — then a wine and cheese social for invited guests. Fr Helsham spoke, and prayed for Mrs Moy-Low. The general manager of the Auckland diocese Catholic Schools Office, Neil Laurenson, told guests that she would be a big loss to Catholic schooling, and would always be welcome back.
Mrs Borsos said that Mrs Moy-Low had not only led the school and the children, but had been very good at helping teachers grow to be leaders.
Mrs Moy-Low said that her philosophy, particularly in a bigger school, is to “grow” principals. “I grew teachers and I grew students, but the deputy principals in the larger schools help grow the students . . . and if [the DPs] aspire to leadership, you help them.”
Mrs Borsos is acting principal until the end of the year, after which a permanent appointment would be made. “I’ve done extra study, and Kathy Moy-Low mentored me as well,” she said.
Mrs Moy-Low is now principal of Waiheke Primary School, where she and her husband live.

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Seminarian is a top speaker

Michael Otto — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 04:24:01 +0000

by MICHAEL OTTO
AUCKLAND — A seminarian has been awarded the top National Scholarship in Professional Speaking.
Bryan Buenger, who is in his second year of studies at Holy Cross Seminary in Auckland, gained a Diploma in Professional Speaking (with distinction) in a Speech New Zealand examination last year.
Mr Buenger, who is preparing for diocesan priesthood for Palmerston North diocese, also received the 2012 BRG (Busby Ramshaw Grice) Award for Professional Speaking, which saw him receive a $500 scholarship.
He was presented with the award at the seminary on March 20. Mr Buenger announced he will donate the funds to the Catholic Caring Foundation in Auckland and to Mother Angelica’s Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN).
Mr Buenger, who hails from Arizona, said he had worked in several roles that involved public speaking, including a personnel job for a large bank, being a flight attendant for a major United States airline and most recently being a secondary school teacher.
“But none of them has been as important as the job I am in training for at this time in my life,” he said.

From left, Msgr Peter Jeffrey, Bryan Buenger and Claire Marsh.

“The ability to communicate effectively is vitally important not only in business, but in ministry as well.”
Despite the many means of communicating available today, face-to-face communication, including preaching, will always be a primary way of spreading the Good News to the faithful and the unchurched, he added.
“No other media can communicate the passion in a person’s voice and actions quite like that of being present at a dynamic speech.”
The diploma examination tests skills that could be applied in the business world. Candidates make a pitch for a product, service or innovation, introduce an area of change in an organisation or profession, manage a conflict, give a formal speech and an impromptu talk related to leadership, and they also answer questions.
Normally the first year students at the seminary complete an introductory certificate in professional speaking, but in recent years some have done the full certificate examination. But last year, two students were encouraged to complete the diploma level — Anthony Trenwith from Auckland and Mr Buenger.
The citation for Mr Buenger’s award praised his determination, talent and sense of humour.
Mr Buenger, aged 54, paid tribute to seminary speech communication tutor Claire Marsh who, with others, helped him prepare for the examination. “She is a very competent coach and guide,” he said.
Mrs Marsh, who travels from Morrinsville to teach at the seminary, said Mr Buenger prepared a 300-word written statement about his skills and his future role, and the examiners used this to devise impromptu topics on leadership.
“Bryan [spoke on] listening as a fundamental management and leadership skill. He captured it beautifully,” Mrs Marsh said.
About a dozen finalists were selected from throughout New Zealand for the Speech New Zealand diploma examination, she added.
Holy Cross Seminary rector Msgr Peter Jeffrey said pastors need to be both living the Gospel and proclaiming it in ways that are relevant to their communities. Apart from the important roles of preaching and proclaiming Scripture, “they need to develop the skills of effective communication with a variety of people”, he said.
Msgr Jeffrey said the seminary was fortunate to have Mrs Marsh’s services.
He said Mr Buenger’s success is “a significant achievement”.

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Ten new seminarians at Holy Cross in 2012

Michael Otto — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 05:10:53 +0000

by MICHAEL OTTO
AUCKLAND — Five New Zealand dioceses have seminarians starting at Holy Cross Seminary in Ponsonby in 2012.
The diverse group of 10 new seminarians features Kiwis, an American and men from the Philippines.
Michael Walker, 31, from Holy Name parish, Dunedin North, was a support worker in the health sector, working mainly in the mental health field, before entering the seminary.
Although many factors have influenced him on his faith journey, a trip to Europe, and especially the Vatican with his brother in 2007, saw him return with a sense of wanting to serve God and others in the community.
A graduate of the University of Otago with a Bachelor of Communication Studies and a post-graduate diploma in public health, Mr Walker hopes his seminary experience will help him grow in faith and hope in God, to prepare him to serve the people of Dunedin diocese.
Anthony Trenwith, 32, from St Michael’s parish, Remuera, Auckland, worked as a lawyer for several years in both New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
A graduate of the University of Auckland and a barrister, Mr Trenwith’s years in the UK saw him work for the British equivalent of our Inland Revenue Department.
A growing desire to do more with his life and to serve God through helping people attracted him to the idea of a vocation.
Mr Trenwith hopes to grow as part of a community of brothers in the seminary and to keep journeying towards whatever God wants of him and to serve his people in whatever way he can.
Glen Brennan, 22, from St Thomas More Parish, Mt Maunganui and St Patrick’s, Te Puke, worked on dairy farms and orchards in the Bay of Plenty before coming to Holy Cross.
Falling in love with Eucharist and the Catholic Church saw Mr Brennan attracted to the idea of priesthood.
He hopes his time in the seminary will see him learn how to be a father and “physician of souls”.
Mark Bond, 22, from the cathedral parish in Auckland has finished a degree in English and psychology at the University of Auckland.
Asked about what attracted him to the idea of a vocation, Mr Bond referred to Psalm 19:14: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my Lord.”
He linked his own happiness to having his works and thoughts being acceptable to God and his glory. God led him on this journey through various studies, and none of them were satisfying, he said.
He hopes that he will grow in love and have a good sense of community with fellow seminarians and reach out and be Christ to others.
Before coming to the seminary, Tony King-Archer, 30, worked as an accountant.
From St Patrick’s cathedral parish in Auckland, Mr King-Archer said thoughts of a vocation were first triggered by a homily he heard in Northcote parish many years ago.
At the seminary, he hopes to grow in faith and knowledge, fulfilling his vocation potential with an ultimate ideal of conforming himself to the image of Christ the priest.
A later vocation, John Hill from St Michael’s parish, Remuera, Auckland, is a widower after his wife of 30 years, Dianne, died two years ago.
Working in real estate and tourism, and running his own company for a time, Mr Hill had trained for a religious order, the Passionists, as a young man.
Describing the time after his wife’s death as a “wilderness experience”, Mr Hill coped by making his prayers centre on gratitude. He realised he still had a journey ahead of him, and wondered what that was meant to be. Very good spiritual direction and support from his parish priest helped him towards the move to a priestly vocation.
This is a new path he is following and he is open to what it leads to, he said, describing the journey ahead as an “adventure”.
Bryan Buenger, 53, from Phoenix, Arizona, in the United States of America, felt called to priesthood while praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament in Queenstown during a visit in 2009. He had just walked the Milford Track. This was his fourth holiday in New Zealand.
The Phoenix diocese will not accept new seminarians over the age of 40, so, after discussions with the vocations director there, he wrote to several New Zealand dioceses. After speaking with Bishop Charles Drennan of Palmerston North, Mr Buenger felt attracted to serving there.
A former English teacher, Mr Buenger visited a marae soon after arriving in New Zealand in early February, an experience he described as “wonderful”. Mr Buenger had studied Maori art at university in the United States.
He hopes his time in the seminary will see him learn more of New Zealand’s culture and help him adapt to it.
Three students from the Philippines have all undertaken seminary studies before in their previous homeland before moving to New Zealand.
Nathaniel Brazil, 25, and Ferdinand Miranda, 34, both spent several years in formation at Immaculate Conception Major Seminary in the Philippines before coming to New Zealand last year.
Both spent several months in parishes in Palmerston North diocese last year.
Mr Brazil and Mr Miranda are looking forward to learning more about New Zealand culture and the local Church during their time in the seminary.
Hearing about the possibility of evangelisation in New Zealand sparked Mr Miranda’s interest in serving in the country.
Mr Brazil is looking forward to being a help to the Church in Palmerston North.
Dennis Nacorda, 33, also undertook seminary studies for the Missionary Society of the Philippines before coming to New Zealand.
Before entering the seminary, Mr Nacorda worked as a veterinarian in his former country. Now a student for the Wellington archdiocese, he arrived in New Zealand last year and resided at St Mary’s Parish, Blenheim.
He is looking forward to learning more about life as a diocesan priest during his seminary training.
The 10 new seminarians bring the total number of seminarians at Holy Cross Seminary to 27 with another two being on pastoral years in Auckland’s Glenfield parish and Wellington’s Island Bay parish.

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Australian to be new rector at NZ seminary

NZ Catholic Staff — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:26:50 +0000

by NZ CATHOLIC staff
AUCKLAND — New Zealand’s only diocesan seminary, Holy Cross in Auckland, is to get a new rector.
Msgr Peter Jeffrey from Australia will take up the position at the end of January. The appointment was made by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples in December 2011.
Msgr Jeffrey will take over from Fr Philip Handforth.
On January 29, Msgr Jeffrey will celebrate his final Mass at St Brendan’s Parish in Shepparton, where he has been parish priest for 16 years. The following day he will leave for New Zealand for his new role at the seminary, where first year students will begin on 5 February.
The president of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop John Dew, said the New Zealand bishops are grateful for Fr Handforth’s dedication and service to the seminary and are praying for him, as he has recently suffered from ill health. “We are also delighted to be welcoming Msgr Jeffrey to the seminary,” he said.
The archbishop said that Msgr Jeffrey brings many years of experience as a staff member and rector of two seminaries and has been highly involved in Catholic education. “He also has great enthusiasm for the new evangelisation and, having worked in a number of parishes, has a proven knowledge of pastoral ministry. We believe that under his leadership students in our national seminary will develop a deep appreciation of priesthood.”
In an Australian Broadcasting Corporation interview, Msgr Jeffrey said he hoped he had become a better listener and been approachable and available during his time at St Brendan’s.
“I see that as the core of priesthood and I hope I’ll be able to witness and share that with the students I’ll be working with in New Zealand,” he said.
He said the key thing for students is their own personal, human formation. “If we know ourselves and know how to relate with and understand other people, we can build relationships, and it’s all about establishing good relationships.”
Msgr Jeffrey was ordained at Sacred Heart Cathedral in his home town of Bendigo, in Victoria, in 1963 and worked as assistant priest at parishes in Beechworth, Cohuna, Heathcote and Shepparton.
He then spent 12 years at Corpus Christi Provincial Seminary in Australia as a member of staff (1972–1977) and rector (1978–1984). In 1985 he was appointed a staff member of the Pacific Regional Seminary in Fiji and became rector in 1989, a position he held until 1993.
In 1994 Msgr Jeffrey became parish priest at St John’s Catholic Parish in Euroa before joining St Brendan’s in 1995.
In addition to seminary and parish roles, Msgr Jeffrey has been chairman of the Sandhurst School Education Board since its inception 15 years ago; director of the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria for 12 years, and chairman of a diocesan ecumenical commission for 14 years. He was named prelate of honour (monsignor) by Pope John Paul in January 2000.

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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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