Auckland Bishop Patrick Dunn said this in a homily during the annual Mass for the deceased clergy of the diocese, celebrated at St Patrick’s church, Panmure, on November 6.

The bishop noted that he had just returned from his ad limina visit to Rome the previous month.

“The two great apostles of the Church of Rome are Peter and Paul — and we are very aware of the failings of Peter and Paul,” he said.

“That’s what makes them so attractive to us — that they are living reminders that sanctity is the fruit of fidelity, not perfection.

“You don’t have to be perfect to be a saint — you just have to be faithful, day by day by day, walking in the footsteps of the Lord. And we are very aware of that.”

Bishop Dunn touched on themes of the cost of discipleship and the struggles, weaknesses and failings experienced in living a Christian life. He imagined Jesus having his own struggles as he was on the “way to Jerusalem”, knowing what was to happen there.

The bishop told the congregation that, in the prayerful procession through the cemetery that was to follow the Mass, priests would pass the graves of
their confreres.

“And we know that they too had those struggles, faced those struggles. [But] . . . they had great seeds of holiness and enriched the lives of tens of thousands of people, through their preaching and their fidelity.

“But we also know that we are all human beings and they too had their struggles — for that is what it is to be human.”

Bishop Dunn named — and spoke about, in note form — several recently deceased priests, including members of religious orders, who had ministered in Auckland diocese. Among them were:

“Brian Arahill: We remember him. Loved the liturgy. Hospitality. Encouragement of priests in difficulties. Mentor of seminarians. Beautiful gifts, Brian.”

“Felix Donnelly: Great passion for the young, which led him, for some years, to walk in a parallel path. But a heart really filled with God’s love and trying to help those, especially those, who are most in need, on the fringes of society.”

“Stuart O’Connell: Bishop Stuart. Who spent so many years working in the Pacific and then retired here to Auckland and again served so faithfully and with such a joyful heart.”

“Ray Green: Based here in Panmure for some years. Then the founding pastor at Pakuranga. And parish priest at Owairaka. Beautiful gifts, but also we know the human frailty too. Could be a bit grumpy at times. But that was Ray. But we remember the gifts — his generous response to serving the Lord.”

“Denzil Meuli: We know Denzil. Love for the Latin Mass. He would have liked the “requiem” being sung (at the start of the Mass in Panmure). But Denzil too, a lovely pastor and a nice sense of humour. Very warm relationship with his people in Titirangi.”

“Ikenasio Viteliano: At the start of this year. I think (Fr) David made the point that we all knew that Ike wasn’t a saint. But much loved. Thousands of people on facebook saying how much they appreciated his ministry.”

“And that is the mystery of the priesthood,” Bishop Dunn concluded, “that often our humanity is what makes people feel that they can approach us and trust us.

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The first three words in Latin kept going “round and round in my head” in the days after Msgr Brian Arahill died, said Bishop Patrick Dunn.

The bishop said this during a homily at a requiem Mass at a packed St Michael’s church in Remuera on September 20.

Bishop Dunn explained that this phrase came from the Church’s liturgy of the hours on the feast days of saints who had been great pastors.

“He was a great priest, he was involved in so many things,” Bishop Dunn said of the monsignor, who had been parish priest in Remuera for 25 years, and, before that, administrator of St Patrick’s Cathedral in Auckland for 18 years. Other appointments included Frankton, Whakatane and Three Kings. Ill health forced his retirement five years ago.

Msgr Arahill, who originally hailed from Taranaki, died on September 16 at St Joseph’s Home in Ponsonby. He was 88.

Bishop Dunn recalled, in his homily, a message sent to him since September 16 from Craig McCarthy, a former principal of St Michael’s School, Remuera.

Mr McCarthy related how he was interviewed by the board of trustees for the position at St Michael’s, and when he thought the interview had ended, Msgr Arahill took him aside and said, “Craig , let’s go up to the
parish house now and we will have the real interview”.

“He said he got the message who was boss,” Bishop Dunn said, to laughter from the congregation.

But Mr McCarthy also wrote that Msgr Arahill was the “most supportive, understanding and spiritual leader that any principal could want”.

Bishop Dunn said that Msgr Arahill was “first and foremost, very much a pastor. He loved the Eucharist, he loved celebrating Baptisms and First Holy Communions and funerals and everything else in between”.

In the words of Pope Francis — he was a shepherd, who had the smell of the sheep about him, Bishop Dunn said.

“I’m told that country people don’t like the image — the smell of the sheep — but Brian loved people and loved his parishioners.”

“I have certainly heard, over the last few days, people say how deeply he touched them and their lives. How much they appreciated him. They would often say with a wry smile — the first time we met him, he was a bit scary, but then we found he had a heart of gold.”

His pastor’s heart was especially shown in his “wonderful work in helping people struggling with addictions”, the bishop said.

He had worked with Alcoholics Anonymous since the 1960s, helping many people doing the 12-step programme.

Speaking at the requiem, Msgr Arahill’s niece Therese Arahill noted that his older brother John was profoundly deaf.

“I believe John was the inspiration for Brian’s devotion to those marginalised by society,” she said.

In his heyday, “his voice could fill a room and reach the corner of any
church”, his niece said.

Noting that he “quietly intellectually withdrew” in his later years, she said her uncle’s “spirit remained as strong and vital as ever”. This was shown by one occasion which she recalled.

“One of my sisters asked Uncle Brian to bless her daughter, who had been struggling. It was as if a light was turned on. He placed his hands gently on her head, and looking at her, reminded her that every winter is followed by spring.”

In his homily, Bishop Dunn spoke of Msgr Arahill’s love for the liturgy — he had taught liturgy at the Chanel Institute for 15 years.

From his seminary days, and as a young priest, he had been a great supporter of the renewal of the liturgy, the bishop added.

According to a post on Bishop Dunn’s facebook page, Msgr Arahill was a member of the national committee for the papal visit in 1986, with special responsibility for liturgy. In the diocese, he had been a member of the Council of Priests and of the College of Consultors. He had also served as vicar for pastoral formation.

Bishop Dunn recalled that “dozens and dozens of priests and seminarians passed through the ‘St Michael’s finishing school, the Arahill academy’”.

Bishop Dunn noted many other contributions by Msgr Arahill — his encouragement of priests and seminarians, his dedication to prayer and his helping others to pray, his close association with several religious orders, his hospitality offered to many.

The bishop also recalled the monsignor being a great ecumenist.

“He had a great passion for the unity of the Church,” Bishop Dunn said. The presence of Auckland Anglican Bishop Ross Bay, a personal friend of Msgr Arahill’s, at the requiem was noted.

Bishop Dunn also recalled that Msgr Arahill’s favourite Scripture verse was John 10:10 “I came that they might have life and have it to the full”.

At his golden jubilee of ordination some years ago, Msgr Arahill was asked why this verse was so special to him, the bishop said.

“I am utterly convinced that, while it is good to be alive, there is more to life than this human life on earth. The Easter Christ brings us this life to the full,” was Msgr Arahill’s response.

A quote from St Augustine was another favourite, the bishop added: “We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song.”

Bishop Dunn thanked all those who supported Msgr Arahill in his later years, a time in his life which “was a difficult one”. But “Brian lived with great faith”.

“We miss him terribly,” Bishop Dunn said, “but there is a sense too that we are happy that winter is over and spring has come and he can rejoice in the
presence of God.”

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