He is urging priests of the diocese to "have the smell of the sheep".

Gielen said that all the former Christchurch bishops have brought their own personalities and style to the position and that he is honoured to follow in their footsteps.

Holding out the promise of new exciting adventures, Gielen said "Jesus does not call individuals", and reminded the diocese that together people are stronger.

"I look forward to joining with you," he told the congregation during his homily at his Mass of Installation on Saturday in St Mary's Pro-Cathedral in Christchurch.

Gielen drew his inspiration for his homily from the Gospel story where Jesus suggested Simon Peter put the nets out the other side of the boat and was surprised at what he found, so much so he needed help to land the catch.

Drawing a parallel he said the "Catholic Church in Christchurch is alive today because our ancestors pushed out from the shore. Not all of them were highly Catholic, but they were all courageous.

He said to think about those who sailed the Waka.

"Think of the courage that they had in their hearts that called them to leave what they knew for exciting adventures and foreign lands.

"We have our faith because bold men and women answered the invitation to bring the gospel to God's furthest outpost."

Gielen said that before leaving Auckland for the last time he went to a great party where 45,000 people gathered at Eden Park.

He recalled the Crusader unity, the tightness of the players who were fighting for each other.

"They were united, despite a stadium full of Aucklanders willing their demise.

"You, the people of Christchurch are renowned for your unity, for your resilience, for your courage."

The congregation, laughing, enjoyed how quickly he changed his colours when he said "And I am so excited to be on a winning team."

On a serious note, Gielen acknowledged that it had not all been good news in accepting Jesus' call and he is resolved to ensuring the Christchurch Church is a safer place.

"The wounds caused by the sin and crime of abuse in our church, I resolve to ensure our church as a safer place.

"I asked God, God's help to give me the strength and humility to truly be a channel of peace and healing."

Gielen said that as Catholics we are here today because people have said yes before us, yes to impossible challenges, yes to voyages to unknown places and, more specifically, people said yes to Jesus.

He said that Mary is a great strength in his life and that she taught him to say ‘yes' to Jesus.

"She has taught me to say yes when the future looks bleak, bleak and challenging.

"I know she's helped many of you say yes as well as to go where he calls no matter what life throws at you to remain faithful."

He said that we can learn to love again, not to be afraid, to give again. Just small steps, to serve and to trust that together we will find "unexpected catches."

He concluded by inviting the diocese to say yes, and for some, to say yes again and sail off together and see what the adventure holds.

Source

• Homily of Bishop of Christchurch, Michael Gielen

Video courtesy of the diocese of Christchurch

Gielen says he is looking forward to continuing Martin's work to consolidate the city's parishes.

"The work he has done in paving the way for the consolidation and strengthening of our parishes and schools stands the diocese in fantastic stead going forward," Gielen said.

"It is an exciting time to lead the diocese through this next growth phase of the Catholic Church in Christchurch."

Gielen's appointment as Bishop of Christchurch was announced in Rome by Pope Francis at 10 pm Saturday night (NZ time) and, while his appointment takes immediate effect, it is expected he will be formally installed as Bishop of Christchurch in early July.

Gielen says he has a deep respect for the people of Christchurch, that the diocese has faced considerable challenges and Martin had responded courageously to meet them.

"I am grateful for the leadership and vision of the outgoing bishop who leaves behind a courageous legacy," said Gielen.

Martin presided over a radical restructuring of the diocese merging identifiable smaller city parishes into five "super parishes".

The parish restructure is due for completion in 2023.

Gielen, from the Waikato in the Hamilton diocese, was born in Cambridge and raised in Tokoroa, where he was educated at Forest View High School. He is the oldest of six children.

He was ordained Auxiliary Bishop for the Auckland Diocese on 7 March 2020. The deacon at his episcopal ordination was his father, Deacon Henk Gielen.

Gielen counts his Catholic faith and his family as his greatest blessings.

25 years a priest, Gielen has worked in Gisborne, Raglan and Mt Manganui. He has also been the Hamilton diocese vocations director and the Director of Formation at Holy Cross Seminary. He also studied in Steubenville, USA and Rome.

Michael Gielen on the 'front foot' playing cricket for Poverty Bay.

A keen reader and with an interest in all sports, these days he is a cyclist.

With Gielen's appointment as Bishop of Christchurch, the former bishop of Christchurch and Apostolic Administrator Paul Martin will move to Wellington to take up his full-time position as Coadjutor Archbishop of Wellington.

With a new bishop of Christchurch, it just leaves Hamilton and Palmerston North without diocesan bishops.

Alarmingly, after the shock resignation of Charles Drennan, the Palmerston North diocese has remained without a bishop for nearly three years.

In November 2020, a spokesperson for the Catholic Church in New Zealand said that Pope Francis appointed all bishops and there was no timeframe for an appointment to the Palmerston North diocese.

Subsequent to Gielen's appointment, members of the diocese who have spoken with CathNews say the long term delay in appointing a bishop in Palmerston North further fuels local fears and speculation that the diocese might be suppressed or be like two diocese in Ireland, where Pope Francis appointed one bishop to head both dioceses.

"We've been so long without a bishop we've forgotten what one is. I'm beginning to think we don't need one," a regular Sunday mass-goer said.

Sources

• Catholic Church media
• Auckland Catholic diocese
• Stuff
• Christchurch Catholic diocese