The appointment was announced in Rome at midnight New Zealand time and means the dioceses of Hamilton, Palmerston North and Christchurch are without bishops pending Pope Francis announcing new appointments.

Bishop Lowe replaces Bishop Pat Dunn, who has served since 1994. Bishop Dunn is retiring.

The Diocese of Auckland has almost 40 per cent of New Zealand's 471,000 Catholics.

"I am humbled at being asked by the Holy Father to be the Bishop of Auckland and the successor of Bishop Pat Dunn, a much loved Bishop," says Bishop Lowe.

"Auckland is our largest Diocese and our first Diocese. When I look at the bishops who have served Auckland, starting with Bishop Pompallier, they all had the challenges of their time and circumstances. But they also had their own unique gifts and talents and the gifts and talents of the people of God. So I'm looking forward to becoming part of the Diocese of Auckland as we work together for the building of God's kingdom."

Bishop Lowe was ordained as Bishop of Hamilton in February 2015. Born in Hokitika, he was ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Christchurch in his home town at Hokitika in 1996.

He served as the assistant priest in the Mairehau, Ashburton and Greymouth parishes before being appointed parish priest of Timaru North and Chaplain of Roncalli College in 2000. From 2005-2007 he completed a Licence in Spiritual Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

He was appointed to Holy Cross Seminary in Auckland in 2008 where he served as Formation Director until the end of 2014. While based there, he served for a time as Parish Priest of Ponsonby.

Bishop Lowe is the Vice President and Secretary of the NZ Catholic Bishops Conference, and the bishops' representative on Te Runanga o te Hahi Katorika o Aotearoa, the Church's national Maori advisory group. He is also a member of several other bodies including the National Safeguarding and Professional Standards Committee.

This was despite two major lockdowns last year as the country was in the grip of the Covid-19 pandemic.

At the first of series of Bishop's Forums to be held around the diocese, Auckland Bishop Patrick Dunn expressed his appreciation of the priests and parishioners, and those who worked in the schools, for everything they had managed to do last year. Read more

The building and adjacent land is one of the largest freehold development sites left in the Auckland CBD.

It was given to the Church, in 1947, by the Buxton family for religious charitable and educational purposes.

Newman Hall was officially opened as a social, cultural and educational instruction centre for Catholic tertiary students in 1962.

In recent years it has been the home for the Auckland Catholic Tertiary Centre (ACTC). It also housed of the Catholic Institute of Theology which closed in 2012.

The 1860s' building has a Category A historic place listing. It retains many of its original heritage features, including sash windows on the ground floor, timber skirting boards, timber wall panelling, decorative cornices and pressed metal rose ceilings.

The Auckland Diocese had proposed a conservation plan for Newman Hall and had developed concept plans for a 10,000 square metre high-rise office building and car-parking on the land behind the hall.

Last year the plans were put on hold because of heritage issues surrounding the site of a fresh water spring located on the land.

Called Wai Ariki, or Chiefly Waters, the spring had been listed as a Site of Significance to Mana Whenua under the unitary plan.

At the time the diocese said, if it was not possible to go ahead with the proposed development of the land behind the Hall, it would not be able to complete the restoration of Newman Hall.

Once the sale of Newman Hall has taken place, the diocese is offering to take a one-year leaseback over the property, to allow a new owner some time to get a development scheme in place for the freehold site.

Source

• newmanhall.org.nz
• truecommercial.nzherald.co.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• Image: dayout.co.nz

Educated at Auckland's Sacred Heart College and Auckland University, Mr Coleman came to Auckland diocese from a background and experience in property.

After beginning his career in rural valuation and farm management, he moved in the 1980s with his family to Hong Kong, spending three years working in the property market. Continue reading

They say they are disappointed that the Catholic Diocese of Auckland does not recognise their legality.

"We absolutely reject this unfortunate claim made by the Diocese," said chairman Murray Painting.

The Trust has 12 board members, made up of whanau and bishops' representatives.

It is is a separate entity to Hato Petera College Board of Trustees.

"A Hui a Whanau was held on 22 November 2015 as the trust had been operating without a quorum due to a number of resignations, so took the necessary steps in accordance with the constitution to add trustees so the Whanau Trust Board could once again conduct its business," Painting said.

"The appointment of new trustees was duly carried out and is now ready to fulfil its responsibilities."

"These responsibilities include commencing immediate discussions with the Ministry of Education because they manage the hostel licence."

Painting said that they believed the Ministry of Education was not informed by the Diocese of the closure before it was announced back in October.

"This is unusual behaviour particularly when there is an Integration Agreement between these parties." he said.

In August the Ministry warned that the Hostel licence could be cancelled.

While the ministry doesn't have oversight of school hostels, it is responsible for their licensing and in extreme circumstances it can be cancelled.

The Ministry gave the Trust until December to complete the repairs.

They also asked the Board to address staffing, security and student supervision concerns.

In his press release Painting says "If the concerns of the Diocese regarding the safety and suitability of the boarding hostel are eliminated by the proposed renovation project that is due to start next week, we urge the Diocese to talk to us so that together we can plan continued boarding and a successful school for 2016 and beyond."

"A large pool of 240 volunteers including master builders, electricians, plumbers, interior designers and others have offered their time, skills and materials at no cost to the diocese to bring the buildings up to standard in time for the commencement of the 2016 school year."

Painting has accused the diocese of withholding the financials on which the claims of the insolvency of the Trust Board are based.

He says that based on the draft accounts they have been able to access, there are questions needing to be answered.

"We have prepared a new budget that shows the boarding hostels can operate on a balanced financial footing for 2016 at even the current low level of student enrolment."

He said the difficulties are the result of mismanagement that the diocese permitted to continue up until the reconstruction of the trust board membership.

The diocese, in response to requests by Hato Petera College whanau, set up the Te Whanau o Hato Petera Trust over 20 years ago.

The trust deed gives Te Whanau o Hato Petera Trust total responsibility for the land, buildings.

Source

• scoop.co.nz
• nzcatholic.org.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• Image: Screenshot 3news.co.nz

The facilities are owned by the Catholic Diocese of Auckland, and it has confirmed that the boarding hostels will not be available in 2016.

The diocese says it was surprised by a press release signed by Murray Painting, announcing that they were reopening.

It says the group represent themselves as board members of Te Whanau o Hato Petera Trust, and that legal advice received is that this new group of Trustees is not legally constituted.

The Diocese is unable to officially recognise this group as trustees, and continues to work with the trustees appointed as Executive of the previous board.

The Diocese made the following comments:

• The media statement was released without prior communication to the Diocese of the intentions of those who issued it.
• The stated intention in the media release by Murray Painting to re-open the boarding facilities for Hato Petera College in 2016 has not been accepted or agreed to by the Diocese.
• Work is currently being undertaken to dissolve the Te Whanau of Hato Petera Trust for reasons of insolvency.
• Te Whanau o Hato Petera Trustees are legally liable for all debt incurred.
• The Diocese has worked with the previous trustees to protect them, by providing financial assistance to pay off the debt, but will not do so again.
• The hostel was kept open in Term 4 for Year 11-13 students so that they were able to complete their NCEA exams.
• The hostel was only able to operate in Term 4 because of the financial assistance from the Diocese.
• The lease agreement with the Te Whanau o Hato Petera Trust is due to be terminated because of the Trust's failure over an extended period of time to adequately maintain the facilities.

The Diocese says it gave a group, led by Sir Toby Curtis, an option of presenting a submission to set up a separate entity to operate the boarding facilities for Hato Petera College, which would provide a safe environment for students, and which showed that the proposal was going to be financial sustainable.

The due date for the submission was 7 December 2015.

No submission has been received. Rather the Diocese was informed on the 7 December that the new Trust group has been delegated responsibility for preparing the submission.

A request for extension of time for the submission has been declined by the Diocese.

The diocese has expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Education for the work they have already undertaken to assist whanau to find alternative educational facilities for those students who are unable to attend Hato Petera College as a day student in 2016.

Source

• radionz.co.nz
• tekarere
• Supplied: Media & Communications, Catholic Diocese of Auckland
• Image: screenshot tekarere

A statement by Murray Painting has expressed optimism about the school's future.

News reports have been confused. Some have referred to Painting as the newly elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees. It seems however that he is the chair of Te Whanau o Hato Petera Trust.

Hato Petera College has two boards.

One is the Whanau Hato Petera Trust, which is responsible for the dorms and the lease of the land.

The other is the Board of Trustees, which is responsible for education.

The Whanau Hato Petera Trust does not come directly under the authority of the Ministry of Education.

"The trust wishes to advise the parents, students and staff that the boarding facilities will be open and we look forward to welcoming them at the commencement of the school year in 2016," Painting said.

"With the refreshing of the governance team of the Trust, we are determined to meet this challenge head on."

"We look forward to opening in 2016 with a student body that will benefit from the renewed energy and determination that the Trust has to create a centre of pastoral care second to none with access to a centre of educational excellence."

In October Te Whanau o Hato Petera Trust and the Catholic Diocese of Auckland announced the closure of boarding facilities at Hato Petera.

The Trust said it has serious financial issues and this will only become worse because of the financial costs associated with the facilities.

It said that "the current operating model for the hostel does not adequately meet the needs of our students."

On Monday Painting said the Trust looks forward to a fruitful and productive relationship with the bishop and the diocese.

"The Auckland Catholic Diocese has always played an important role in the life of Hato Petera College."

"Hato Petera has been the jewel in its crown as far as the secondary school education of Maori students in the diocese is concerned."

"The Takapuna land grant deed vested in the diocese for educational purposes by the then governor Sir George Grey has been the site of Hato Petera since its inception."

"Hato Petera has been the jewel in its crown as far as the secondary school education of Maori students in the diocese is concerned."

Source

• scoop.co.nz
• maoritelevision.com
• nzherald.co.nz
• radionz.co.nz
• Image: facebook

In signing the Trust Deed Te Whanau o Hato Petera Trust accepted total responsibility for the land, buildings and operations of the Trust and a 20 year lease of the land comprising the boarding facilities was agreed upon.

This week the diocese has announced that boarding facilities for students at Hato Petera College will not be available in 2016.

They say the decision was not taken lightly, and was made in the best interest of the students.

The diocese says the current operating model for the hostel no longer adequately meets the needs of students.

The school will continue to operate for day students.

In a press release the diocese provided some historical and background information that they hope may assist to place their decision into context.

The diocese says that as a consequence of a continual breach of the Trust Deed over the 20 year term of the lease, they did not renew the lease agreement in 2014 for a further 20 year period.

Instead a 5 year rolling lease arrangement was offered.

Initially this offer was not accepted.

The lease agreement was only formalized when Dr Lance O'Sullivan took over as co-chair of the Trust.

If this had not occurred, the Ministry of Education hostel license would have been terminated.

The decision to close the hostel facilities in 2016 has been made for the following reasons:

• Only very minor maintenance has occurred on the buildings over the past 20 years and consequently some of the buildings are no longer suitable to accommodate students and significant work and investment is required to bring the facilities up to a standard that the students deserve.
• The Trust has serious financial issues and these will only become worse because of the financial costs associated with the facilities. The hostel has only been able to operate for Year 11, 12 and 13 students in Term 4, 2015, because of financial assistance from the Catholic Diocese of Auckland.
• The original concept of the hostel being run as noho whanau units, where a Catholic Maori couple provided a supportive family environment and truly provided care, advice and guidance for their students, gave real strength to boarding. The organisation of the hostel has changed dramatically over the last few years and the hostel now operates very differently. The concept of a family who pray and who eat together has been lost.

Over the last few months the Diocese has appreciated the open and honest communication that has occurred with the Trust Board.

They say real efforts have been made to truly honour the agreement of the Trust Deed and to cater effectively for the needs of the students in the boarding facilities and to address outstanding and essential maintenance on the buildings.

"Regrettably this outstanding contribution by the Trust Board has come too late."

In looking to the future the Diocese is in the process of setting up a review team who will be charged with the task of undertaking a review of Catholic Maori education for secondary aged students within the Auckland Diocese.

At 1 July 2015 there were 1,216 Maori students attending the 16 Catholic Secondary schools within the Diocese of whom 84 were at Hato Petera College.

It will only be once the recommendations from the review panel are received and considered that the Diocese will be able to make any statements about Catholic Maori secondary education in the Auckland Diocese and what further options may be available for ongoing sustainable boarding facilities.

Source

• Supplied: Catholic Diocese of Auckland
• Image: Facebook

After the Mass representatives from these organisations were presented with certificates.

The mass took place at this time to draw attention to Caring Sunday which occurs on 26 July.

In 1988 Bishop Denis Browne, set up the Catholic Caring Foundation as an independent entity for the long term, with its own volunteer Board of Directors.

Since that time the foundation has allocated over 12 million dollars.

The Foundation helps those in need throughout Auckland, Northland and Coromandel, by providing not only financial assistance, but also mentoring and moral support for families and communities.

When allocating assistance to the organisations it helps, the Foundation adopts a broad view, funding both Catholic and non-Catholic organisations.

Each service the Foundation assists meets a particular need whether in special education for adolescents who are no longer in mainstream schooling, chaplain support for prisoners, or specialist support both physically and spiritually for intellectually disabled people.

The Catholic Caring Foundation also supports programmes supporting youth development, counselling and mentoring services for troubled youths to a specialist psychological service in one South Auckland school, all come under the Foundation's scope.

Each year the Catholic Caring Foundation reaches out to over 40 organisations.

Source

• aucklandcatholic.org.nz
• caringfoundation.org.nz