The unconditional purchase means the former vineyard will become the parish's new home. The parish's current church and other local sites will be put up for sale in the coming months.

Settlement on the purchase will take place in November in time for the beginning of the Church's new liturgical year.

Growing parish

The parish's consultation document noted that its Mass count is growing. Numbers expanded from 178 in 2003 to 218 in 2013. By 2023 the count had increased to 232 people.

The consultation document also cited Auckland Council projections that Warkworth's population could rise from 5,000 to 25,000 by 2048.

During the consultation process, Holy Name parishioners were able to visit the site, attend a forum about the purchase and complete a survey. This found 85 percent of respondents in favour of the move.

Bishop of Auckland Steve Lowe, who took part in last month's parish meeting and site visit, said it was heartening to hear parishioners looking positively to the future.

"Their bold decision to purchase the property gives them an exciting facility for the parish's future needs and outreach."

The bishop went on to quote Pope Francis who, when declaring 2025 a Jubilee Year of Prayer, said "We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision".

Plans for the land

"The winery property offers a wedding hall that will be adapted and used as a church, with parking, good accessibility, and the capability to become a destination for Catholic weddings" the diocese said. The space and aesthetics of the existing Italian-style building mean a new church could be up and running quickly.

"Under the proposal, the existing restaurant will be repurposed to provide hospitality for parish events, day retreats, community hire and as a space for both church and local groups to gather."

Some land will be set aside for future pastoral use. No decisions have been announced yet about what will happen with the winemaking equipment. Parishioners were consulted about this.

There are plans for a new Catholic primary school to be built on the land but the diocese says that is unlikely for at least 10 years. It will depend on Warkworth's growth.

Price tags

The Catholic Diocese of Auckland has not disclosed the price paid. Sotheby's listing was $7.5 million.

In its consultation document, the parish said the cost of the purchase would be split between the parish and the diocese. The parish share is set at $3,083,584.

The consultation document also stated the estimated capital value of the parish's current property was $3.4 million.

Source

• Local Matters

At a time when many parish churches are closing, the diocese is bucking the trend: it bought the 6.23ha Ascension Wine Estate for a new church and community centre.

The parish and diocese have been looking for the better part of 20 years, says Auckland diocese's general manager, James van Schie.

"We have looked at lots of different sites. Some have been too big or too contoured or in the wrong place or too expensive. This one [near Warkwoth] looks right for us."

New church for the site

Van Schie says once all the paperwork is done, Warkworth's Holy Name parish will take over the site. It plans converting the winery's function centre into a church.

The space and aesthetics of the existing Italian-style building on the Ascension site meant a new church could be up and running quickly, van Schie says.

"The architecture has a familiar and aesthetic appeal for us. Beauty is an important part of life but it doesn't mean that it has to always have an Italian or Mediterranean feel in the future.

"Our church is increasingly multicultural, increasingly strengthened by the dynamism of Asia and the Pacific.

"So what the future will look like is really open to the creativity of the community."

Van Schie says there will be consultation on what people would like to see on the site, including what happens to the wine-making facilities.

"We don't have any intention to make wine at this stage, but you know Catholics have been involved in brewing beer and making wine for some time."

Due diligence, consultation

Right now, there's a lot to be done before The Holy Name parish can start work.

"We are still in the due diligence period" van Schie says.

"We haven't gone unconditional. We're excited by the opportunity but we are just working through the finishing touches of community consultation and our own due diligence."

Longer-term, the diocese may see demand for schools for the area, van Schie predicts.

Just at the moment though, the population isn't big enough to support a typical 250-300 pupil school.

However, van Schie noted that although the diocese's newest school (St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College in Drury) opened last year, the diocese acquired the land for it in the late 1990s.

The diocese had pegged west Auckland as the next growing part of the city, he says.

A year or two ago it acquired a 10-hectare site in Huapai, with a long-term view to building another "Ormiston-style" development of church, parish centre and schools.

Source

• OneRoof