The fire, lit inside the day chapel, caused minor damage and nobody was hurt.

"It was out within 15 minutes," Father Joe Grayland said at the time. "The fire brigade inspector said it was minutes away from losing control."

However, the short-lived fire coated much of the inside of the building with a thin layer of ash.

After months of hard work, the cleanup is complete and the Catholic cathedral reopened with an early Mass on Sunday.

That Mass began with a blessing - which continued at a second mass - just in time for the St James' Catholic School 65th jubilee celebrations.

The giant cleanup

Every nook and cranny of the cathedral had to be cleaned, so scaffolding was required. They work started on the wooden ceiling and progressed downwards.

Parish manager Steph Grantham says the scaffolding has been removed and a final "big clean" was carried out on Thursday.

The pews and other items that had been removed for the mammoth cleaning task have been put back.

"Now you wouldn't know if you didn't know [about the fire]. Some items, big curtains and other things have been sent off for cleaning."

The carpet was also cleaned.

While the biggest tasks have been completed, Grantham says many smaller things will take their place on the parish "to do" list.

The cost of the cleaning is covered by insurance.

A man has been arrested in relation to the incident and is facing arson charges.

Source

• Stuff

The diocese sponsored a combined parent evening for Sacred Heart College and St John's College earlier this month.

The move follows generous contributions from people around the country who donated to the Diocese's Cyclone Gabriel appeal.

Palmerston North Diocese Chaplain and Young Catholics Team Leader Nick Wilson says the diocese is committed to supporting the community.

Michael Hempseed was a guest speaker at the evening.

He spoke on ‘Understanding and Healing the Impact of Disasters'.

Hempseed helped after both the Christchurch earthquakes and the March 15 mosque attacks.

A disaster's psychological impact is often seen only three to five years later, he told parents and teachers.

"What we know is when a disaster strikes, there is a strong sense of community and it's thought that's a protective factor."

Keep them going, he says. Have community events and keep having them.

Volunteering is an important tool in healing, he adds.

"This has a massive impact on wellbeing. First, you make a good group of friends, you're doing something positive for your community, and you aren't sitting at home feeling sorry for yourselves."

Sacred Heart College Principal Maria Neville-Foster said the evening was timely.

Thanking Hempseed and the Diocese, she said: "It helps us to understand ourselves, but it also helps us to work with the young people we are with.

"They are doing really well when they are connected with their community, and we see wonderful, solid examples of that at school all the time.

"My take home is to try and have more social community events, so when you see those being advertised, you'll know why, and we welcome you into our community space as much as possible to try and create that going forward."

She has a lot of hope for the Sacred Heart and St John's pupils' future.

"But it is about being aware and being able to support them on that journey, alongside their whanau."

Another Sacred Heart College teacher, Juliana Collier, said it was valuable to hear Hempseed's advice.

"Having the permission to just be able to listen is important. It also gives affected people the opportunity to hear stories from other people and know they are not alone."

St John's College Principal George Rogers said it is important to unite and support one another in this time of need.

He said we cannot underestimate the Cyclone's mental and emotional toll on the community.

Source

• Community Scoop

According to the Cathedral Parish Priest, Fr Joseph Grayland, the man was caught on camera lighting the fire.

Grayland says the fire shocked everyone.

The alarm was raised by a man who is in Palmerston North to learn English before training for the priesthood.

He and two others doused the fire and stopped it from spreading further.

Palmerston North Police say a 34-year-old man was arrested on Sunday and charged with arson.

He appeared in the Palmerston North District Court on Monday, May 1, and has interim name suppression.

The man is being remanded in custody and will reappear in court later this month.

Police used social media to distribute the photo of the man identified in the CCTV footage and are grateful to the public for information assisting them in apprehending the offender.

Physical damage to the Cathedral Day Chapel is described as minor.

Only the presider's chair and a table used in the celebration of Mass were destroyed.

The altar is also damaged at one end, and the carpet in the area is also fire and water-damaged.

"It was out within 15 minutes, but could have been much worse," said Grayland.

The fire brigade inspector said they were minutes away from losing control.

While the damage is minor, the smoke and ash damage means there is a consequential problem with the air quality in the cathedral, and, on the advice of fire and insurance assessors, the cathedral is closed until it is cleaned and the air inside is deemed safe to breathe.

Grayland said the smoke and ash had gone all the way to the organ at the other end of the church and out into the gathering area.

He says insurance assessors' have determined that scaffolding is need to clean the church's interior, and a special machine that sucks air out of the building is required to remove the smell of smoke.

As well as cleaning and repairing the Day Chapel, the smoke damage also means that all the vestments and linen must also be cleaned.

Grayland hopes that once the front of the church was cleaned, weekday services will be held in the Gathering Room.

He says the community is particularly grateful to the quick-thinking man who happened to be in the Cathedral at the time and raised the alarm.

The community also thank him and his two colleagues for dousing a potentially more significant fire.

"It is the fire assessment officer's view we were minutes away from losing control of the fire and probable loss of the cathedral," says Grayland.

Talking with CathNews, Grayland says that of the wide range of life events a parish priest helps people with, he never considered dealing with fire as part of 'the job'.

He says that while disappointed, the fire's destruction reminded him there is more to being human than being concerned with history and possessions.

"I'm thankful that no one was injured or life lost," he said.

In the meantime, Sunday masses are being shared between Our Lady of Lourdes and St Mary's churches, while weekday masses are all taking place at Our Lady of Lourdes Church.

"It is very lucky that we have three city churches that are within a short distance of each other that can people can get to," says Grayland.

Grayland has high praise for the quick responding Fire and Police services.

Sources

• Supplied
• Stuff
• Stuff
• NZ Police

Like many places in Wairoa's North Clyde area, St Therese's was swamped.

Silt got into everything and did its worst.

The same happened at the marae next door - and to numerous homes and properties.

Everything may have been under water and silt or swept into the river, but people were wonderfully helpful, Br Denis O'Brien SM (pictured) says.

Memories of the flood's suddenness and speed continue to amaze him.

His voice still sounds startled when he recalls how fast the water rose and the fence in front of the church was picked up and dumped across the road.

A big piece out the front wire gate is still somewhere in the paddock.

The water and silt got found its way into the chapel, even though the doors and windows were shut. It's been swept out now, but the wall cavities are probably holding on to a fair amount of silt.

O'Brien says it'll just have to stay there until the insurance company has decided what to do.

Individuals, families, the Council and businesses pulled together. Willing volunteers O'Brien can't praise enough turned up.

A Mormon family who used to live across the road from the church came back to help clean up St Therese's (locally known as the marae chapel) and the adjacent marae complex.

They came straight away, O'Brien says.

He says there wouldn't usually be so many people around during the working week, but big local employer QRS (the Council-owned Quality Roading and Services) closed its operations and gave staff a chance to look after themselves and others.

Their help was desperately needed.

Over 100 North Clyde families had their homes flooded. Most weren't insured. Many others in the valleys around them weren't either.

Mud surrounds the Easter Candle

Many others came too - the QRS workers and their big machinery, individuals and families worked, cleared, and sorted.

Liam Greer, who is the Palmerston North Catholic diocese General Manager visited.

Just how much it will cost to right any ongoing concerns with the little Catholic chapel and what sort of insurance payout can be expected are questions for the future.

At the time of writing, Greer told CathNews he was waiting for the builder's and insurer's reports.

Until he's seen these, he can't comment, he says.

Washed in silt; organ has seen better days

Meantime, O'Brien says the parish is collecting money, as are various other local organisations. Just how it will be spent isn't clear yet.

It will go where the need is judged greatest; a group, including local taiwhenua and council representatives, will decide how to apportion it, O'Brien says.

The same will apply to funds the diocese raises.

He explains that the diocese is just waiting to be told where and how to distribute it.

O'Brien suggested that the big question is where all the tradies are going to come from to do all the skilled work.

Until various essential skilled jobs are done, families are squashing together.

Source

• Shine TV

Dew made the comment, Friday, in answer to questions from counsel Sally McKechnie, at the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care.

"The Pope is the only one that can remove a bishop from office.

"They have all the information from the investigation. I really don't know why he is still a bishop," said Dew.

Drennan tendered his resignation as the Bishop of Palmerston North following an investigation into a complaint by a young woman, of unacceptable behaviour of a sexual nature. The behaviour was not with a minor, nor criminal.

Pope Francis, October 4, announced he had accepted Drennan's resignation as Bishop of Palmerston North, however for now he still keeps the title of bishop, and remains a cleric.

Dew told the Royal Commission that Drennan must however follow strict conditions imposed on him.

Drennan is required to

• move out of the diocese of Palmerston North
• find accommodation outside the diocese
• not participate in any public ministry whatsoever
• not wear any episcopal attire e.g. a bishop's ring
• not to participate in any celebration or function as a bishop.
• ordinarily remain in New Zealand, but if he wants to leave the country he has to tell the Apostolic Nuncio, the Vatican's diplomatic representative in New Zealand.

Asked if Drennan could not be a bishop but be ‘demoted' to being a priest, Dew said there were cases overseas where this had happened, but he doubts it could be done in such a small country.

"If (Drennan) was (demoted to being a priest), I think they would have to be very careful where they put him and have clear safeguarding procedures put in place."

Dew said no-one asked for Drennan's laicisation and it was a grey area.

"I sent in my votum​ about the complaint and it was up to Rome to decide what his future might be."

Sources

• Stuff

The diocese has a positive vision for the coming year says newly appointed general manager, Liam Greer.

Greer told parishioners in a presentation around the diocese that the diocese's prime focus is its mission.

"One of the best questions (during the presentation) that was asked of us was: ‘You got all the financial issues, compliance issues, ageing buildings that are seismically compromised, what is the biggest priority?' And the answer to that is our mission," Greer said.

"It's not the bricks and mortar. It's not the money. The priority is the mission because, without the mission, the rest of it is irrelevant."

"I think we're in really good stead and in a really good position as a diocese heading into 2021," he said.

During the presentation, Greer explained where the diocese is standing at the moment, the services it offers to the parishes and the pastoral mission the Church in Palmerston North is embarking on.

Greer said the Palmerston North diocese finances are affected by the pandemic; Mass-giving dipped during the lockdown and the equities and properties market took a tumble.

The Palmerston North's situation is not unlike that of other dioceses, he added.

"It looks like the equities and properties markets have bounced back and it's looking as good as it was pre-Covid, but we are looking at avenues where we can increase our passive income through developing land that the Church already owns to create some long-term passive income," he said.

Asked about restructuring parishes, Greer said it has not been a priority.

Any restructuring will be carried out in the coming years in full transparency with stakeholders and as the need to address issues with various buildings becomes important, he clarified.

Members of the diocesan staff accompanied Greer in presenting "Update 2020" at several churches in the diocese.

Pastoral coordinator Isabella McCafferty also gave parishioners an update on their journey as a Church.

She provided a road map for transformation - around where the diocese thinks the Church is - nationally and internationally.

McCafferty's presentation asked questions like "what is the point of our being here, who are we and what is the point of our mission."

Greer said that rather than "maintain" the Church, the diocese office wants to grow and to spread the mission.

"We're essentially there to achieve the pastoral priorities as determined by the bishop.

"So, we've got a mission and we're there to spread the mission, to have Catholic character in schools, to ensure our churches are looked after, our youth ministry is vibrant and is growing ... through prudent administration of affairs, assets and finances of the Church."

Greer praised the support staff, Cardinal John Dew, Msgr Brian Walsh and the other dioceses for their help since his appointment.

He also expressed appreciation to the New Zealand Catholic bishops for holding their recent Conference in Palmerston North.

"That was a show of solidarity with our bishops and recognition that we might not have a bishop but the Catholic Church is there supporting us," he said.

A year after the resignation of Charles Drennan, Palmerston North is still without a new Catholic bishop.

Cardinal John Dew of Wellington is the diocese's interim administrator until a full-time replacement is appointed.

A spokesman for the Catholic Church said Pope Francis appointed all bishops, there was no timeframe for the appointment of a bishop for Palmerston North and when an appointment was made it would be announced by the Vatican.

Sources

• NZ Catholic
• CathNews
• Image: Diocese of Palmerston North

Drennan, the former bishop of the Palmerston North diocese, resigned in October last year after an investigation into a complaint made by a young woman about behaviour of a sexual nature.

Cardinal John Dew of Wellington has been looking after Palmerston North in an interim capacity, but a full-time replacement hasn't been appointed.

A spokesman for the Catholic Church said Pope Francis appointed all bishops and there was no timeframe for the appointment. Read more

Cardinal John Dew, Archbishop of Wellington, is still the apostolic administrator of Palmerston North pending the appointment of a new bishop by Pope Francis. Read more

They are grieving the loss of their leader and wondering what will happen to him.

Drennan resigned after an investigation into a complaint made by a young woman about behaviour of a sexual nature.

Monsignor Brian Walsh, the vicar general of the diocese, lead the prayers.

Diocese general manager Tony Murphy said the complaint a young woman made a complaint "some months ago",

As a result, Drennan stepped aside from his duties while an investigation took place.

The complaint did not warrant police attention, Murphy said.

Walsh said a close friend was supporting Drennan, who remained a member of the clergy until further notice.

That meant the church had an obligation to support him, as it would any other bishop or priest.

Dion Martin said the news of Drennan's resignation was like "a great huge sadness on our hearts."

"My heart goes out to him because it's obviously a difficult time he is going through."

The situation showed the pledge of celibacy priests take was ridiculous, Martin said.

"I find it very cruel."

Many others who spoke share the same sentiment.

However, a spontaneous show of hands by people in the room had less than half of the congregation agreeing priests should be able to marry.

Teresa Edwards, who manages the Catholic schools in the diocese, said teachers and principals were being prepared on how to deal with the issue if students brought it up once school returned after the holidays.

A counsellor was involved in the process, she said.

Although most who asked questions on Monday evening went to microphone and spoke in a measured way, a man in the crowd shouted out, asking why Drennan was not present to answer to the congregation.

Source

Manatawu Standard

They will leave Our Lady of Lourdes parish, Palmerston North, at the end of 2015.

A consequence of this decision is the Society will also scale back its support of Hato Paora College.

"The decision to finish reflects our need to consolidate our apostolates and to prioritise our ministries," Marist Fathers' provincial, Fr David Kennerley said in a letter, Saturday, to Marist priests and brothers.

Fr Kennerley says the Society hopes to continue to support Hato Paora College into the future, but obviously not with as significant a presence as it has up to this point.

The College, a Catholic Maori boys' boarding school, was established by the Society of Mary in 1947.

Currently Fr Matthew Crawford ministers full time at Hato Paora and lives in the Marist community at Our Lady of Lourdes.

Fr Kennerley says that the withdrawal from Our Lady of Lourdes parish marks the end of 14 years service and will be felt by many.

"We are grateful to all our confreres who have served in this parish and in other parts of this area for their energy and commitment," he wrote.

Writing to the Palmerston North Diocese, Bishop Charles Drennan said the priests in Palmerston North always felt the warmth of hospitality and welcome at the Marist Community at Our Lady of Lourdes.

"Our diocese has been greatly served by the Shamrock Street community over the years and it is with much sadness that I recognise the Society's need to allocate their men elsewhere in the mission of the Church," wrote Bishop Drennan.

The bishop said the Marists' vibrant, generous and varied ministry is what will be missed the most.

Members of the Society grouped by age met recently at Tatum Park to prioritise their ministries in New Zealand.

The meetings were requested by the Society of Mary's General Administration in Rome.

Reflecting on these meetings, Fr Kennerley said in his May Provincial Newsletter, that without being asked, both meetings had agreed the Provincial and his Council were left to make the final choice for prioritising the provinces' ministries.

In 2012, the Society of Mary took over responsibility of the Napier Pastoral area that comprises the Napier city parish of St Patrick, St Thomas More parish and the St Mary's parish in Taradale.

Source

• Supplied
• Image: maristmessenger.co.nz

The four lay staff and three priests, who previously worked within the three parishes of St Mary's, St Patrick's and St Thomas More, are presently working out of the unified parish's temporary site at St Mary's in Greenmeadows.

As parish pastoral council member David Marshall said, the location for the staff will eventually be be at the more central St Patrick's Church but money would have to be spent.

The Parish House in Napier is now vacant and two options for its future were now on the table.

It can either be converted and refurbished up to earthquake-risk levels or demolished to make way for a new office building.

"That is the challenge we have to take on," Marshall said.

He says services will continue at all three parishes and a "hub" of volunteers will be at them each morning to deal with parishioner inquiries and provide hospitality "for visitors from wherever they might come".

He said the unification mass on May 24 as probably the most significant event in the 165-year history of the church in Napier.

Last month the unifying of the three parishes was celebrated by Bishop Charles Drennan, the Bishop of Palmerston North Diocese and the three priests of the new parish Father Peter Head, Father Mike Wooller and Father John Mori. The event saw the Municipal Theatre in Napier packed with about 1000 people.

Source

• nzherald.co.nz
• Image: nzherald.co.nz

The Archbishop of Wellington, John Dew, is the nominal owner of more than 170 parish buildings and more than 220 school buildings with an insured value of $350 million.

Up to 50 church buildings have been labelled earthquake risks. Further detailed assessment is now being carried out on each of these buildings, with all results published online.

Each parish will then decide whether they continue using buildings, with some preferring to make alternative arrangements until strengthening work was done, Mullin said.

The assessment of the earthquake risk for school buildings is assessed through a separate programme run by the Catholic Schools Board.

Catholic Schools Board executive chairman Gary Quirk said five schools in the Wellington archdiocese and the Palmerston North diocese require some work. The cost will be about $10m.

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• Image Sumner Red stickered group

Bishop Peter was born in Dannevirke, 29 November 1936, was ordained a priest at Brignole Sale College, Genoa, on 23 December 1961, and ordained as the first Bishop of the newly established Diocese of Palmerston North at St. Patrick's Palmerston North, 23 April 1980. Last year, he completed fifty years of priesthood.

He has a Licentiate in Sacred Theology from the Angelicum, Rome, and has a Master of Theology from Otago University, New Zealand. During his time as Bishop he found time to write a number of books and numerous papers on contemporary issues.

Bishop Peter was a member of the Episcopal Board of ICEL between 1983 and 2003, president of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Conference between 1997 and 2003, and was awarded Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the community.

In his homily at a Mass to mark Bishop Peter's fiftieth anniversary of priesthood, Cardinal Thomas Williams said, ‘Bishop Peter ... You have witnessed over those years to the truth that the vocation to priesthood, serving as Christ served, although it involves sacrifice and commitment, is not only possible but becomes a rich source of fulfilment and deep happiness because it is rooted in love - Christ's love.'

Sources

• Welcom
• NZCBC
• Image: Manawatu Evening Standard