"We have been hearing what they want to say to us, their bishops, of their hopes and dreams for themselves, the Church and the world," he writes.

Reflecting on the experience of listening to the hope and aspirations of the young people Lowe writes:

"Our young people live in a very complex world.

But as Church, we are called to be like the father in the parable who never gives up, who always goes out to his sons, and who always holds them in his heart and embrace no matter what.

This is the first call of the Church where the relationship that has primacy.

Behaviour changes when divine love in encountered as is attested to in the testimonies above.

We must never lose sight of the love God has for us. So as Church we must truly love with the heart of the Father.

But it also means, as sons and daughters of the Church, that we have to have hearts that are open to receive the Father's love. The perfection of unconditional love is found in giving and receiving, not just one or the other.

It strikes me more and more that all of our hearts need reforming so that in and through us Christ might transform the world."

Lowe says he has been moved by hearing the stories of young people enduring extraordinary hardships.

"But at the same time, we have been hearing about young people with great spirit, who are alive in their faith and service, who put their faith into action with so much joy and enthusiasm."

Click here to read more on Bishop Steve's Facebook page

Source

• facebook.com
• Image: facebook.com

The Hamilton diocese covers the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, East Cape and King Country.

"I have a love for the rural areas, both the people and the countryside," Lowe told Waikato Times reporter Chris Gardner.

"It's harder to be a Christian in a rural area."

"Everyone in the community knows everyone else's business and it makes it more of a challenge to go along to church on a Sunday."

Gardner says, "Lowe comes across as a gentle, warm, man, who is not big on pomp and ceremony."

"People call him Bishop Steve, or just Steve."

"If I am not a good man as Steve, I am not going to be a good man as Bishop Steve," Lowe says.

"I remember when I was ordained a priest I was walking down the aisle thinking 'Lord, I don't believe it, I am a priest'.

I was walking down the aisle in Hamilton thinking 'Lord, I am a bishop. How did that happen?'"

Lowe says he feel as if he has been hit by a "tsunami of names and faces."

There are 35 parishes in the Hamilton diocese.

By the end of the year he hopes to have visited each one of them.

He says he has a really good relationship with Anglican Bishop Helen-Ann Hartley but he hasn't, yet, met other denominational church leaders.

And while he continues to "meet and greet" the people and to hear what everybody is thinking, the Bishop already has a number of concerns that he wishes to address:

• To be able to speak Te Reo Maori, but he says it is quite a challenge.
• To look into Maori spirituality, which he tinks has a lot to offer.
• To help the huge amount of people in need.
• To continue to provide ministry to the rural areas.

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• Image: FaceBook

A letter explaining that Kapiarumala no longer had permission to exercise ministry in the diocese and detailing allegations that had been made against him has been read out to congregations and put on noticeboards at churches across the region.

Kapiarumala was serving in the parish of Tauranga when a parishioner made a complaint about him.

Spokesperson for the bishop, Simone Olsen, confirmed an investigation was completed under the church's protocol "Te Houhanga Rongo - A path to healing."

"The steps Bishop Steve has taken are as a result of that investigation."

"An outcome has been reached and he (Kapiarumala) has been told he can no longer minister as a priest in the diocese of Hamilton."

Olsen said police were informed by the complainant but "the behaviour was not of a criminal nature."

The diocese confirmed it offered to pay Kapiarumala's airfares back to India, where he is from, but he has declined the offer.

When contacted Kapiarumala confirmed he had issued instructions to his lawyer, Lisa Abrams, regarding the letter and referred Fairfax Media to her.

In an email response Abrams said that investigations and discussions regarding the matters are still ongoing.

"It's not appropriate to discuss events in detail at this time," Abrams said.

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• Image: topnews.in

Hundreds of non-Catholic children are already registered on Catholic school waiting lists in Hamilton city alone and this has Hamilton Diocese planning a new primary school north of the city.

The surge in popularity of Catholic schools among non Catholics seems to be at odds with a 6.7 per cent decline in the number of Christians the 2013 New Zealand Census recorded.

The Bishop of Hamilton, Stephen Lowe, said non-Catholics were looking for different things in Catholic schools.

"For some it is a really strong faith based education programme, lots of other Christians from other churches want to come to the Catholic school system because of what we offer.

"For others it's just because they perceive the school as being a good school," Lowe said.

Source

• stuff.co.nz/waikato-times
• Image: sjb.school.nz

He is at present Director of formation at the National Seminary, Holy Cross College.

Hearing of the announcement Bishop Browne said, "I am delighted that Hamilton will receive a Bishop with such pastoral sensitivities and expertise both of which Bishop-Elect Stephen has."

"His pastoral experience in parishes and his brilliant term as director of formation will all serve him well and he will be warmly welcomed to Hamilton Diocese."

Lowe said "It has been a humbling and overwhelming experience to have been called to be the third Bishop of Hamilton."

"I look forward now to meeting the people, religious, deacons and priests of Hamilton Diocese and to work with and serve them as their bishop."

"As I do so I am conscious of Bishop Denis Browne's faithful service as bishop and I look forward to learning from him and the Diocesan family as I take up my new ministry."

Lowe was born 1962 in Hokitika, in the Diocese of Christchurch.

After his secondary studies at Westland High School in Hokitika, he worked for the New Zealand Forest Service in Hokitika and Christchurch and NZ Timberlands in Timaru.

During this time he became involved in his local parish in Timaru North where he was involved in a young adults group and with youth in the parish.

In 1990 he began studying for the priesthood at Holy Cross Seminary College in Mosgiel and then the St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia, United States.

He was ordained a priest June 7, 1996 for the Diocese of Christchurch.

He served as the assistant priest in Mairehau, Ashburton and Greymouth parishes before being appointed parish priest of Timaru North.

In 2005, he pursued studies in spirituality in Rome at the Pontifical Gregorian University.

After completing a Licence in Spiritual Theology he was appointed to Holy Cross Seminary in 2008.

"We are grateful that Bishop-Elect Stephen Lowe has accepted the call to this special ministry, and on behalf of all the New Zealand Bishops I express our support and welcome as he becomes part of our New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference." said Archbishop John Dew, President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference.

"We have no doubt that he will bring a valuable perspective to our discussions."

The Diocese of Hamilton in New Zealand (1980), suffragan of the Archdiocese of Wellington, has an area of 49,700 square kilometers and a population of 678,000 inhabitants, of whom 96,500 are Catholics.

There are 36 parishes, served by 49 priests (32 diocesan and 17 religious), 23 religious brothers, 50 nuns and 6 seminarians.

Source

• Vatican Radio
• Supplied: Catholic Communications
• Image: Holy Cross Seminary