Bishop Basil Meeking, Bishop Emeritus of Christchurch, dies aged 90

Bishop Emeritus of Christchurch, Most Reverend Basil Meeking DD, died today, Bishop Paul Martin has announced.

Bishop Meeking, aged 90, passed away at Christchurch Hospital after a recent period of ill-health.

Bishop Meeking was the seventh bishop of Christchurch. He was first ordained as a priest in 1953, and then as a bishop in 1987. He served as bishop from 1987 until 1996.

Bishop Meeking served in a number of parishes in the diocese and held other pastoral appointments such as chaplain to Christchurch Hospital and representing the Catholic Church to the National Council of Churches.

He undertook doctoral studies from 1963-1966 in Rome at the University of St Thomas Angelicum and in 1969 was appointed to the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity in Rome where he worked for the next 18 years.

“Bishop Basil had a great love of priesthood and has left us a legacy of priests who have a strong identity in their priesthood,” said Bishop Paul.

Since his retirement as the Bishop of Christchurch, Bishop Basil worked from 1997 to 2006 with the late Cardinal Francis George of the Archdiocese of Chicago. He then resided in Christchurch and continued giving retreats and talks in New Zealand and overseas.

May he rest in peace. The funeral details are here.

Go here for a YouTube video of a homily given by Bishop Meeking in Melbourne last year (pictured above).

Go here for a biography of Bishop Meeking from the Christchurch Diocese archives.