Christchurch's new Bishop Ordained
On Saturday, 3 March 2018, the Catholic Church will ordain Bishop-Elect Paul Martin SM as the new Bishop of Christchurch.
In December last year, the Vatican announced the appointment of Father Paul Martin SM as the next Bishop of the Christchurch Diocese. He will be the tenth Bishop of Christchurch and succeeds Bishop Barry Jones, who died in February 2016. His Eminence Cardinal John Dew, Archbishop of Wellington, will ordain Bishop-Elect Paul.
The Ordination will take place at Christchurch Boys’ High School Auditorium, with a capacity crowd of up to 1400 people expected to attend, including more than 100 clergy, 50 civic leaders and other Church leaders. The Vatican’s diplomatic representative, Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Martin Krebs will be in attendance.
The Ordination will be followed the next day by Bishop Paul’s Installation at St Mary’s Pro- Cathedral. This is the reception of the bishop in the cathedral church of the diocese, at which he will preside for the first time with the priests and members of the Diocese.
Bishop Patrick Dunn, President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (NZCBC), said “the ordination of a new bishop is a truly historic moment for the Diocese of Christchurch. I, and the other NZ bishops, are delighted to welcome Bishop Paul as he joins us. Bishops are called to be shepherds of the flock of Christ, and I know Bishop Paul will bring to this work his many personal gifts plus the pastoral experience he has gained during his priestly life thus far.”
Diocesan Administrator, Father Rick Loughnan said, “on behalf of the Diocese, I extend our prayers and good wishes to Bishop-Elect Paul. We look forward to this wonderful occasion of his ordination as he takes his place as our Shepherd.”
The New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (NZCBC) is the assembly of the Catholic Bishops of New Zealand coordinating national activities and ministries of the Catholic Church. These include education social justice, Māori advisory, communications and engagement with the public, liturgy, ecumenism, bioethics, interfaith relations, pastoral work in prisons and hospitals, and more.
Ko te Huinga Pīhopa o te Hāhi Katorika o Aotearoa (NZCBC) te kāhui whakahaere o ngā mahi whakapono a-motu me ngā rōpū minita o te Hāhi Katorika. Otirā ngā rōpū mātauranga, tika me te pono, kaitohutohu Māori, whakapaoho whakawhiti whakaaro me te toro atu ki te iwi nui tonu, ritenga o te Hāhi, whakawhanaungatanga o ngā Hāhi, matatika koiora, whakawhanaungatanga o ngā whakapono, mahi minita ki ngā whareherehere me ngā hohipera, oti atu.
Media Contact: Mike Stopforth Tel. 027 539 8542
Spokesperson: Bishop Patrick Dunn Tel. 09 378 4380
Father Rick Loughnan Tel. 021 223 0680