New Pastoral Director appointed to Holy Cross Seminary
With the blessings of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (NZCBC), Brother Mark McKeon FSC has been appointed as the new Pastoral Director of the Holy Cross Seminary in Ponsonby, Auckland.
Recently returned from Palestine, Br Mark has been a De La Salle Brother for 35 years. He has been engaged in teaching ministry in Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.
NZCBC President, Bishop Patrick Dunn, said that “Br Mark brings to this position his extensive international experience as an educator and formator, together with a great humility and dedication to the wellbeing of others. We are delighted he is available to take up this important formation ministry.”
Br Mark’s time in the Middle East included taking on the responsibility for training the Bethlehem University student ambassadors, responsible for engaging in dialogue with the many pilgrim groups that come to the University and teacher formation in the De La Salle schools in the region in Jaffa, Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Amman.
Rector of Holy Cross Seminary, Father Brendan Ward, added, “with his experience in human resources and relations management, Br Mark brings a depth of knowledge and skill to the role that will greatly benefit the seminarians and staff formation team.”
In his new full-time role, from January 2018, Br Mark will oversee the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of practical pastoral experience, while students are both in the seminary and on pastoral placement outside of it during their formation for priesthood.
On his appointment, Br Mark said, “I want to thank the New Zealand Bishops for their support and affirmation as I take on this important role. I’m looking forward to this opportunity at Holy Cross, working with the students and the impact they will have on the landscape of ministry in New Zealand.”
Holy Cross Seminary (HCS) is the national seminary for the education and formation of diocesan priests for the Catholic Church in New Zealand and is presently located at 44 Vermont St, Ponsonby.
Founded 330 years ago, there are over 4000 De La Salle Brothers worldwide who work alongside 70000 other Lasallian educators in 80 countries. Their work is centred on meeting the educational and welfare needs of young people, especially the poor.