Kaingaroa

May 2, 2013

One of the most isolated communities in the Diocese of Christchurch is the settlement of Kaingaroa (population fewer than 50) on the North-East tip of Chatham Island (pop. around 500). It’s an hour’s drive on a winding rugged shingle road from the main Chatham settlement of Waitangi. Today I made the journey to lunch with some of the locals. It was good to be with them again.
Faith in Jesus is alive and vibrant in these isolated communities. We are well over half way through the Year of Faith, and the diocesan offerings and events to mark this year aren’t designed to reach people in these rural and distant areas of the diocese.

I offer what I have been given to offer as a priest. I think of offering Mass at Our Lady of the Antipodes Church on Pitt Island (pop. 30 people), lunching with parishioners and their friends at Kaiangaroa, then late this afternoon celebrating Mass in St. Therese of Lisieux Church Waitangi, and offering the other sacraments (Reconciliation and Anointing and Baptism) wherever they are desired.

And this evening as I prayed Vespers in the dark Church, I was grateful for the opportunity to serve God as His priest in this place.
a couple of views on the journey to Kaingaroa:

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Posts

Ascension

Ascension

Most people think of the Ascension of Jesus as being a ‘departure’ moment. Jesus was here and now he is gone. We imagine Jesus going up into the clouds and the disciples waving farewell from below.
This is an unhelpful image.
It is essential that we understand what does happen and what does not happen in the Ascension event.
It would be easy to wrongly think that in his ministry showed us how to build the city of God on earth, and now he has gone and the mission is left to us.

touching the sacred

touching the sacred

A few years ago I was on Rēkohu Chatham Islands for what has become one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most sacred days, the ANZAC day of remembrance in gratitude for those who gave their lives, their health, their youth, their service that we may live in peace.
The art above was produced by one of the students at the local Te One school.

every which way

every which way

A good number of Food For Faith readers have discovered one of the more recent FFF initiatives, the weekly Homily Studio.
The recording of this half-hour podcast is one of the highlights of my week.

in the room

in the room

Today’s reflection marks the end of the FFF Lent-to-Easter daily email posts. Thank you for your company on this journey.  While these daily posts (for those who have signed up for the Lent / Advent reflections at this link) will take a break until Advent, those who have signed up to receive every post or regular posts at this link.  You might take a moment now to visit this page now to check your email preferences.

During retreat this week I found myself pondering just how difficult it is to accept that God, in Jesus, is really with me today.

disciplined discipleship

disciplined discipleship

As I write I’m nearing the end of retreat days with a group of fifty priests from across the USA.  As I mentioned a couple of days ago the diversity and youth of the group is remarkable with the majority being aged under 40 and a good number ordained for fewer than five years.