John Mackey RIP

Jan 20, 2014

An email a short time ago from my bishop’s office announced the death of Bishop John Mackey of Auckland. Bishop Mackey retired as Bishop of Auckland in 1983, and had been a priest for more than seventy years.

When I heard the news of his death I took from my bookshelf his “Reflections on Church History” 1975, written when he was teaching Church history at the National Seminary in Mosgiel. In the opening lines of the preface of that book he gives a sound focus and motivation for those of us who continue to passionately pray the prayer of Jesus “that they may be one” (John 17:21)

“History has split the community of believers,
but it has not split the saving work of Christ
or the presence of His Spirit
in all of those who turn to Him in faith.
May the little I have written be a token
of my respect for the devotion of so many who love the Lord
and love His Church in their own traditions.

“Reflections on Church History” 1975 p.viii

may he rest in peace

0 Comments

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

← Previous Post Next Post →

seeking & calling

In every encounter, local and afar, with people of every age and at every stage of life, the struggles and joys of people are remarkably similar.

Assumption

Humans too often make the fatal mistake of separating body and soul, yet our deep desire is for unity of body and soul.

ahead of grace ?

Both readings are personal favourites and every time I hear them and ponder them these texts speak to me in new and powerful ways.

Mary MacKillop

Too often we settle for an existence of lurching from one satisfaction to the next.

an inner peak

I know a few people, including several Food For Faith followers, who are nearing death. Some of these are elderly and accepting that their life on earth is naturally coming to an end. Others, well before their time, are struggling with poor health and living with diagnoses of terminal illness.