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