WelCom March 2021
The parishes of Te Ngākau Tapu and St Mary of the Angels again hosted the annual Archdiocesan Waitangi Day Mass at Wellington’s St Mary of the Angels Church on 6 February.
Matthew White, a seminarian of the Archdiocese who is studying in Auckland and who has been part of the bilingual and bicultural Waitangi Day Mass since its inception in 2002, said the Mass is a wonderful way to celebrate our national day. ‘The Mass brings together choirs from Te Ngākau Tapu and St Mary of the Angels who sing in a wonderful combination of Te Reo and Latin. The chanting in Māori and singing in Latin of the Lord’s prayer simultaneously is one of the many highlights of this annual Mass.’
Prayers of the Faithful were offered in eight languages of the parish, and representing many peoples and cultures who make up Aotearoa.
In his homily, Cardinal John Dew reminded the congregation that every time we gather as a community for Mass, we gather as an act of memory united with all who break bread – past, present and future. Quoting Pope Francis’ encyclical Fratelli Tutti, ‘we need to keep alive the flame of our collective conscience’, Cardinal John said Waitangi Day is a moment of holding our collective conscience of the history of this country.
Cardinal John drew attention to the opening prayer for Waitangi Day, ‘Almighty and living God, under whose governance the design of God unfolds, as you once led the Māori people to find their place in this land.’
He said while different peoples have found their way here, ‘Maybe we are still finding ways to live together in the promise and hope of the Treaty, in true dialogue and respect.’
Cardinal John acknowledged three kaumatua of the Archdiocese – Tuki Takiwa, Teresa Warbrick and Manuka Henare – who have recently died, as models of dialogue and respect.