WelCom February 2022
WelCom’s Hīkoi of Faith this month visits Our Lady of Hope Catholic Parish in Tawa and Tītahi Bay.
Tawa is about 15km north of Wellington’s CBD between Churton Park and Porirua. Tawa, a mainly suburban area, is known for its large number of churches, representing a wide range of Christian denominations. Within Tawa, there are a number of areas – Lindenvale, Westhaven, Redwood and Southgate to the west and Linden, Greenacres and Sundale to the east of the central Tawa area.
Tītahi Bay, about 10km further north, is a suburb of Porirua, at the foot of a peninsula on the west coast of the Porirua Harbour, to the north of Porirua city centre. The legendary Polynesian navigator Kupe landed at Komanga Point, 3 kilometres west of Tītahi Bay. The area was settled by Māori for many years before the arrival of Europeans, and several pa sites and marae are located nearby. The first European residents were whalers operating from Korohiwa, between Tītahi Bay and Komanga Point.
Brief History
1842: Fr Michael Borjo sm first parish priest for whole Wellington district.
1843: Fr Jeremiah O’Reily OFM, Wellington’s second resident priest, walked bush tracks over hills to serve widespread Wellington parish district including Porirua.
1844–1854: Fr Jean Comte sm of France, celebrated first Mass at Māori pa ā Takapuwahia (Tītahi Bay-Elson area). Takapuwahia became a centre of Catholic Māori life, and cradle of faith. 1850, Tohininute – Wiari (Viard), Ruhi – Remi; and Ngamonu – Werahiko (Francis) from Porirua, baptised in Wellington.
1850: Hutt parish established, covered Porirua and Tītahi Bay.
1870: Denis and Martha Ryan, first European Catholic family, came to Tawa Flat. Hutt priests said house Masses at their home.
1878: Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Pauatahanui, consecrated by Bishop Redwood, attended by Catholics of Porirua basin and Pauatahanui.
1886: Fr Joseph Lane of Country Cork, Hutt parish priest, travelled on horseback over Hayward Hills tracks, down Tawa Valley and old Porirua Road, saying Mass and administering sacraments.
1889: Mass in residence of Mr Denis Ryan, police constable. Fr Lane offered monthly mass in Tawa school.
1900: Mass centre in Tītahi Bay was Porirua. Mrs Bassy Sullivan donated hotel land for church site.
1903: Sacred Heart Church Porirua blessed by Archbishop Redwood, parish church for Tītahi Bay Catholics for 50 years. (Church now beside Bishop Viard College).
1922: Johnsonville parish established, taking in Porirua and Pauatahanui. Fr Michael Griffin first parish priest. Established convent for Brigidine Sisters, built first Catholic school in area for children from Plimmerton, Porirua, Tawa.
1940: Parish of Plimmerton established – Plimmerton, Pukerua, Pauatahanui, Porirua, Tītahi Bay.
1943: US Marines at Tītahi Bay travelled to Porirua for Mass. Built cinema, served as Catholic temporary school later.
1946+: Post WW2, huge growth and housing development, Porirua, Tītahi Bay, Tawa. Faith and parish evolve, church and school built.
1951: Official ‘birth’ of Tawa parish. Church hall opened.
1953: St Francis Xavier School prefab buildings opened behind Sacred Heart Church, Porirua. Brigidine Sisters taught.
1954: Archbishop McKeefr opened Pius X Church, school, Tītahi Bay. Population growth Tītahi Bay, Elsdon and Porirua.
1956: Tītahi Bay Catholic Women’s League formed; Children of Mary and Altar Society in 1957.
1958: Porirua-Tītahi Bay parish, separated from Tawa.
1960: Archbishop McKeefry blessed St Francis Xavier School, building and site.
1960s: Christian Family Movement and St Vincent de Paul Society, Tītahi Bay-Elsdon, St Pius X parish council, Catholic Youth Movement formed Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, began in parish.
1964: Tītahi Bay and Elsdon, constituted parish.
1966: Bishop Snedden opening Mass for Our Lady of Fatima Church, Tawa.
1967: St Pius X Church, Tītahi Bay, opened by Bishop Snedden.
1969: Viard College, Porirua opened by Cardinal McKeefry, Governor General Sir Arthur Porritt.
1993: Assumptionist priests came to Tawa.
2000: Marist Sister Sr Antonia and Sr Francine welcomed to Tawa, Sr Margaret and St Juliana arrived 2006.
A parish with a diversity of people
Jane Langham
Our Lady of Hope Parish in Tawa and Tītahi Bay is blessed to have several priests and sisters living in our community who reflect the diversity and charisms involved in our parish life and ministry. Fr Rico de la Torre, who was appointed parish administrator in February 2018 and parish priest in February 2019, and Fr Marlon Tebelin, chaplain to the archdiocesan Filipino community and parish assistant, have served our parish with dedication. They are ‘on loan’ from the Archdiocese of Caceres in the Philippines. Fr Marlon will be parish priest in Holy Family Parish, Nelson/Stoke from this month. Fr John van der Kaa AA and Fr Paul O’Connor AA are the last of the Assumptionist priests who served our parish for 25 years. They are living their retirement years in Tawa and willingly provide relieving duties to offer Mass both in Our Lady of Hope and the surrounding parishes. The Marist Sisters have had a community in Tawa for almost 30 years, not as ‘parish sisters’, but to serve parish and community in whatever ways they can. Currently living here are Sr Francine McGovern SM and Sr Margaret Vaney SM and they service the community in many ways. We are also enriched by members of the Foculare Movement living nearby. Our parish churches, Our Lady of Fatima in Tawa and St Pius X in Tītahi Bay, are attended and supported by many and we are blessed with a sharing of many vibrant cultures and traditions.
Fr Marlon Tebelin and Fr Rico de la Torre, parish priest. 
Fr John van der Kaa and Fr Paul O’Connor, both now retired. 
Sr Francine McGovern and Sr Margaret Vaney.
St Francis Xavier School, Tawa
Joan Woods, Principal-Tumuaki
St Francis Xavier School Tawa was founded by the Brigidine Sisters. It has been on its present site in Tawa since 1960, when it was built to meet the need of a growing number of Catholic families in the area.
The Bridigine Sisters’ motto is Strength and Gentleness. Strength of mind and gentleness of heart form our values. The children show strength through their resilience when facing challenging situations in learning, or on a personal level. They show gentleness in their caring for others and the world around them.
We have 160 on our roll and over 17 ethnicities represented, reflecting the diverse makeup of the Tawa population. There are seven classrooms operating from new entrants to Year 6 with a dedicated teaching and support staff.
Even in these ever-changing and challenging times our school continues to involve families. The annual school picnic at the local Willowbank Park, and Grandparents’ Day, are examples of how we enjoy connecting with our wider community.
New children are formally welcomed at a whole-school assembly when they wear a school korowai (cloak) as a sign of belonging the school. The children wear the korowai again at their leaving ceremony.
St Francis Xavier School has been extremely successful in the local Catholic Schools’ Scripture Reading Competition, and has won first places in the English, Māori and Samoan sections. We also have strong connections with the other local Tawa schools and cultural events.
Year 6 students can join the Young Vinnies and their activities have included visiting a local rest home, where recently – to their delight – they met a resident who had been an All Black! They have also grown vegetables, which were donated to the local SVdP foodbank. Cleaning up the beach in Porirua Harbour was another very popular activity.
Our school vision is: ‘through Christ we believe, we learn, we grow’.
St Pius X School, Tītahi Bay
‘Whānau-Atua-Kura-Aroha – Together we Shine’
Michele Whiting, Interim principal
St Pius X School in Tītahi Bay is a small school with a big heart from New Entrants to Year 6. Situated in the beautiful seaside suburb of Tītahi Bay, St Pius X School was established in 1954 to serve the Tītahi Bay Catholic Parish. It was originally staffed by the Brigidine Sisters.
Today, we begin the 2022 year with 56 students, 3 teachers and a teaching principal, supported by two teacher aides and our office administrator.
We are Christ-Centred, forward thinking and actively engage our learners to live the gospel values of Jesus Christ in all we do here at St Pius X School and contribute to a positive school culture, through living our four CREW values – Care, Respect, Excellence and Wisdom.
Despite Covid interruptions, last year we were able to celebrate our Catholic Character on two special days. The first was grandparents’ day with Mass at St Pius X Church followed by fun activities with grandparents in the classrooms and morning tea with staff. The second was Mass of the Assumption held at Bishop Viard College. It was great for us to be involved with our tuakana, reminding our students there is a Catholic education pathway.
Our students enjoy positive movement, dance and sport activities and Years 5 and 6 attend school camps at El Rancho learning about self management, relating to others, participating, contributing, and having fun.
Years 4–6 learners are part of the Healthy Harbours programme, which looks at Tītahi Bay’s marine diversity, Porirua histories, the geological features and impact of humans on our environment. This includes snorkelling at Tītahi Bay.
We have a great group of parents and whānau who to provide support by transporting students to activities, working in the breakfast club and organising fruit. A disco, organised towards the end of term three last year contributed to a large amount of grocery items for the Vinnies food banks.
A vibrant, diverse and prayerful parish
The first parish magazine in Tawa, Gleanings, was published from 1979 through to the late 1980s. The idea was raised again following a Parish Mission in 2000. Tawa Catholic News came into being to continue the evangelising process. Production was led by the team of Bernie Griffin, David Belz and Brain Martin. The principle ‘Every edition to every Catholic home in the Parish’ continued through to parish amalgamation when Tawa and Tītahi Bay joined to become Our Lady of Hope parish. The magazine name then became Stories of Hope and continues to provide news about parish and family celebrations, group activities and personal reflections and testimonies, as well as updates from our schools and parish births, deaths and marriages. The printing is provided by Ninness Funeral Homes, making it possible to produce 800 plus magazines.
– Jane Langham
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, ‘Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.’
Prayer is the foundation of all Christian life. There have been many examples of revitalisation of areas of parish life because of personal and shared prayer times.
On 7 June 1995, Adoration of the Blessed Eucharist was introduced in our parish, set up with the blessing of then parish priest, Fr Penders. Since then, dedicated parishioners have committed to spend an hour with the Lord in Adoration during each hour of the 12-hours from 9.30am to 9pm, every Wednesday, to ensure there is always someone present with our Lord. Covid restrictions have limited this Adoration time.
After every weekday Mass, several people stay to say the Rosary together. This is one of the many strengths of our parish.
– Mark and Angela Wolstenhome
Our parish is blessed with passionate and committed volunteers. To honour their invaluable contributions the parish held a ‘volunteer day’ in January last year to celebrate over 120 volunteers from different ministries in the parish who attended. Fr Marlon opened the event with prayer followed by Fr Rico’s words of appreciation, blessing and sprinkling of Holy Water. Fr Rico said the parish is blessed to have about 300 committed volunteers serving in different capacities and ministries. ‘It is evidence of God’s grace to have such committed and active volunteers who keep the parish alive.’ Marie Prescott (PPC chair) warmly acknowledged the parish’s appreciation of the volunteers gathered. Fr Marlon blessed the sumptuous meal for the volunteers.
– Kingsley Ihejirika
Many people give ‘life’ to a parish – as evidenced by our volunteers – and many who generously give of their own talents are able to inspire and encourage others to do the same. Marie Andrewartha is one of these special people. Marie has initiated children’s liturgy, family Masses, ‘cup of tea’ roster for after Masses, Marian Mothers’ groups, joining with the other Tawa churches offering Alpha courses, and training and encouraging ‘greeters’ to be ‘ministers of hospitality’. Marie was a recipient an archdiocesan Fitzgerald Award in 2010. Her twin brother Ian McClean is active in the SVdP group and lives in Tītahi Bay. Marie is supported in everything she does by her husband Graham.
I have been a member of our local Saint Vincent de Paul conference for a few years but had only ever delivered a handful of food parcels. All that changed when the Covid-19 Lockdown occurred in 2020.
Government age-restrictions left us with fewer members allowed to deliver food parcels, so I stepped up to help. Our delivery area covers from Grenada North through to Tītahi Bay.
Our usual food donations made by way of the basket in the church foyer was not an option during lockdown, so more food had to be purchased to fill the parcels requested. Donated money has allowed us to purchase basic food staples to make up each parcel. We have been fortunate to have been given basics by Kiwi Community Assistance.
I felt privileged to be able to enter the church during this time albeit wearing a mask and gloves. It felt strange, but the photo of Pope Francis and the large Divine Mercy picture of Jesus on the wall in the foyer reminded me Jesus was guiding me.
I and my fellow Vinnies throughout New Zealand have prayed daily for people around the world and the effects Covid-19 has on us all. I also prayed the Divine Mercy Novena for the first time and found this to be spiritually uplifting, allowing me to focus on doing the Lord’s work by feeding the hungry and serving the poor.
There is a continuing need to help an increasing number of individuals and families struggling from the impacts of Covid-19.
– Marie Nicol
‘The ladies work really hard to make it a happy occasion, serving beautiful food on attractively set and decorated tables. The guests are served courteously and with great cheerfulness. It is a wonderful chance to catch up with old friends and to make new friends.’
So said one of the attendees at a Tawa Tuesday luncheon. I don’t know how the parish volunteers manage to produce such a quantity of good food for the small donation we attendees make. As well as the food, there is always ‘entertainment’, generally from the parish. There are many good singers, musicians and dancers in our wider parish and local communities who share their talents, including our parish priests and religious who have entertained us with their musical skills.
Our lunches contribute to the faith life of the parish. Over a lunch, older people do talk. I have heard conversations about children and grandchildren struggling with their faith and how the parents or grandparents have dealt with such issues. I have been asked to pray for family members who are sick. Our faith life permeates everything we do, but more so when we share food and drink with other parishioners.
This luncheon group is suspended during Covid restrictions.
– Patrick Horan
The Legion of Mary is another of our parish groups that quietly goes about its activities of prayer and service. The Samoan adult group visit Longview Home every Friday for a liturgy and to give Holy Communion to Catholic residents. They organise ‘Rosary Statue’ of Mary roster, delivering it to those who sign up on the roster then collect it a week later. They also make regular visits to Arohata Women’s prison to lead a Sunday service. Visits are made to sick parishioners at home or in hospital. There is also a children’s-young people’s Legion of Mary group who take part in some of the parish ministries such as altar serving, cleaning, and music.
–Vitolina Thomas
The presence of flowers can bring a sense of calm, natural freshness and colour to a room. I am one of six ladies who do the flower arrangements in our church. We each have our own style. I’ve been preparing the flowers in the sanctuary for over 20 years. Without formal training, I never dreamed I could do it. I couldn’t believe what could be done with flowers and how much detail and passion was involved in their preparation – some occasions demand a large eye-catching display and bold statements, while an urn or pedestal create drama and classical grace. I’ve completed a few arrangements for special occasions like church weddings, wedding receptions and birthday displays, christenings and funerals. I love flowers, with their beauty and texture and I also now look after the presbytery garden flowers outside.
– Evelyn Lang
Photos: Supplied