WelCom December 2023
The noise of coming from the church hall from parishioners watching the Rugby World Cup final on the big screen saw Bishop John Adams join them as he arrived at St Mary’s Church before his official welcome that morning.
Kohurangi Simon from Kaiwhaiki said during his kaikorere at Bishop John’s official welcome to St Mary’s Church, ‘I acknowledge God our Father above embracing us with his great cloak for us today as we welcome our new bishop to Whanganui and the River.’
Delighted to welcome Bishop John to Whanganui and the diocese, parish priest Fr Craig Butler said, ‘this is your new home now’.
‘We’ve waited for a long time for a bishop. Don’t do everything at once, but know you have our love and support,’ he said.
In his homily, Bishop John recalled when he was asked to be Bishop of Palmerston North, that Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa had advised him to be a teacher of the faith and not a theologian. ‘God loves us far more than we ever imagined. Everything we do in response to that love, is grace.’
Morning tea followed Mass as Bishop John mingled with parishioners.
Words by Sue Seconi.