WelCom October 2024
Rangimoeroa Waikari-Panapa
On Sunday 15 September 2024, Catholic Māori from around Te Whanganui-a-Tara met with Archbishop Paul Martin sm to discuss a range of issues relevant to whaanau and faith. Archbishop Paul was seeking counsel on a variety of matters including the relaunching of Te Kahu o Te Rangi and the care of tamariki and rangatahi Māori in our Catholic schools. Background for this were the documents put together as part of the national and global synodal process (eg, Towards October 2024 document).
Lunch preceded the hui – held at St Teresa’s, Plimmerton – which started with karakia and whakawhaanaungatanga. This is an opportunity for introductions and sharing something of one’s background – whakapapa and iwi links, home towns, parents, education, mahi and aspirations for the future.
One of the kaupapa for the day was Te Kahu o Te Rangi. In 1992, Cardinal Tom Williams had called a meeting at Koraunui Marae, Stokes Valley, ‘to ask the Māori community how best may the archdiocese address Māori pastoral needs’. The consensus at that meeting was to establish a representative body of Māori in the archdiocese. The body subsequently established, is Te Kahu o Te Rangi, which held its inaugural meeting on 19 September 1992 at TūHono Hall, Porirua.
Under the 2019 Constitution of Te Kahu o Te Rangi, the Archbishop will send out the karanga for Māori to gather together and elect a new Executive and to carry out the functions of Te Kahu o Te Rangi to:
(a) be an advisory and support group to the Archbishop of Wellington;
(b) advise and assist in the area of Māori pastoral care in the Archdiocese of Wellington;
(c) consider Māori pastoral care initiatives presented to Te Kahu o Te Rangi by the Archbishop or from Te Kahu o Te Rangi to the Archbishop and formulate responses and action; and
(d) share and discuss matters of Māori pastoral significance and communicate these to others in the Archdiocese.
The hope is that our synodal journey of mission may become more fully and deeply realised with the participation of everyone.
The hui conveyed its aroha and karakia to Archbishop Paul on his journey to Rome for the Synod meeting. It ended with his blessing those present and with karakia and hīmene.