WelCom March 2019:
Sue Seconi
Fr Adonic (Don Don) Rancho at his farewell with St Mary’s Primary School students Johnny Anderson, Archie and Finn Gilbert.
John Haami from Whanganui Parish asks the people of Stratford to take good care of Fr Don Don.
The Catholic Parish of Whanganui – Te Parihi Katorika Ki Whanganui gathered on Sunday 27 January to thank their much loved and respected priest Fr Adonis Rancho – affectionately known as Fr Don Don. It was his final Mass with the parish before taking up his new appointment in the Stratford Parish of the Immaculate Conception. While it was sad to see him leave after three years amongst us, we recognised Stratford needed him more because they had been without a resident priest for a year.
The following Sunday, 3 February, we welcomed Fr Nathaniel Brazil from Hastings as assistant priest to our parish (and the parish of Waverly-Patea). Drawing from the first letter of St Paul to the Corinthians about the higher gift of love, Fr Nathaniel asked for the congregation to ‘be patient with him as he will be with us’. Fr Nathaniel said he is looking forward to his time in the parish and our city.
That same weekend, Fr Don Don was welcomed to the Stratford Parish to begin his duties as parish priest there. A large contingent of Whanganui parishioners travelled to Stratford for his first official Sunday Mass in his new parish. After Mass the visitors joined with Stratford parishioners for a pot-luck lunch including a large roasted pig on a spit along with speeches of thanks and welcome.
Fr Don Don will serve the churches of Immaculate Conception Stratford, St Patrick’s Kaponga, St Joseph’s Eltham and Whangamomona.