November 2013
Archbishop John Dew
After consultation throughout the Archdiocese of Wellington with clergy and laity from May to August 2013 and, after consulting the Council of Priests, it has been decided that some parishes will merge to create a new parish. As outlined in my proposals in the document A Future Full of Hope, parish churches are to be retained and parishes will be described as ‘One parish – three churches’ (or whatever the number will be).
The plan for parishes into the future will be:
1. Buller/Inangahua Pastoral Area
Sacred Heart Reefton and St Canice Westport are to become one parish with two priests (or a priest and a lay pastoral leader) based in Westport. This will happen when there is no longer a resident priest in Reefton. ‘One parish – seven churches’ (Reefton, Westport, Ikamatua, Murchison, Karamea, Granity, Charleston).
2. Horowhenua/Kapiti Pastoral Area
St Patrick Paraparaumu and Our Lady of Fatima Waikanae have already become one parish, the Parish of Our Lady of Kapiti. ‘One parish – two churches’
St Joseph Levin and St Mary Otaki will become one parish, to be staffed by the priests of the Society of Mary, effective 1 February 2014. ‘One parish – two churches’
3. Lower Hutt Valley Pastoral Area
Ss Peter and Paul Lower Hutt, St Martin de Porres Avalon, St Bernadette Naenae and St Michael Taita are to become one parish, effective 1 February 2015. ‘One parish – four churches’
Sacred Heart Petone, San Antonio Eastbourne, Our Lady of the Rosary Waiwhetu and St Patrick Wainuiomata are to become one parish, effective 1 February 2015. ‘One parish – four churches’
4. Kahurangi Pastoral Area
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Richmond, Sacred Heart Takaka and St Peter Chanel Motueka become one parish when there is no longer a resident priest at Motueka. ‘One parish – three churches’
St Mary Nelson and St Francis of Assisi Stoke become one parish when it is no longer possible to have a resident priest in each parish. ‘One parish – two churches’
5. Marlborough Pastoral Area
St Mary Blenheim and St Joseph Picton are to become one parish, depending on the availability of a priest at Picton. Sacred Heart Kaikoura will remain on its own until there is no longer a resident priest available when it will become part of the one parish. ‘One parish – two/three churches’
The parishes will remain a pastoral area until they become one.
6. Northern Hutt Valley
- Our Lady of Grace Heretaunga and St Francis Xavier Stokes Valley are to become one parish, effective 1 February 2015. ‘One parish – two churches’
- St Joseph Upper Hutt is to remain a stand-alone parish.
7. Porirua Pastoral Area
- St Pius X Titahi Bay and Our Lady of Fatima Tawa are to become one parish, effective 1 February 2015. ‘One parish – two churches’
- Holy Family Porirua East and St Theresa Plimmerton are to remain stand-alone parishes, as is Te Ngakau Tapu, a parish personal to Māori.
8. Wairarapa Pastoral Area
- St Patrick Masterton, St Mary Carterton and St Teresa Featherston are to become one parish effective 1 February 2015. ‘One parish – five churches’ (Masterton, Carterton, Featherston, Greytown, Martinborough).
9. Wellington East Pastoral Area
- St Patrick Kilbirnie, Holy Cross Miramar and St Anthony Seatoun are to become one parish effective 1 February 2015. ‘One parish – three churches’
10. Wellington North Pastoral Area
- Ss Peter and Paul Johnsonville, St Benedict Khandallah and St Andrew Newlands are to become one parish effective 1 February 2016. ‘One parish – three churches’
11. Wellington South Pastoral Area
- St Joseph Mt Victoria, St Anne Newtown, St Francis de Sales Island Bay and St Bernard Brooklyn are to become one parish effective 1 February 2016. ‘One parish – four churches’
12. Wellington West Pastoral Area
- Sacred Heart Cathedral Parish and St Mary of the Angels are to remain as stand-alone parishes.
- St Teresa Karori and St Thomas More Wilton become one parish, to be known as the Catholic Parish of Otari, effective 1 April 2014. ‘One parish – two churches’
Pastoral areas will stay in place in the above groupings of 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 12.
Timeline
2014
- St Joseph Levin and St Mary Otaki unite on 1 February.
- St Teresa Karori and St Thomas More Wilton unite on 1 April.
2015
all from 1 February
- Sacred Heart Petone, San Antonio Eastbourne, Our Lady of the Rosary Waiwhetu and St Patrick Wainuiomata.
- Our Lady of Grace Heretaunga and St Francis Xavier Stokes Valley.
- St Patrick Masterton, St Mary Carterton and St Teresa Featherston.
- St Patrick Kilbirnie, Holy Cross Miramar and St Anthony Seatoun.
- St Pius X Titahi Bay and Our Lady of Fatima Tawa.
- Ss Peter and Paul Lower Hutt, St Martin de Porres Avalon, St Bernadette Naenae and St Michael Taita.
2016
all from 1 February
- St Joseph Mt Victoria, St Anne Newtown, St Francis de Sales Island Bay and St Bernard Brooklyn.
- Ss Peter and Paul Johnsonville, St Benedict Khandallah and St Andrew Newlands.
Timing not yet defined (but to be effective no later than 1 February 2016)
- Buller-Inangahua
- Kahurangi
- Marlborough