WelCom October 2022
This month we visit the Catholic Parish of Otari. It has two churches – St Teresa’s Pro-Cathedral and St Thomas More’s Church, and two Catholic primary schools – St Teresa’s and Cardinal McKeefry School. The parish area encompasses urban Wellington’s west-central suburbs of Karori (one of New Zealand’s most populous suburbs), Northland, Wilton and Otari, about 4km to 6km and 10 minutes from the city centre, as well as Makara to the west. Literally on the doorstep of St Thomas More’s Church is the Otari-Wilton Bush, a native botanic garden and forest reserve and the only public botanic garden dedicated solely to the native plants of New Zealand. With 14km of walking tracks and a ‘canopy walkway’ it is often a focus for the parish’s Care for Creation ecumenical walks.
Brief History
1840s: Marist missionary priests trekked through Karori wilderness to visit Māori pa in Makara Valley, and along coast.
1840s: First Catholic families settled in Karori area.
1850: Parish formed on site of Basilica of Sacred Heart, Thorndon, included Karori and Makara.
Mid-1850s: First-known Mass for European settlers in area, home of Patrick Monaghan.
1860s: Makara settlement flourished with gold rush. Catholic community grew.
1873: Church of St Patrick built, Makara, opened and blessed by Bishop Patrick Moran of Dunedin, 300 attended. Masses infrequent, priests walked from Wellington.
1900: Thorndon parish included Kelburn, Northland, Karori and Makara. Sunday Masses and catechism in private homes.
1909: Sisters of Mercy from St Mary’s Convent, Hill St, taught Sunday catechism in Karori, Wadestown, Northland.
1910: St Vincent de Paul Church Northland completed and blessed. School lessons in nave. Church was moved to Rigi in 1917.
1927: Archbishop Redwood opened red-brick St Teresa’s Church, Karori. Sisters of Mercy taught school in building.
1939: Three-roomed school built on church grounds.
1940: New parish of Karori, Northland and Kelburn estabished. Fr P Herlihy, of Palmerston North, parish priest.
1941: Presbytery completed, Karori.
1941: Marist Sisters came to parish as teachers, lived at school.
1943: Sisters moved into Karori house as convent. School expanded, Sisters twice weekly visits to St Patrick’s Makara with parish priests. Taught at school at St Vincent’s until mid-1960s.
1948: Society of Mary’s centre formed in Karori.
1950s & 60s+: Organisations and activity groups included Catholic Women’s League, Children of Mary, Holy Name Society, St Vincent de Paul, CCD, Catholic Youth Movement, tennis club, music groups.
1956: Northland-Kelburn separated. Karori-Makara parish in own right, Fr Walsh parish priest.
1958: Northland-Kelburn parish administered by Capuchin Fathers.
1961: Archbishop McKeefry blessed and opened Friary at Rigi.
1960s: Improvements to Karori school playground, new infant block.
1960–65: Mercy Sisters at St Vincent de Paul Parish School.
1961: Society of Mary opened Futuna Chapel, Karori.
1967: Sisters of St Joseph of Nazareth Convent set up, Northland-Kelburn.
1968: Growing Karori population. New Church of St Teresa opened by Archbishop McKeefry, with Bishop Sneddon, Mons Herlihy and several priests concelebrated Mass, c 1000 attended.
1960s+: Fewer religious in Catholic school teaching, more lay teachers.
1969: St Thomas More Church, Wilton opened and blessed by Cardinal McKeefry.
1970: Cardinal McKeefry Marist Brothers School for boys opened, Wilton.
1982: St Vincent de Paul School closed. Pupils assimilated into St Teresa’s Karori or Sacred Heart Guildford Tce Thorndon.
1983: St Thomas More separated from Basilica parish.
1988: Cardinal McKeefry School became co-ed.
1996: Friars farewelled. Diocesan priests returned.
2000: St Vincent de Paul Church closed; parish located to St Thomas More.
2000: Futuna complex sold. Chapel purchased by Friends charitable trust.
2003: Cardinal Tom William’s pastoral letter announced 47 parishes of archdiocese to be grouped into 15 pastoral areas. St Vincent de Paul-St Thomas More parish, Northland-Wilton, joined Sacred Heart Cathedral parish. St Teresa’s parish, Karori became Wellington West Pastoral Area.
Catholic Parish of Otari
David Ross, parish archivist
Otari Parish covers the Karori and Wilton areas of Wellington including Northland and extending to Makara. The parish has two churches – St Teresa’s in Karori and St Thomas More in Wilton, and two Catholic primary schools – St Teresa’s in Karori and Cardinal McKeefry School in Wilton/Northland. The larger Karori church, St Teresa’s was built in 1967 and is currently the pro-cathedral while the archdiocese’s cathedral building in Thorndon is earthquake strengthened. The church of St Thomas More serving locals in Wilton is also used by the Cathedral Parish. Otari has two other former churches in its precincts, Futuna Chapel and the small Makara church opened in 1873.
The parish was renamed Otari in the parish amalgamation in 2014. Karori and Wilton were rich in birdlife for Māori and the name Otari means ‘place of snares’. Birdlife is strengthening as a result of the Zealandia Wildlife Sanctuary located in Karori.
Otari Parish has benefitted from having two priests. The current parish priest is Fr Ron Bennett who several Upper Hutt parishioners will remember from his many years stationed there. Fr Tikoua Kautu is also based with our parish. Fr Tikoua is from Kiribati and is chaplain to the Kiribati and Tokelauan communities. Matthew White, who is training to be a priest, has been on pastoral placement at Otari Parish.
The parish has a pastoral and finance council and a liturgy committee. Parishioners are engaged in the regular pastoral mahi of altar server training, children’s liturgy, flowers, church cleaning, hospitality roles and other smaller parish duties.
The Eucharist Ministers also attend to the pastoral needs of Catholics – and anyone else asking – who are ‘shut ins’ in their own homes or in one of the three elderly-residential care homes in our area. These include the St John of God home, which provides specialist residential and respite support to adults living with physical or neurological disabilities.
Otari Parish has four choirs and is spoilt for choice in liturgical music tastes. Both the Tongan and Filipino communities sponsor a choir, and there is also the regular parish choir, plus a folk choir.
The parish also has the usual liturgy, and sacramental roles, for example preparation for the Sacraments, managed jointly within our pastoral area with Sacred Heart Cathedral and St Mary of the Angels from the central city.
Otari parishioners are involved in other charitable activities such as the local foodbank. We operate a vetting and cleaning service for used reading glasses, which are then sent to various Pacific Islands and we have a ‘Good Companions’ group, which holds monthly luncheons with entertainment and companionship for the elderly, infirm and rest home residents.
Otari Parish has a thriving Catholic Women’s Group committed to Catholic Women’s League spiritual and charitable national kaupapa.
During the height of the Covid pandemic St Teresa’s church foyer was used for Covid testing as people could easily drive around to the front of the church and back out on a separate route. This is an example of our practical participation in the local community.
Otari Parish, like many parishes, has been enriched by the arrival of significant Catholic migrant communities from the Pacific, Asia and the Indian sub-continent.
Currently the parish is running an Alpha course which is well attended. The course highlights the Church’s recent exhortations to move from maintenance to mission and Otari parishioners will review what it means to be a parish, and whether outreach is normal part of their parish community.
The parish is commited to the environment, the ecology and care for creation, based on Pope Francis’ Laudato si’. Activities include walks, seminars, and sustainability practices in the parish, at home and in the wider community.
Karori novena family
A group of Filipino faithful gathered one Wednesday night in mid-2009 at a home in Karori for a devotional prayer to the Mother of Perpetual Help. No home was too big or too small as each household took turn hosting their weekly Wednesday novena, and since then, followed by shared dinner. The devotion continues to this date, amidst departures and new arrivals, and despite the Covid pandemic challenges that brought new ways of expressing devotion.
Today, the members have metamorphosed into servants of the Catholic Parish of Otari, and of the parishes where the former members have moved. They serve in varying capacities as parish council members, sacramental programme servants, lectors, choir members, altar servers, Eucharistic ministers or morning-tea servers. Mother Mary, their icon of discipleship remains in their hearts, just as they remain in hers.
St Teresa’s started by the community, for the community
Principal Pip Cook reflects on the beginnings of the Karori-based school and celebrates the school we see today.
St Teresa’s School was formed in 1931, three years after the opening of St Teresa’s Church in Karori. The first classrooms were housed in a shed, which was an extension at the back of the church and the church itself. Church pews were moved daily to cater for all. As the roll grew, a classroom needed to be built on the grounds behind the church. The upgraded classroom block still stands there today.
The founding teachers were the Marist Sisters, who travelled from Wellington city daily to teach the lessons, often with the help of the community. After some time, it was decided to open a convent in Karori, so a local house near the school and church was obtained by 1942. This came with the problem of purchasing the property. In the end, the Sisters had to use the classroom during the day for lessons and then at night to sleep. They received some community help from the prime minister of the time, Peter Fraser, in obtaining possession.
One thing that has remained constant over the school’s history is the valuable role our parent volunteers have played. Their commitment has been integral to the success of the school. The community also has played a huge role in developing the school, with parish member and carpenter Mike McArley building the first three classrooms in the 1930s. Parents touch every aspect of our school life, from organising the famous Karori Spring Fair, coaching sports teams, running liturgies, and helping in the classroom
Today we have a mix of cultures. We have children from Karori and those whose grandparents live in Karori and travel to St Teresa’s while their parents work in town. People want to be part of the community and the values of St Teresa’s as a school that thrives on encouraging every child to be the best they can be.
We have parents who attended the school, and now their children attend. Some of our families have moved away from the suburb, yet they choose to travel each day back to Karori so their children can continue to be part of our community. This speaks volumes of the strength of our community.
At present, we have five classes that allow us to focus on the learner and their individual needs. We know each other well and can cater to all. We are part of a close community of Karori, and our children are encouraged to give back to that community. We make the most of the amenities our suburb offers, and we are also lucky to have such large grounds for a school so close to the central city. But most importantly, we are a community of learners where each child is nurtured to grow as a happy, faith-filled learner who is inspired to achieve excellence, in the best community possible.
Good Companions Club
Good Companions Club is a long-established Karori institution that provides support for the elderly and disabled in our community. We celebrated our 56th birthday in September 2022. We provide a light lunch and entertainment on the fourth Tuesday of each month at St Teresa’s Hall in Karori, from February to November as well as a celebratory Christmas lunch each year. Transport is facilitated through volunteer drivers if required.
Good Companions Club is a non-profit, inter-denominational organisation run by volunteer members. All are warmly welcome to come along and enjoy the friendly atmosphere, varied entertainment and food.
Contact Otari Parish Office on (04) 476-6131 for more information.
Cardinal McKeefry Catholic School
Peter Hijazeen, Principal
Satvinder Baines, Deputy Principal
‘A small school with a big heart.’ The school’s vision is to ‘empower every child to contribute and to grow with God and each other’. Our Marist mission is quite prominent in the way teachers and students connect and deal with each other. We aim to live our Marist pillars in word and in deed. They are: 1. Family Spirit. 2. In the way of Mary. 3. Simplicity. 4. Presence. 5. Love of Work.
We aim at providing students with the maximum opportunities possible to grow to become responsible social citizens. This ranges from being a pioneer school as a ‘Garden to Table’ school, to being involved in musical events such as Artsplash and out-of-the-classroom activities.
Our academic outcomes match our intentions of continuously achieving positive learning outcomes for our students. This can be clearly seen in our tracking of Literacy and Numeracy PAT (Progressive Achievement Testing) results. This is due to the hard work of our reliable and competent teachers.
We are a future-focused school that aims in finding meaning for students, connect with their lives, and engage the support of their families, whānau, and communities. Cardinal McKeefry School has an open-door policy. All are welcome to visit.
