WelCom August 2023
This month WelCom visits Holy Trinity Parish in Wellington’s eastern suburbs. The pastoral area encompasses hill and beachside suburbs including Kilbirnie, Miramar, Seatoun and Strathmore. Its churches are St Patrick’s, Kilbirnie, Holy Cross Miramar and St Anthony’s Seatoun. There are five Catholic schools – St Patrick’s College Wellington, St Catherine’s College, St Patrick’s Primary – all located in Kilbirnie, and St Anthony’s in Seatoun and Holy Cross in Miramar. Before the Haowhenua earthquake (c 1460), Miramar Peninsula was an island, and the land now occupied by Lyall Bay and Rongotai lay beneath the sea. The earthquake raised the seabed, creating an isthmus linking Miramar with Kilbirnie. The first Māori to occupy Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington Harbour) lived on the island of Motukairangi, now Miramar Peninsula. The horseshoe-shaped island enclosed a lagoon known as Te Rotokura or Para, which was drained in the 1840s..
Holy Trinity Parish – past, present and future
Holy Trinity Parish in the Eastern Suburbs of Wellington was conceived in 2014 with the amalgamation of three separate parishes – St Patrick’s Kilbirnie, Holy Cross Miramar and St Anthony’s Seatoun into one combined parish.
Although Masses were celebrated in Wellington’s Eastern suburbs from 1899 it wasn’t until 1919 that we were separated from the Newtown Parish with the establishment of the Kilbirnie Parish. The parish priest celebrated Mass for both the Miramar and Seatoun areas, with Seatoun serving as the Mass centre. Miramar residents attended Mass at Seatoun until the first Mass was celebrated in Miramar on 24 October 1926. In 1936 Miramar and Seatoun separated from Kilbirnie and were made into a single parish and in 1954 Seatoun was made a parish in its own right. We have now come full circle. In 2015 St Patrick’s Parish Kilbirnie, Holy Cross Parish Miramar and St Anthony’s Parish Seatoun combined to become Holy Trinity Parish.
For the first few years after our amalgamation, we were blessed to have the Capuchin community in residence who had looked after St Patrick’s in Kilbirnie from 1998 along with Fr Sanele Finau who had been based in Miramar. When Fr Sanele moved to Auckland to retire, there were usually three Capuchin priests in residence. That all changed in 2019 with the departure of Fr Gregory, then Fr Paul in early 2020 and the community in Wellington was reduced to just Fr Ephrem. The Capuchins, who had been in Wellington from 1843 to 1888 and then again from 1958, then decided to pull out completely. We held a farewell Mass for the Capuchins in October 2020 and for Fr Ephrem in January 2021.
We are most fortunate to now have Fr Bill Warwick as our parish priest along with his cockatiel Charlie, our unofficial office mascot.
With the amalgamation and through discussions identifying key areas of parishioner engagement, our parish vision statement was developed. ‘We are a prayerful and diverse Catholic community in the Eastern suburbs of Wellington, drawing strength from one another to grow and become fully alive as missionary disciples.’
Values were identified for parishioner engagement and a parish plan followed. It is a living document and our values and actions have recently been updated. Fr Bill has delivered these to our parishioners as part of his homilies. Our revised values are: Welcoming; Missionary/Outreach; Worship and Prayer; Community; Justice.
Like most parishes, we have struggled with parishioner numbers over the Covid and post-Covid periods, but our numbers are slowly climbing upwards.
Our next major task will be to evaluate the parish building and facility requirements for our needs over the next 25 years. We will need much prayerful consideration as we work our way through this important period in the life of our parish.
Fr Bill Warwick
I grew up in Lyall Bay as one of six children. I loved growing up by the sea; it was a huge part of my life. As a family we went to Mass at St Patrick’s in Kilbirnie and attended St Patrick’s Primary in Kilbirnie, Marist Miramar, later Holy Cross School, and St Patrick’s College.
We have a vibrant and diverse group of parishioners: Thursday Friends who meet in friendship and prayer; the Legion of Mary has been meeting weekly for over 40 years; Aulotu celebrates Mass at 11am in Samoan at St Anthony’s Church every month; Rita Angus and Communion groups; Pennisula Ministers Association gather monthly for prayers and hospitality. Parishioner Julie Marshall was presented with a Benemerenti Medal and Leona Foster, Brendan Quirk, Lydia Bull and Michael McGoff – each received the Fitzgerald Award in recognition of their contributions to Church and parish life. Space here only allows a glimpse of the scope of the people and activities in our parish.
‘Your Vinnies’
In the footsteps of Frederick Ozanam’s almost 200-year-old mission to simply ‘do a little good’, we work in Kilbirnie, Miramar, Seatoun, Lyall Bay, and Strathmore to help community members who ask for our help, or who are referred to us.
Our work includes visits, phone calls, shopping and transport; supply of food hampers, clothes, furniture as well as support to students in need with such items as uniforms, stationery, and sport and music fees. We facilitate a weekly morning tea at Kotuku Flats in Kilbirnie, help support our parish ‘Thursday Group’, and three Saturdays a year we run an Appeal at Pak’nSave in Kilbirnie. We are well supported by prayer and donations from our parish, without which we couldn’t continue to operate effectively, especially with increased demand as costs of living continue to rise.
Our Vinnies Conference is made up of about 10 active members and up to 15 associates and friends. Active members meet monthly to coordinate our services to assist our clients. Client numbers vary, but we have about 30 groups, including many families of varying sizes, so total numbers of individuals are higher.
Overall, we hope to show love, compassion, and humility. We also prioritise providing personal contact and a practical approach to those in hardship or isolation. We aim to operate in a ‘low key’ way so our clients are comfortable to ask for help. We find God’s mercy and mystery is presented to us constantly as we do what we can to represent His hands.
Kham Nguyen
Kham is one of three Vietnamese young men who arrived in New Zealand in September last year to begin their studies at the English language school in central Wellington. His companion, Long is with Fr Tony Kearns in Heretaunga and Quang is with Fr Ron Bennett at Otari in Karori. Fr Bill was asked to accommodate Kham, oversee his introduction to the archdiocese, and mentor him during this time of preparation. Kham has made himself at home in a short time, is very social and loves to meet and chat with people. The parishioners are supporting Kham. He is studious, has done well at language school, and is very keen. Kham and his colleagues hope to be accepted for seminary formation and preparation to serve in the archdiocese as priests.
Holy Cross School, Miramar
Lyn Hough, Acting Principal
‘Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua – I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on my past.’
Holy Cross School reflects the respect of partnership, the honouring of taonga and culture and the preserving of important knowledge and traditions.
Where Holy Cross School stands was once a lake. Its name is now part of our name: Te Rotokura – Holy Cross School.
We connect to that past landscape through our Garden-to-Table programme, which guides the learning for our Years 3–6 students. The tamariki work the soil of our garden and harvest the herbs, fruit and vegetables.
The Aotearoa New Zealand Histories curriculum is building a new understanding for us, weaving the rich threads of our Catholic faith and traditions with the knowledge of the land where we as a community live on Te Motu Kairangi – Miramar Peninsula.
Our school was established in 1932 by two sisters of Mercy, Srs Norbert and Rosalie, for Years 1–4 boys and Years 1–8 girls. The adjacent Marist Miramar school was run by the Marist brothers for boys Years 5–8. Holy Cross school was formed in 1983 when the two schools merged. Some of our staff are past pupils of the former schools.
Our young tamariki try to imagine a swimming pool where now sits a classroom, another classroom block that has become the houses of our neighbours and a secret bunker behind our pump track, a reminder of WW2.
As we honour Te Tiriti and work to revitalise Te Reo Māori and Te Ao Māori, our learning is grounded in practical experiences. Every term we celebrate pōwhiri and formally welcome new arrivals to our kura. Our senior students play key roles where we connect with new families.
Many of our students continue the tradition of their parents, coming to Holy Cross as we welcome second and sometimes third generations to our kura. The ties are strong.
St Patrick’s College, Kilbirnie
Mike Savali, Tumuaki | Rector
‘Sectare Fidem’
St Patrick’s College Wellington is New Zealand’s oldest Catholic boys’ college. It was built in the spirit of generosity by the Society of Mary (the Marists) in 1885 and founded by Archbishop Francis Redwood. The Society of Mary has been, and remains, an integral part of the college’s history and tradition.
In 1979 St Patrick’s College moved from its original Cambridge Tce site in Wellington to new purpose-built facilities adjacent to Kilbirnie Park and near the sea at Evans Bay.
Our motto ‘Sectare Fidem’ means ‘hold firm to the faith’. It reinforces the importance of our faith in shaping our boys into men who will contribute positively to society. At St Patrick’s College we encourage each student to strive for excellence in everything they do. We place an expectation on our students to take pride in their personal appearance and behaviour and, in addition to academic development, we also foster opportunities for personal and social development. We work closely with our parents and families to grow good men.
St Patrick’s College has been undergoing a detailed curriculum review process. We are well aware that twenty-first century education needs to be future-focused and adaptable to meet our students’ needs, both now and in the future. Our intention is to have an updated curriculum, where students take ownership of their learning with a strong literacy and numeracy focus. Students will learn how to problem solve, be creative, manage their time, be innovative and work collaboratively in a supportive environment.
St Patrick’s College has embarked on implementing a building masterplan to develop our college campus over a number of years. The objectives are to modernise and enhance a range of educational spaces, improve the school entrance and landscaping of the site as well as to further improve the overall safety of the site. These works will ensure that St Patrick’s College Wellington continues to play a critical role in the Wellington education environment well into this century and beyond.
St Catherine’s College
Katrina Kerr-Bell, Tumuaki | Principal
‘Empowering Young Women with Kindness and Excellence’
Welcome to St Catherine’s College, a place where young women flourish and succeed in a nurturing environment. Since our establishment by the Sisters of Mercy in 1919, we have been committed to providing quality education centred around strong Catholic values of Mercy, Wisdom, and Social Justice.
Our students consistently achieve well above the National Standards. In 2020, we had 100 per cent pass rate for NCEA Level 2, 2021 we were named in the top ten academic schools in New Zealand and in 2022 we had 100 per cent NCEA for Pasifika students Level 1 and 3. These outstanding accomplishments are a testament to the dedication and hard work of our students and the support they receive from our dedicated, caring staff and parents.
At St Catherine’s College, we believe in fostering the holistic growth of our students. We not only focus on academic excellence but also on developing creativity and critical thinking abilities. We empower our young women to be culturally connected, active learners, encouraging them to explore their passions, interests, and talents.
Our dedicated staff members are knowledgeable, compassionate and caring. They go above and beyond to ensure every student feels supported and valued. Offering kindness, care, and extra tutoring, our staff are committed to guiding and assisting our students in their educational journey.
You can find St Catherine’s College on the picturesque hill in Kilbirnie, precisely on Upper Bourke St. Our location provides a serene and conducive environment for learning, allowing our students to thrive both academically and personally.
Whether you are a student seeking a nurturing educational experience or a parent looking for a school that values academic excellence and strong Catholic principles, St Catherine’s College is the perfect choice. Join us on our remarkable journey of learning, growth, and friendship! Ring or email to make a time to come in and check us out.
St Anthony’s in action
Denise Johnson, Principal
‘Small School; Strong Spirit’
St Anthony’s School is a Year 1 to Year 8 co-educational Catholic primary school in Seatoun, Wellington. Founded by the Mercy order in 1923, St Anthony’s has an excellent reputation, not only for our strong curriculum and innovative personalised teaching programmes but also for our nurturing and whānau-friendly environment. The bonds with the community are what makes our school so special, as evidenced through events such as our highly successful biannual bazaar and our centenary, which we will celebrate this coming October. These occasions, amongst many others, see both current and past whanau come together to celebrate St Anthony’s and the start that it has given so many on their education journey.
St Anthony’s may be small, but it is mighty, with an excellent student-teacher ratio ensuring our young tamariki receive individual attention to support their learning. We’re passionate about supporting our learners to have a sense of curiosity and love for learning, by providing them with an abundance of opportunities with modern classrooms, technology, equipment, and experiences. We’re also fortunate to be able to make use of our beautiful surroundings such as the beaches and local wharf.
Taking a leaf from John 10:10, our philosophy is to ‘have life, and have it to the full’. Like the shepherd in this verse, we guide, lead, and support our tamariki to engage in their learning and build trusted, long-term relationships with the community that wraps around them.
Learn more about us at stants.school.nz/contact-us and come in and see us in action!
St Patrick’s Primary School, Kilbirnie
Tony Kellie-Smith, Principal
Learning together in Faith’
St Patrick’s is a typical Wellington Catholic school with students from Years 1 to 8. Our vision statement encompasses what we do and why we do it – a faith community growing, learning and celebrating together.
Our school was founded by the Mercy Sisters almost 100 years ago. Today, 70 per cent of our tamariki speak or sign one or two of the 20 languages heard around the school other than English; 75–80 per cent of them hear a language other than English at home.
We are adjacent to St Patrick’s Church. Each week a class attends the community Mass, at which three of our students proclaim the scriptures. We are a three-minute walk to the Kilbirnie library and a 10-minute walk to Akau Tangi – Kilbirnie’s huge indoor sports centre and we explore different sports every Friday in Terms 2 and 3. We are only a five-minute walk to Kilbirnie Pools where we have swimming lessons in Terms 1 and 4.
We are conveniently situated between St Catherine’s College and St Patrick’s College, which helps us keep connected to past pupils as they arrive to pick up their younger siblings.
Because of our size and location we are able to explore readily what Wellington City has to offer. We go on visits to the Symphony Orchestra, musicals, Te Papa Tongarewa, nearby beach clean ups and on other educational trips to support our learning. We also use the local park to launch our rockets as part of our Science and Technology lessons or to practise golf.
Our tamariki are a caring, accepting group of students. They quickly stop a game to tend to another student who has fallen over, or who seems upset for some reason. Our senior students are peer mediators at break times, giving out tokens for positive words and actions or supporting students to settle frustrations.
The ‘Young Vinnies’ group visit the elderly, collect for the food bank, support the women’s refuge, among other generous acts of service.
The children are blessed to have a generous group of adults caring for and supporting them in the classroom and in the playground.
As a Catholic community, we strive to live the Gospel and use the fruits of the Holy Spirit as a normal part of our daily lives. On Tuesdays, there are always freshly made scones around 11.30am – if you are passing by, please drop in.
Brief History
1848: Diocese of Wellington established.
1850: Wellington North Parish established.
1875: Wellington Central Parish established. Parish clergy eventually looked after Buckle St (church built 1884) and Newtown (church built 1897).
1897: Seatoun land on Ludlam and Stafford Sts (Falkirk Ave) purchased. Mass said on Sundays in cottage on property by Fathers from St Patrick’s College.
1900s: Turn of century Catholics living in Eastern suburbs cared for by Marist Fathers. Mass and Sunday School in O’Donnell’s Hall, Kilbirnie.
1902: St Anne’s Parish established (Newtown), included Kilbirnie, Miramar and Seatoun.
1908: Foundation stone for church laid in Kilbirnie Cres.
1910: St Patrick’s Church, Kilbirnie blessed and opened by Archbishop Redwood.
1911: Sisters of Mercy began teaching in Eastern Suburbs, in Kilbirnie. Walked across hill from St Anne’s, Newtown. Used north wing of St Patrick’s Church as classroom.
1916: Sisters opened St Catherine’s convent in Upper Bourke St, began fee-paying school,1917.
1916: Fr DE Campbell sm in charge of Kilbirnie, Miramar and Seatoun branch of Newtown Parish.
1919: Kilbirnie Parish established, included Miramar and Seatoun.
1920: St Catherine’s School of Music and Drama opened.
1922: St Vincent de Paul Society began. Ladies Auxiliary followed.
1923: St Anthony’s School, Seatoun, began, run by Mercy Sisters. Seatoun Church-School blessed by Archbishop O’Shea.
1924: House and section bought in Miramar for church and school, site of Holy Cross School.
1925: Primary school opened next to church in Kilbirnie.
1926: First Mass in new hall on Quin’s property, Miramar.
1927: Site of present Miramar church and hall purchased; hall completed; Sunday Masses commenced.
1929: Kilbirnie presbytery built.
1930: Mercy Srs Norbert and Rosalie opened infant school opened, St Columban’s Church Hall, Miramar.
1932: House at side of St Patrick’s Church bought and converted into church hall.
1932: Holy Cross Church, Miramar, blessed by Archbishop O’Shea.
1936: Miramar and Seatoun separated from Kilbirnie parish, formed new parish. New presbytery opened.
1936: St Vincent de Paul conference established.
1937: Marist Brothers School for boys, Miramar, blessed and opened by Archbishop O’Shea.
1941: Marist Brothers came to parish. First Mass in Brothers’ chapel.
1947: Archdiocese bought large house in Queens Dr, Kilbirnie – used to house immigrants post WW2, included hostel for Polish children. Run by Sisters, then SVdP. House later used as residence for papal nuncio.
1952: St Anthony’s Church Seatoun, built, blessed by Archbishop Mckeefry.
1954: Seatoun Parish established
1961: New Holy Cross Church, Miramar opened, blessed by Archbishop McKeefry.
1979: 700 boys walked from St Patrick’s College, Cambridge Tce to their new college on Evan’s Bay Parade, Kilbirnie.
1983: Marist and Holy Cross Schools amalgamated.
1982: St Patrick’s School, Kilbirnie, demolished. New school opened and blessed 1984.
1985: St Catherine’s convent demolished; classroom block built.
1989: Amalgamated school became Holy Cross School, Miramar.
1990: New St Patrick’s Church, Kilbirnie, opened and blessed. Parish centre opened 1992.
1998: Capuchin Fathers came to parish
in Miramar.
2015: Formation of Holy Trinity Parish, incorporating Easter suburbs.