WelCom August 2023
Pope Francis has appointed Fr John Adams from the Diocese of Christchurch as the new Catholic Bishop of Palmerston North.
The appointment was announced in Rome on 22 June 2023.
Ordained as a priest in 2003, Christchurch-born Bishop-elect Adams is the parish priest of St Peter Chanel Parish in North Canterbury. He is a trained teacher who has served as the Christchurch Diocese Vicar for Education since 2013 and the chair of the diocesan Council of Priests since 2015.
‘I was initially surprised but then joyful to hear about the invitation to become the next Catholic Bishop of Palmerston North,’ says Bishop-elect Adams.
‘Whilst I am saddened that my very happy and fulfilled days in the Diocese of Christchurch will soon come to an end, I have experienced God’s providence in my life enough to know the power of his grace is not limited by location. Surely, we now live in a time that urgently needs to hear the “good news” of the Gospel.
‘To the people of the Palmerston North diocese, I want to say my prayers for you have already begun, and I am looking forward to living and sharing with you that same “good news”.’
The President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, Bishop of Auckland Stephen Lowe, warmly welcomed the Pope’s announcement.
‘We are delighted with Fr John’s appointment as the new Bishop of Palmerston North,’ said Bishop Lowe. ‘Bishop-elect John is a loved parish priest who will bring a rich experience of pastoral and spiritual leadership to his new diocese. We look forward to sharing with the people of the diocese in the ordination of their new shepherd.’
Fr Craig Butler, Local Administrator for the Diocese of Palmerston North said, ‘We express our gratitude and warmest congratulations to Bishop-elect John as he takes on this new role. Please pray for John during this time of preparation, leading up to his ordination.’
In a letter to the people of the Palmerston North Diocese in July, Bishop-elect Adams wrote:
‘I am very happy to be soon living among the people of the Manawatu and I’m excited to be sharing with you the great adventure of faith. I assure you of my desire to be a good and holy bishop as we together work to make the person of Jesus Christ known and loved by the people of our region.
‘I will take the opportunity to visit the parishes of our diocese as quickly as I can over the weeks and months following my ordination. During that time, I hope to spend as much time as possible listening to your experiences of the grace of God in your life and the hopes and fears you have for the Church in our diocese.
‘I please ask of you your prayers as I finish my time in Christchurch and prepare to shift north to join you all.’
Bishop-elect Adams’ appointment fills a vacancy created by the resignation of Bishop Charles Drennan as Bishop of Palmerston North in 2019.
The Episcopal Ordination and Installation of Rev John Adams as Bishop of the Diocese of Palmerston North will take place at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, at 11am, on Saturday, 30 September 2023.
Sources: NZCBC; pndiocese.org.nz
John Lewis Adams was born in Christchurch in 1963. He attended Holy Cross Seminary in Auckland. He also holds a Diploma in Education from Christchurch Technical College, a Bachelor of Science in Geography from Canterbury University and an Advanced Diploma in Theology in Sydney.
Bishop-elect Adams was ordained a priest in 2003. He has been an assistant priest, parish priest and tertiary chaplain. He has also been a member of the Christchurch Diocesan Clergy Trust Fund and a member of the Council of Priests. In 2013 he was appointed the diocese’s Episcopal Vicar of Education and became a member of the College of Consultors in 2014.
Of himself he has written: ‘I didn’t for a minute think I would ever be a priest, but I now know this vocation to be a rare adventure and I’m grateful to be living it. My interests are varied; I enjoy a game of golf and used to play serious table tennis. My 25 years in the Cathedral Choir instilled in me a great love for music. My first degree was in Geography, and I retain a love of the outdoors and love to relax out in the wilderness when I can. I am also a trained teacher and still feel at home in the classroom. As Vicar for Education, I’m still heavily involved and have a strong interest in Catholic schooling.’