WelCom June/July 2024
Migration across the Pacific and the pastoral care of migrants emerged as key points of discussion at the recent meeting of the Federation of Catholic Bishops Conferences of Oceania (FCBCO) in Wellington.
‘Oceania has a long history of migration, which is still very much present today and is likely to continue into the future,’ FCBCO president Bishop Anthony Randazzo said.
‘Gathering as an executive, we heard the call of the vulnerable in our region, particularly those migrating across the many islands separated by vast bodies of water, in search of work, or to escape the impacts of domestic challenges, such as rising sea levels.
‘How we provide pastoral care for those affected peoples emerged as a core theme in our prayer and reflections, and we will continue to dialogue as we move forward.’
The three-day meeting was hosted by Archbishop Paul Martin sm and the Wellington Archdiocese.
The bishops experienced a microcosm of the multicultural diversity of New Zealand, including traditional Māori welcomes and the Miha or Māori Mass.
They also visited the final resting place of Venerable Suzanne Aubert, or Meri Hohepa, a migrant missionary from France who came to New Zealand on a whaling boat in 1860. She founded the Sisters of Compassion and is now on the pathway to becoming New Zealand’s first saint.
