Parishioners of Ss Peter and Paul in Lower Hutt were delighted to celebrate a special and possibly unique occasion with their pastoral assistant, Trish Hanaray, on September 7. With Archbishop John Dew presiding, Trish (a Brigidine) and her brother John (a Marist) jointly celebrated 50 years of professed life together.
For both it was a homecoming as well, since their parents moved the family to Lower Hutt over 70 years ago where they contributed fully to parish and school life over many years.
For Trish, becoming the parish’s first pastoral assistant nearly four years ago has been the latest adventure in a lifetime of service to the gospel and to the community of faith.
Trish and John have reinvented their vocations many times over, while staying true to their vows and alert to God’s call which is ever new. Their 50 years each of committed religious life offers a marvellous testament to their faith, their tenacity, fidelity to and love of God’s people.
Style was the order of the day—one parishioner chauffeured Trish and John to Mass in his Rolls Royce; another baked and decorated a splendid cake in the shape of a book (of life, and of scripture); while the parish school presented Trish with a beautiful taonga—a greenstone pendant shaped to represent mother and child, together with a scrapbook of written and artistic tributes to the love that Trish brings to her ministry.
Celebrations continued after Mass over morning tea with a large number of grateful parishioners and many excited children, eager to get better acquainted with the cake. A week later, Trish joined John in Auckland to celebrate with his community—a fitting double-dose for a golden pair.
A Pastoral Letter from the Catholic Bishops of Aotearoa New Zealand (extended version)
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