WelCom October 2021
A generous initiative from a Hutt Valley Real Estate agent is the latest idea for helping the restoration of Sacred Heart Cathedral.
Te Awakairangi parishioner, Anna Geremia-Young, of Tall Poppy Real Estate, Lower Hutt, will donate $400 for every parishioner who sells through her.
Anna is very active in the community, having led Children’s liturgy for ten years and currently as a Eucharistic minister. A Hutt Rotary member, she teaches Italian and brings years of experience in marketing, sales and business development.
In addition, ‘Tall Poppy’ is becoming a regular advertiser in WelCom, (see advert below).
Since the closure of the Cathedral in 2018, Sacred Heart parishioners and several ethnic groups have put considerable energy into entertainment and culinary projects, including a very successful classical concert at Malvina Major Rest Home.
A restoration dinner and auction planned for 19 August at The Wellington Club was blindsided by Covid-19 lockdowns but has been rescheduled, for 11 October.
A Blenheim parishioner’s enthusiasm has brought donations of wine from the Marlborough region for this occasion. Mission Estate (Hawke’s Bay) is also a sponsor and people from many parts of the country have donated items for the fund-raising auction.
This widespread generosity highlights the significance of the Cathedral well beyond Sacred Heart parish.
Meanwhile, the work of earthquake-proofing the Cathedral has continued. Though the base-isolation sector of the project will not go ahead, safety standards are not compromised.
While Covid restrictions prevented on-site work, Level 3 enabled contractors to reconnect. The canvas roofing is now being removed, revealing not only the new roof cladding but also the restored copper crosses.
This month (October) will see scaffold trusses removed from the site and the renovated bell reinstalled.
While no date has been set for the reopening, mid-2022 is looking very likely.
There is urgency now to raise the final $3 million to complete the project. Of this, $1 million needs to come before Christmas to ensure the workforce and necessary materials can be confirmed.
Donations, of whatever amount, are needed now to help achieve this goal.
You can donate to the Cathedral restoration fund by Internet Banking to – Sacred Heart Cathedral Parish A/c: 02 0506 0138488 025. (Reference: your surname and initials, and ‘Reopen’.)
Fr James Lyons, on behalf the Cathedral Fundraising Campaign.
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