WelCom September 2022
On August 12 Cardinal John Dew welcomed Archbishop Paul Martin sm at a Liturgical Reception at St Teresa’s Pro-Cathedral, Karori. Those gathered prayed the Evening Prayer of the Church. Here is his address (slightly abridged).
+ John A Cardinal Dew , Archbishop of Wellington Archdiocese, Apostolic Administrator of Palmerston North Diocese
In 2008 I was privileged to welcome and instal Archbishop Paul as the Rector of St Patrick’s College, Kilbirnie. In 2018 I ordained him as the 10th Bishop of Christchurch.
Tonight, I am delighted on behalf of the Archdiocese to welcome Archbishop Paul as the Coadjutor Archbishop of Wellington, who will eventually succeed me and become the 8th Archbishop of Wellington. I have joked with Paul over the last few years because when he was ordained Bishop of Christchurch, he publicly said that he was ‘no longer a wandering religious’ and went on to say that he was ‘settling into Christchurch and was there to stay.’
Well now he is in Wellington, and I presume he is here to stay. Paul was told on the 4th Sunday of Advent 2020 of his appointment as Archbishop of Wellington – he was on his way home from Mass when Archbishop Novatus contacted him and told him of this appointment. The Gospel that day was the story of the Annunciation, the story of Mary’s surprise at the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel who announced to her that she was ‘to conceive and bear a Son who was to be named Jesus.’ After asking the angel how this could possibly happen, Mary’s response was ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me.’
With those words of Mary ringing in his ears, Paul heard the message of the Apostolic Nuncio and made the same response, ‘let what you have said be done to me.’ He has spoken of this often. Paul, thank you for responding with the same generosity as Mary, whom as a priest of the Society of Mary you have imitated. Now, you are no longer a wandering religious, you are in Wellington. You are home and you are most welcome.
We have just sung Mary’s song of praise. We sang in prayer the words ‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, My Spirt sings to God my saving God.’ We may not always feel like singing, our spirit may not always be ready to sing to God our saving God, but we do so tonight in a spirit of deep gratitude.
In the homily for the Ordination of a Bishop in the Roman Pontifical we hear the words: ‘Pray and offer sacrifice for the people committed to your care and so draw every kind of grace for them from the overflowing holiness of Christ.’ They are beautiful words.
There are many things a bishop is asked to do…we are also reminded that the title of Bishop is not one of honour but of function and that we should strive to serve rather than rule. One of the ways that we serve the people of God and know we are privileged to do, is to draw every kind of grace for them from the overflowing holiness of Christ. We are privileged to see people touched by grace, by the Spirit of God, by the example of gentleness and compassion of Mary the Mother of God.
As we welcome you Paul, we also assure you our prayerful support and we ask that Mary’s prayer will always accompany you. We also pray that together as the people of God in this Church of Wellington we will know the graces that flow from Christ to us and will all sing together ‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, My Spirit sings to God my saving God.’
Also see ‘God’s ways are not our ways’.