WelCom November 2019
Mike Keenan
Over the last 25 years, Ioane (John) Perez has undertaken a sole pilgrimage to pray for Worldwide Christian Unity. John, from the Tokelau Islands, is a parishioner of the Cathedral of The Holy Spirit Parish in Palmerston North. He completed his long pilgrimage at New Zealand’s Anglican Cathedrals this year.
John’s inspiration for the final phase of his pilgrimage came from reading Cardinal John Dew’s WelCom columns in May and July 2017 about Prayer for Christian Unity, and people’s faith journeys towards becoming Catholics as adults through the Church’s Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) programme.
John decided to dedicate his prayer for Christian Unity with a four-week journey, travelling by bus, plane and ferry, visiting eight New Zealand Anglican Cathedrals, staying for three or four days at each location and praying. To succeed, he needed some help, which he sought and received late last year from the Society of St Vincent De Paul in Palmerston North.
John set out to pray three Rosaries, read the Bible and make personal prayer at each cathedral. Leaving Palmerston North in early February he visited to Napier’s Waiapu Cathedral of John the Evangelist, New Plymouth’s Cathedral Church of St Mary (praying at the adjacent Day Chapel), Hamilton’s St Peter’s Cathedral, and Auckland’s Holy Trinity Cathedral. On 22 February, he flew to Dunedin to visit St Paul’s Cathedral, then journeyed overland to Christchurch’s Transitional Cathedral and Nelson’s Christ Church Cathedral. His last step of the journey was on 4 March by ferry from Picton to Wellington to the Cathedral of St Paul. Due to his fasting, John began feeling unwell so he returned to Palmerston North and was unable to complete his journey in Porirua to stay with family members there.
John has regained his health and remembers with great hope his 25-plus years’ pilgrimage, especially the last four weeks praying around New Zealand. John asks us to remember the words of Pope Benedict XVI, ‘It is Christ’s desire for Christian Unity’.
Mike Keenan is President SVDP Palmerston North Conference and a parishioner at the Cathedral of The Holy Spirit.
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception 8 December
‘As has been the custom for many years an archdiocesan Mass will be celebrated on our diocesan feast day, 7pm, Thursday 8 December, at St Teresa’s Pro-Cathedral, Karori. The archdiocese will again be entrusted to the care of Mary under the title of the Immaculate Conception at this Mass. Parishes are asked to renew that Consecration on the following Sunday, 11 December, at All parish Masses.’ – Cardinal John Dew
Dates and events – what’s on
December 2022
If you would like your event listed on this page, please send an outline to welcom@wn.catholic.org.nz including name of event, date, time, location and contact.
Pope Francis registers for the next World Youth Day in Lisbon
At the conclusion of the Sunday Angelus, Pope Francis registered for the next World Youth Day to be held in Lisbon, Portugal, in August 2023. Assisted and accompanied by Portuguese university students studying in Rome, the Pope tapped his way to becoming the first officially registered pilgrim for World Youth Day.