Peace to all as we continue our journey into 2020.

Tena Koutou Katoa, Haere mai ki te Whare Karakia o Hato Pateriki raua ko Hato Hohepa! Welcome to the Cathedral of St Patrick and St Joseph, situated in downtown Auckland, at the heart of New Zealand’s largest city. On 18 September 1840 Apihai Te Kawau of Ngati Whatua gifted 3000 acres of land to Governor Hobson and on 10 May 1841 Bishop Pompallier applied to Hobson for “a sufficient space of land for a church, dwelling house, and for a college, recreation ground for youth and burial ground, for the use of the Roman Catholic public.” Approval was given and three weeks later the grant was made for all the stated purposes at this Wyndham St site with the exception of burials. Two acres of ground were allocated for Catholic use at the Symonds St cemetery.

Some three thousand people attend Mass here each Sunday. During the week thousands more come to pray, light a candle or enjoy a moment’s peace. The liturgical life of the Cathedral is rich and vibrant. May God bless our endeavours as we celebrate Jesus Christ: our Way, our Truth, our Life!
You can download the latest Cathedral Newsletter and our Facebook page offers a sense of who we are … House of God, Icon of Christ, Mother Church, Oasis of Peace, Place of Prayer… Home and place of community and celebration for God’s people.

Level 2 at the Cathedral

With the impending announcement of our country moving into Level 1 this coming week, we are looking forward to the probability of celebrating the Sunday Masses once again at the Cathedral, on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi on 14th June.
In the meantime, the current schedule of weekday Masses remains at 12.15 pm Monday to Friday. Reconciliation Tuesday and Thursday 5 pm to 5.30pm.

26 May 2020

Pastoral Letter on Leaving the Closed Room

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ

Kia tau te rangimārie ki a koutou – Peace be with you In these days between the risen Lord’s Ascension into heaven and Pentecost the apostles returned to the closed room. There they joined in continuous prayer, together with several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers (cf. Acts 1:12-14). It was from the closed room that the Church was brought to birth as the Holy Spirit came down upon the apostles and impelled them to go out and proclaim the Good News.

This year Christians around the world entered a “closed room” due to the pandemic. For some of you this has enabled a graced time of prayer and reflection. For others it has been a time to refocus and put lives in order. For some the “closed room” has led to family tensions or concerns about future employment. For others still this has been a time when they have allowed their faith to drift. Now the “closed room” of our churches is coming to an end.

With you we rejoice that we are able to take these first steps towards returning to some semblance of normality. The sacrifices we have made as a nation have averted what we have seen overseas. As we emerge from our “closed room” and return to our churches and community engagement we take this opportunity to thank those who protected and supported our sick, vulnerable and, indeed, all of us throughout the lockdown. We thank all those in our faith communities who have worked tirelessly to connect with parishioners offering spiritual support. Again, we have been delighted by the creative initiatives that have arisen and the way the risen Lord has used these to bestow his graces.

We share your joy at being able to celebrate Eucharist together. However, we still have to live under the restrictions that are there for the good of our vulnerable and elderly. Each parish is going to have to determine how it will offer Masses while ensuring health guidelines are kept. This may mean some churches will not open immediately. It may mean that there are more people wanting to attend Mass than can be accommodated. We ask you to be patient and understanding while your parish leadership determine what will happen in your parish. With the Government, we ask those who are vulnerable to the virus, those who are afraid and anyone who is not well to stay at home. All people continue to be dispensed from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass during this time.

As we emerge from our “closed room” we hope and pray that the Lord will pour out his Spirit upon us, guiding us to work for a better, more caring society. We hope and pray that the Spirit will inspire our faith communities, our parishes, schools and chaplaincies, to re-vision themselves towards a revitalised spiritual life, a renewed effort towards welcome and evangelisation and to a deeper awareness of and response to the needs of the wider community. As we look towards Pentecost may we be inspired by the early Church that emerged from the “closed room” so long ago. Like those Spirit-filled disciples, may we too take the risen Christ to the world.

 Yours in Christ,

✠ Patrick Dunn, Bishop of Auckland and NZCBC President
✠ Steve Lowe, Bishop of Hamilton and NZCBC Secretary
✠ John Dew, Cardinal Archbishop of Wellington
✠ Paul Martin, Bishop of Christchurch
✠ Michael Dooley, Bishop of Dunedin
✠ Michael Gielen, Auxiliary Bishop of Auckland

To download a copy of this letter click here.
Please click here to download a copy of the Bishops’ 28 March 2020 letter and the instruction When you cannot receive the Sacraments because of Quarantine

A new way to give to the Cathedral

Living cashless? The Cathedral is now on Pushpay, a 10-second giving app!

Go to your app store, download the Pushpay app, register, in the search button put St Patrick’s Cathedral, Auckland, click and give! Tax-deductible receipts are automatically sent to your email address.

Your weekly gifts enable liturgy, worship and the care of our priests. Thank you!