Catholic Church in New Zealand: Difference between revisions

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==History==
==History==
[[File:Sacred Heart Cathedral2.jpg|thumb|[[Sacred Heart Cathedral, Wellington]], 'Mother Church' to the [[Archdiocese]] of Wellington and New Zealand.]]
[[File:Sacred Heart Cathedral2.jpg|thumb|[[Sacred Heart Cathedral, Wellington]], 'Mother Church' to the [[Archdiocese]] of Wellington and New Zealand.]]
The first Catholic settler to arrive in [[New Zealand]] was an [[Irishman]], Thomas Poynton, who landed at [[Hokianga]] in 1828. Poynton's wife took her first two children on a sea voyage of over two thousand miles to be baptized at [[Sydney]]. The Poyntons pushed for missionaries and in 1835, [[Pope Gregory XVI]] included New Zealand in the [[Vicariate]] of Western Oceania, and sent Bishop [[Jean Baptiste Pompallier]] and members of the [[Society of Mary (Marists)]], a French order, to be New Zealand's first clergy. They arrived early in 1838. Conversion of the [[Maori]] population was a priority of the early missionaries.<ref>http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11040a.htm</ref>


Beginnings
⚫
In 1841, New Zealand was proclaimed as a British colony separate to that of [[New South Wales]] (in [[Australia]]). The number of Catholic colonists was less than 500, from a total population of around 5000. New Zealand was formed into a separate vicariate by the church in 1842. Catholic missions among the Maoris were largely shut down by the [[Maori Wars]] of the 1860s, but following a return to calm, missions, churches and schools were re-established in Maori communities.<ref>http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11040a.htm</ref>
The first Mass (and the first Chrisitan service of any sort) conducted in New Zealand waters was celebrated by Father Paul-Antoine Leonard de Villefeix]], the [[Dominican]] chaplain of the French navigator,[[Jean de Surville]] in [[Doubtless Bay]] on Christmas Day, 1769.<ref>Michael King, ''The Penguin History of New Zealand,, 2003, p. 100.</ref> Nearly 70 years later, in January 1838, Bishop [[Jean Baptiste Pompallier (1807-1871) arrived in New Zealand as the [[Vicar Apostolic]] of Western Oceania. He made New Zealand the centre of his activities covering a vast area in the [[Pacific]]. He celebrated the first mass in New Zealand at Totara Point, Hokianga, at the home of [[Irishman]], [[Thomas Poynton]] on 13 January 1838. Pompallier was accompanied by members of the [[Society of Mary (Marists)]], and more soon arrived. The mission headquarters were established in [[Kororareka]] where a printing press was set up. As well as stationing missionaries in the north, Pompallier began work in the [[Bay of Plenty]], and [[Waikato]] amongst Maori and in [[Auckland]] and [[Wellington]] areas amongst European settlers.<ref>Allan Davidson, ''Chrisitanity in Aotearoa: A History of Church and Society in New Zealand'', Third edition, Education for Ministry, Wellington, 2004, p. 16.</ref>
⚫
In 1840, New Zealand became a British colony after the signing of the [[Treaty of Waitangi]]. The number of Catholic colonists was less than 500, from a total population of around 5000. New Zealand was formed into a separate vicariate by the church in 1842.<ref>http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11040a.htm</ref>




The [[Sisters of Mercy]] arrived in Auckland in 1850 and were the first order of religious sisters to come to New Zealand and began work in health care and education.<ref>http://www.sistersofmercy.org.nz/who/default.cfm?loadref=7</ref> At the direction of Saint [[Mary MacKillop]], the [[Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart]], founded in the nearby British colony of [[South Australia]], arrived in New Zealand in 1880 at [[Wanganui]] and established schools. In 1892, one of these Josephites, Sr [[Suzanne Aubert]] established the [[Daughters of Our Lady of Compassion|Sisters of Compassion]] - the first Catholic order established in New Zealand for women.<ref>http://sistersofsaintjoseph.org.nz/the-journey</ref> In 1997 the New Zealand Bishops’ Conference agreed to support the “Introduction of the Cause of Suzanne Aubert”, to begin the process of consideration for her [[canonisation]] as a saint by the Church.<ref>http://www.hoc.org.nz/aubert/canonisation.htm</ref>
The [[Sisters of Mercy]] arrived in Auckland in 1850 and were the first order of religious sisters to come to New Zealand and began work in health care and education.<ref>http://www.sistersofmercy.org.nz/who/default.cfm?loadref=7</ref> At the direction of Saint [[Mary MacKillop]], the [[Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart]], founded in the nearby British colony of [[South Australia]], arrived in New Zealand in 1880 at [[Wanganui]] and established schools. In 1892, one of these Josephites, Sr [[Suzanne Aubert]] established the [[Daughters of Our Lady of Compassion|Sisters of Compassion]] - the first Catholic order established in New Zealand for women.<ref>http://sistersofsaintjoseph.org.nz/the-journey</ref> In 1997 the New Zealand Bishops’ Conference agreed to support the “Introduction of the Cause of Suzanne Aubert”, to begin the process of consideration for her [[canonisation]] as a saint by the Church.<ref>http://www.hoc.org.nz/aubert/canonisation.htm</ref>

Revision as of 21:24, 17 May 2010

The Catholic Church in New Zealand is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, which, inspired by the life, death and teachings of Jesus Christ, and under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and Roman curia in Vatican City (within Rome) is the largest Christian church in the world.

Catholic settlers first arrived in the 1820s, with British settlement of New Zealand. There are now an estimated 508,000 baptized Catholics in New Zealand, around 12 percent of the total population. In New Zealand there is one Archdiocese (Wellington) and five suffragan dioceses with 530 priests and 1200 men and women religious.[citation needed]

Demography

In 2006, around 55% of New Zealanders identified as being Christian, with first Anglicanism then Catholicism and Presbyterianism being the largest denominations.[1] The Census recorded 508,437 New Zealand Catholics, a 4.7% increase on the 2001 census.[2] This represented about 12.3% of the overall population of New Zealand, which was measured at 4,143,279 people on census night).[3]

The number of Catholics increased by 12,900 between 1996 and 2001 and by 22,800 between 2001 and 2006. Catholics were however, the largest denomination only in the Auckland region.[4][5]

The percentage of Catholics in the 1901 Census was 14 percent, though at that time the church was only the third largest denomination.[6]

History

Sacred Heart Cathedral, Wellington, 'Mother Church' to the Archdiocese of Wellington and New Zealand.

Beginnings The first Mass (and the first Chrisitan service of any sort) conducted in New Zealand waters was celebrated by Father Paul-Antoine Leonard de Villefeix]], the Dominican chaplain of the French navigator,Jean de Surville in Doubtless Bay on Christmas Day, 1769.[7] Nearly 70 years later, in January 1838, Bishop [[Jean Baptiste Pompallier (1807-1871) arrived in New Zealand as the Vicar Apostolic of Western Oceania. He made New Zealand the centre of his activities covering a vast area in the Pacific. He celebrated the first mass in New Zealand at Totara Point, Hokianga, at the home of Irishman, Thomas Poynton on 13 January 1838. Pompallier was accompanied by members of the Society of Mary (Marists), and more soon arrived. The mission headquarters were established in Kororareka where a printing press was set up. As well as stationing missionaries in the north, Pompallier began work in the Bay of Plenty, and Waikato amongst Maori and in Auckland and Wellington areas amongst European settlers.[8] In 1840, New Zealand became a British colony after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. The number of Catholic colonists was less than 500, from a total population of around 5000. New Zealand was formed into a separate vicariate by the church in 1842.[9]


The Sisters of Mercy arrived in Auckland in 1850 and were the first order of religious sisters to come to New Zealand and began work in health care and education.[10] At the direction of Saint Mary MacKillop, the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, founded in the nearby British colony of South Australia, arrived in New Zealand in 1880 at Wanganui and established schools. In 1892, one of these Josephites, Sr Suzanne Aubert established the Sisters of Compassion - the first Catholic order established in New Zealand for women.[11] In 1997 the New Zealand Bishops’ Conference agreed to support the “Introduction of the Cause of Suzanne Aubert”, to begin the process of consideration for her canonisation as a saint by the Church.[12]

In 1887, the hierarchy was established in New Zealand, with Wellington becoming the archiepiscopal see. In 1897, the colony was made a separate ecclesiastical province. In 1906, when New Zealand ceased to be a 'colony' of the British Empire with the granting of Dominion status, there were 126,995 Catholics out of a total European settler population of 888,578.[13]

The prominence of churches in New Zealand’s cities, towns and countryside attests to the historical importance of Christianity in New Zealand. St Patrick's Cathedral in the Auckland diocese was established in 1842, and was renovated and re-opened in September 2007.[14] St. Joseph's Cathedral, Dunedin was constructed between 1878 and 1886. The historic Sacred Heart Cathedral, Wellington is 'Mother Church' to the Archdiocese of Wellington and New Zealand and was opened in 1901.[15] The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Christchurch opened in 1905.

There have been three New Zealand Cardinals: Peter McKeefry, Reginald Delargey and Thomas Stafford Williams. All three were at the time Archbishop of Wellington and Metropolitan of New Zealand.[citation needed]

In recent times numbers of priests, nuns and brothers have declined, and the involvement of laypeople has increased, but Catholic organisations in New Zealand remain heavily involved in community activities including education; health services; chaplaincy to prisons, rest homes, and hospitals; Social justice and human rights advocacy.[16] In 2006 there were over half a million Catholics in New Zealand. Approximately 11% of New Zealand students attend Catholic schools.[17]

Education

The first Catholic School in New Zealand was opened in 1841, a year after the Treaty of Waitangi. Initially, Catholic missionaries, led by Bishop Pompallier, focused on schools for Maori. In 1877, the new central government passed a secular Education Act and the Church decided to establish its own network of schools. The system expanded, rapidly. From the 1970,s the government began to offer financial assistance to Catholic schools[18]

In 2010, there were 190 Catholic primary schools in New Zealand and 49 high schools. Around 64,000 students were enrolled in 2008, or 11 percent of all students in the New Zealand school system. Academically, the schools do very well. Between 1994 and 2010, the rolls in Catholic schools increased by almost 22 percent.[19]

The New Zealand Catholic Education Office assists in the running of Catholic schools in New Zealand.

Dioceses

The six dioceses (listed here from north to south) are:

Religious Orders in New Zealand

Controversies

As with a number of other countries, the Catholic Church in New Zealand has had priests convicted of child sexual abuse.[20]

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/society/7
  2. ^ http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2006CensusHomePage/QuickStats/quickstats-about-a-subject/culture-and-identity/religious-affiliation.aspx
  3. ^ http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2006CensusHomePage/QuickStats/quickstats-about-a-subject/nzs-population-and-dwellings/population-counts.aspx
  4. ^ http://www.stats.govt.nz/reports/articles/census-snapshot-cultural-diversity.aspx
  5. ^ http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2006CensusHomePage/QuickStats/quickstats-about-a-subject/culture-and-identity/religious-affiliation.aspx
  6. ^ http://www.stats.govt.nz/reports/articles/census-snapshot-cultural-diversity.aspx
  7. ^ Michael King, The Penguin History of New Zealand,, 2003, p. 100.
  8. ^ Allan Davidson, Chrisitanity in Aotearoa: A History of Church and Society in New Zealand, Third edition, Education for Ministry, Wellington, 2004, p. 16.
  9. ^ http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11040a.htm
  10. ^ http://www.sistersofmercy.org.nz/who/default.cfm?loadref=7
  11. ^ http://sistersofsaintjoseph.org.nz/the-journey
  12. ^ http://www.hoc.org.nz/aubert/canonisation.htm
  13. ^ http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11040a.htm
  14. ^ http://www.stpatricks.org.nz/
  15. ^ http://www.shcathedral.wellington.net.nz/history/index.htm
  16. ^ http://sistersofsaintjoseph.org.nz/the-journey
  17. ^ http://www.nzceo.catholic.org.nz/pages/schools/schools-today.html
  18. ^ http://www.nzceo.catholic.org.nz/pages/schools/schools-history.html
  19. ^ http://www.nzceo.catholic.org.nz/pages/schools/schools-today.html
  20. ^ http://www.catholic.org.nz/themes/theme_abuse.php


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