The Assumption
New Zealand Catholic Patronal Feast - The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Feast of the Assumption on 15 August celebrates the Blessed Virgin Mary’s assumption into heaven body and soul. It is also the patronal feast of the Catholic people in New Zealand. It is one of two Holy Days of Obligation for New Zealand Catholics. The other is Christmas Day.
Pompallier Madonna
The depiction of the Blessed Virgin Mary is called the Pompallier Madonna and is of special significance to Catholics in Aotearoa New Zealand.
On 13 September 2004 the New Zealand bishops on their ad limina visit to Rome met with Pope John Paul II. Bishop Denis Browne... presented the Holy Father with a copy of the “Pompallier Madonna”. In his address to the Holy Father Bishop Browne said the following:
“Dear Holy Father,
We come as bishops of Aotearoa, New Zealand to visit you from that far distant land. We come to offer you our affection and love as well as our loyalty and appreciation for your dynamic leadership of the Church. ... we wish to present to you a gift of a Madonna which has become an important expression of the links between the Holy See and the Church in New Zealand. This Madonna was presented to Pius IX in the 1840s by the Benedictine Nuns of Campus Martius. In turn, this Madonna was given to Bishop Pompallier by Pope Pius IX on Pompallier’s visit to Rome in April 1847. He brought the Madonna back to Aotearoa New Zealand and had copies distributed widely. This work has now become known in New Zealand as “the Pompallier Madonna”.
Visit the site http://www.catholic.org.nz/about/dsp-default.cfm?loadref=187 to read the full article and about the art mystery!!!
First Holy Communion
Congratulations to our many students who made their First Holy Communion in the last few weeks. It was a very special occasion for all the students and their families. We give thanks to the teachers who prepared the students and to those who ran practises and attended the very special occasion.
“May they always know the peace of Jesus, the light of His love and the joy of His life within them.”
It was very special this week during class mass where two student were able to receive communion for their first time.
New Families Liturgy
This week during our welcome liturgy we welcomed 25 new students and their families. We were also able to officially welcome Father Danny to our school family. During the liturgy the Cluny Postulants Ana Maria and Vaviola were welcomed as well.
Cluny Sisters
This coming week the Cluny Sisters are hosting their official Chapter, where worldwide appointed Sisters gather and discuss the direction the Cluny order is going to take in the future. Please keep them in your prayers as they travel, pray and plan.
School Song - Be love, Be love, Be aroha
Last year the school commissioned Andrew Chinn to write a hymn for our school. At the New families Liturgy students sang it for the first time, we look forward to making this part of our school. It reflects our values and charism.
Bishop Steves Visit
On Friday 25 August at 9.30am we look forward to welcoming Bishop Steve to bless our new Innovative Learning Environment. Blessing buildings is an important part of our Catholic faith and is a sacramental.
“A constitutive blessing, invoked by a bishop, priest or deacon, signifies the permanent sanctification and dedication of a person or thing for some sacred purpose….dedicated solely to sacred usage.” (https://www.ewtn.com/)
Teresa Rush
DRS
