Archbishop, on bended knee, pleads for resolution
Lloyd Ashton
| 05 Mar 2010
Print This
TEXT
Top News...
- Latest
- Most commented
A day of full immersion in Taranaki's Maori world set the style for The Archbishop of York John Sentamu's first New Zealand visit.
Archbishop Sentamu, who is here to consecrate Taranaki's new cathedral of St Mary's, was welcomed with full honours at Owae Marae near Waitara on Tuesday, and then later the same day at Parihaka.
His message to his hosts was simple and dramatic, delivered on his knees in the traditional manner of his Ugandan homeland: he urged them to work at resolving outstanding land issues with the Crown, always holding justice together with love.
During the week leading up to the consecration, Archbishop Sentamu is being accompanied by the Bishop of Taranaki, Philip Richardson; former Governor-General and Archbishop Sir Paul Reeves and Dean-elect Jamie Allen. Together, they are engaging with a wide range of Taranaki's leaders, both present and future.
Wednesday was given over to meeting with regional leaders, beginning with a Mayoral Prayer Breakfast – which led into a lively dialogue between Archbishop Sentamu and 40 of the region's mayors, local body and national politicians, plus representatives from Taranaki’s education, health, arts, commerce, and charitable sectors.
The Archbishop challenged the leaders to develop their region as a "liveable place of hope, generosity and safety", and he encouraged them to act as "gatekeepers of opportunity".
The questions asked by the regional leaders were searching, and as much about the archbishop's personal faith and theology as anything else: his often controversial ministry in England and his dramatic earlier career as a high court judge in Amin's Uganda seemed to capture the leaders’ attention.
Thursday (March 4) was devoted to engagement with Taranaki's young people. It began on a sombre note, with part of the morning spent in the New Plymouth Prison.
In the afternoon things took a more upbeat turn, with senior high school students presenting a concert and engaging in dialogue with the archbishop, followed by a dinner with emerging young leaders from the province.
Friday begins with a service celebrating the Mothers' Union and World Day of Prayer, at which Mrs Margaret Sentamu will preach.
That will be followed by meetings with clergy and later with the Anglican bishops who are meeting in New Plymouth. That evening in St Mary’s the Dame Malvina Major Foundation will present a concert of emerging talent, with Dame Malvina herself giving a special guest performance.
When that’s completed, a prayer vigil through the night at St Mary's will prepare the way for the consecration service. More than 900 people are expected to attend, both inside and around the new cathedral, which began as a stone church in 1845.
Comments on this story
Log in or create a user account to comment.