Pope Francis has appointed the
Catholic Bishop of Christchurch, Paul Martin SM, to the role of Coadjutor
Archbishop of Wellington, where he will assist Cardinal John Dew, the
Metropolitan Archbishop of Aotearoa New Zealand.

The appointment was announced
in Rome overnight. A coadjutor usually becomes the bishop or archbishop of a
diocese when the incumbent bishop retires.

Cardinal Dew, who is also
President of the NZ Catholic Bishops Conference, says he is delighted with the
appointment, which comes at a time of a heavy workload in the Wellington
Diocese.

“He is well known to clergy and
many people of the diocese, and will be warmly welcomed by all,” says Cardinal
Dew. “I am fully confident that he will lead the diocese into the future with
new vision and energy.”

Archbishop Martin says: “This
appointment was a surprise, and I will be sorry to leave the diocese of
Christchurch and the work we have been doing. However it is a privilege to take
up this role in the Church of Wellington and I look forward to being with the
people in the Archdiocese again.”

Archbishop Martin was appointed
the tenth Catholic Bishop of Christchurch in December 2017, with his
consecration in March 2018. He replaced Bishop Barry Jones, who died in
February 2016.

Paul Martin SM was born in
Hastings in 1967, one of five children. He entered formation for the Society of
Mary in February 1985 and studied theology and arts at Victoria University of
Wellington. He completed a Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology at the Angelicum
University in Rome and studied to become a teacher. He worked for 20 years in
schools including as rector at St Patrick’s College in Wellington. He has also
been bursar general of the Society of Mary in Rome. He was a part of the Marist
community at the time it was working in Māori pastoral care at Rawene in the
South Hokianga.

The appointment takes effect
immediately. Archbishop Martin will maintain his southern connection by acting
as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Christchurch until the Pope
appoints a new bishop.