Mynetta Erueti

National Māori Pastoral Care Hui participants (l-r) back: Mons Gerard Burns, Danny Karatea-Goddard, Manuel Beazley, Jaana Kahu, Kea Renata, Marcel Wainohu, Charles Ropata, Nick Wilson. Front: Bob Te Miha, Rangireremoana Hau, Rangi Davis, Barbara Te Miha, Fr Gerard Patterson, Korty Wilson, Mynetta Erueti, Melissa Paul. Photo: Supplied

The inaugural National Māori Pastoral Care Hui was held on 9 May 2019, at Connolly Hall, Wellington.

Te Ohu Kai Manaaki, the Māori Pastoral Care Team of the Archdiocese of Wellington, organised the Hui.

The bishops nominated the participants as those Church members who are working in Māori pastoral care and Ministry with Māori in their dioceses.

Currently, Te Runanga O Te Hahi Katorika advises the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Council on Māori affairs with representatives from each diocese. Historically, gatherings of the Marist and the Mill Hill Fathers focused on Māori Pastoral care; and Hui Aranga provides inspiration from its origins in 1946 at Pukekaraka.

The hui proposed a new forum be established to support the increasing numbers of staff and volunteers working in Māori Pastoral Care.

The kaupapa aimed to:

• invite those in each diocese with special responsibility in Māori Pastoral Care as well as those employed by the dioceses with this responsibility;
• share what each diocese is doing in the area of Māori Pastoral Care, communicate resources and ideas, and discuss challenges.

Each diocese presented an overview about Māori Pastoral Care in their diocese including:

• territory and demographics;
• number of Māori Catholic communities including Mass centres and Eucharist communities;
• how Māori Pastoral Care is cared for, by whom and with what resources;
• challenges, issues and needs for Māori Pastoral Care.

Discussions included future collaboration between dioceses and issues for the next hui. Participants agreed on the significance of the relationship with Tangata Whenua and the incorporation of Te Reo Māori in each diocese’s activities, as well as consideration for a shared database.

At the conclusion, the Tono (request) presented by Tūranga Māori, Danny Karatea-Goddard, was accepted by the Māori Apostolate of the Palmerston North Diocese, host for the next Hui.

Mynetta Erueti, Kaiāwhina Māori, the Catholic Centre, Wellington Archdiocese.