E te amorangi, e taku hoa pirihi, Pā Don Hamilton, moe mai ki te Ariki.

E te whānau whakapono o te Rohe Pīhopa o te Papaioea, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou.

It is with sadness that I inform you that Fr Don Hamilton SM died yesterday at the Hawkes Bay regional hospital in Hastings. Fr Don had been slipping for some time with a number of health setbacks.

I extend our aroha and prayers to his Marist confreres, family and friends, and all those to whom he ministered so well during his many and varied years of priestly service. In our Diocese he has served in Whanganui at St Augustine’s College, at Paki Paki, in Waitara and Feilding, and in more recent years at Taradale, St Joseph’s Māori Girls College, and again at Paki Paki.

The current funeral arrangements are that Pā Don will be taken to St Joseph’s Māori Girls College at 4:00pm today (25.01.18). On Friday evening 5:00pm (26.01.18) he will then move from St Joseph’s Māori Girls College to St Mary’s Church in Taradale where the Requiem Mass will be held on Saturday 27 January at 11:00am.

Hoatu ki ā ia te okiokinga pūmautanga.

+ Charles