Moerewa Catholic Parish

This Catholic Church in Moerewa has intrigued me when I've driven past it so after taking a photo I've found a bit of background on it. Apparently fundraising to begin building it started in 1967 after the original church which was bought to the area from Great Barrier Island around 1920 was found to be very cold in Winter, very narrow, had no insulation and was not suitable for funerals. Eventually it was sold and transported to Motukiore in the Hokianga.

The fundraising included donations and bequests finally raised the $500,000 necessary to to build it and the neighbouring community house debt free. The glass work above the altar on the windows is pretty special as the patterns include eels (Moerewa is known as the Tuna town) with the spiritualities of Christianity and Maori combined and were made by artist Michael Pervan.

The cross originated from the first house built by the first Catholic Bishop of New Zealand, Jean Baptise Francois Pompallier and his men in the Hokianga in the 1800s. Wood carvings of Jesus on his final journey were made by an artist in Fiji while a conch shell that encases a red light was found by Parish Priest Father Kerry Prendeville while diving in the Soloman Islands.

The church finally opened in 2017 and was consecreated by the Bishop of Auckland Patrick Dunn.

Linking up with Inspired Sunday.

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