A Century of Faith: St Paul’s, Kokatahi
In the heart of the Kokatahi Valley, where the farmland stretches toward the Southern Alps and the rhythm of daily life still follows the milking shed, a small timber church has stood quietly for 100 years. St Paul’s Catholic Church is more than a building: it is a symbol of endurance, faith, and belonging for generations of Westland families.
On the weekend of 29-31 March 2025, parishioners and visitors gathered, to the very day, one hundred years since the first Mass and Dedication of St Paul’s. Local parishioners from the Kokatahich-Koiterangi (Kowhitirangi) community, along with members of the wider St Mary’s Hokitika Parish and beyond, came together to honour a century of worship and witness. Unlike the original dedication in 1925, when Bishop Brodie was unable to attend, this time the community was honoured to welcome Bishop Michael Gielen, who joined Parish Priest Fr Huynh Tran, to celebrate the Centenary Mass. Our bishop also joined the congregation later that evening, at the celebratory dinner held in the Kokatahi Hall.
Preparing for a Milestone
Preparations for the centenary began many months in advance. Parishioners met regularly to plan the weekend’s programme, research the church’s history, and make sure every detail was worthy of such an occasion. The window above the altar needed repair, and the church itself was due for a fresh coat of paint. Local builder Matthew Fairmaid generously volunteered his time, equipment, and skill to carry out the work, supported by many helping hands from the parish community. By the time the weekend arrived, the little church looked as radiant as it had on its opening day.
A Weekend of Prayer and Remembrance
The celebrations began on Friday evening, 28 March, with a gathering at St Paul’s to pray the Rosary. As the familiar words echoed through the timber interior, parishioners reflected on the faith of those who came before them. A talk by Mary O’Connor followed, sharing stories of the people whose names appear on brass plaques and memorials inside the church — early donors and families whose generosity and devotion shaped its beginnings. These moments connected the present generation with their ancestors in a powerful, tangible way.
Walking Through History
Saturday morning dawned bright and clear. Christopher O’Malley led a history tour of the valley, tracing sites significant to the parish story. Before St Paul’s was built, Masses were often held in family homes — the O’Reillys’, the O’Neils’ and others — or in the local hall. The tour stopped at these locations, sparking memories and conversation among older parishioners, who remembered the families and the stories attached to each place.
The tour also reflected on how the valley itself has changed. In 1925, St Paul’s stood at the heart of a bustling settlement — alongside the post office and store, the butter factory, Kokatahi Hall, Kokatahi Hotel, tennis courts, sawmill, and saleyards. Today, only the church, hall, and hotel remain, silent witnesses to the transformation from small mixed farms to large, modern dairy operations. Yet through all that change, St Paul’s has remained a constant — a steadfast spiritual home in an ever-shifting landscape.
A Mass to Remember
That afternoon, in warm Coast sunshine, the crowd gathered outside the church with Bishop Gielen. James O’Connor set the scene by describing what the first opening day in 1925 might have looked like. Farmers, having finished milking their small herds, would have dressed in their Sunday best and travelled by horse-drawn traps, vintage cars, or on foot, to celebrate the long-dreamed-of church their community had worked so hard to build. At the bishop’s invitation, the congregation entered the church in silence — just as their predecessors might have done a century earlier. Then the hymn All Are Welcome rang out, filling the small space with gratitude and joy. During the Mass, the bishop invited parishioners to speak aloud the surnames of families who had been part of St Paul’s through the years, as well as the names of past priests. Some families are still represented in the district today; others have long since moved away. The roll call of names was a moving tribute to generations of faith.
The offertory procession was rich with symbolism: milk and gumboots representing the valley’s dairy farming heritage; paint and brushes acknowledging the countless working bees that have kept the church standing; and photographs of early clergy — Rev Dr Kennedy and Fr Thomas Campbell, who officiated at the first Mass in 1925, along with Fr Charles O’Reilly and Fr Daniel O’Connor, both local men who answered the call to priesthood. Fr O’Reilly (1863-1939) was the first priest ordained from Westland, and Fr O’Connor, now a Columban missionary, has spent over 40 years serving in Pakistan.
Honouring the Past, Celebrating the Present
Following the Mass, parishioners gathered for photos before two of the community’s senior members, Tarcille O’Connor and David Roberts, planted a tree to commemorate the occasion — a living symbol of St Paul’s continuing life and growth. That evening, the celebrations continued at Kokatahi Hall, where stories and laughter filled the room. Bishop Gielen spoke warmly of his own upbringing on a dairy farm, a connection that resonated deeply with the farming community before him. Messages of congratulations were read from afar, including one from Fr Daniel O’Connor in Pakistan, and another from Fr Joaquin in the Philippines, who had been parish priest when planning for the centenary began. On Sunday, a final Mass and shared lunch brought the weekend to a close — a fitting end to a holy and memorable celebration.
A Church with a Big Heart
From its earliest fundraising efforts — jumble sales, euchre tournaments, and Paddy’s Markets, to generations of baptisms, weddings, and funerals, St Paul’s has always been woven into the fabric of Kokatahi life. For a hundred years, it has offered
a place of prayer, community, and quiet strength to those who live and work in this rural valley. A century on, St Paul’s remains as its founders dreamed — a small church with a big heart, still anchoring the spirit of Kokatahi and standing as a humble but enduring testament to faith on the West Coast.
