Welcoming the Te Rangimārie Chaplaincy to St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral
by Pa Monty Bamford - Chaplain, Te Rangimārie Chaplaincy
For many, the most noticeable change following the Second Vatican Council was the use of vernacular languages
in the celebration of Mass. Interestingly, while Vatican II permitted the vernacular for readings and certain prayers,
it also affirmed that Latin should be preserved in the Latin Rite and remains the default language of the Latin Church. Consequently, my seminary formation was sufficient that I can—and do—celebrate Mass in Latin, English, and Te Reo Māori. Throughout the diocese, Mass is also celebrated
in Samoan, Tagalog, Spanish, Indonesian, Mandarin, and Bisaya. This diversity is a positive fruit of the Council.
In January 2023, Bishop Michael Gielen asked me to
be the Chaplain of the Te Rangimārie Chaplaincy — the Maori Catholic community in Ōtautahi Christchurch. In September 2023, when Bishop Gielen began consultations regarding the location of a new cathedral, the first group
he approached was the Katorika mana whenua—the Māori Catholic community of Christchurch. From that engagement, a compelling historical narrative emerged, significantly influencing his decision to locate the new cathedral on the Barbadoes Street site.
Following the public announcement of the site in April 2024, Bishop Gielen initiated further consultation to discern an appropriate name. In August 2024, the name Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament — Te Hāhi Matua o te Hākarameta Tapu Rawa was adopted. In November 2024, he invited the Te Rangimārie Chaplaincy to be based at the new cathedral site. The proposal was considered at a hui that month, attended by our respected kaumatua Bob Te Miha (RIP 14/3/2025) and was warmly accepted.
The hui also mandated that the Chaplaincy explore interim venues for Miha Māori while the cathedral is under construction. After a discernment process involving several options and robust discussion at a hui in May 2025, three preferred locations were submitted to Bishop Gielen for final consideration. Beginning Sunday, 7 December 2025, Mass in Te Reo Māori is now celebrated weekly at St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral until the new Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament is completed.
The Catholic Church in Aotearoa New Zealand has long recognised the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua—the first people of the land. Bishop Pompallier asked the native people to teach him aspects of Māori tikanga (protocol), Te Reo Māori (language), and Te Ao Māori (the worldview) when he first arrived on these shores. The New Zealand Catholic Bishops have consistently affirmed the Church’s commitment to fostering bi-cultural relationships within our multi-cultural society. In our diocese, the rebuilding of the cathedral presents a clear opportunity to weave the distinct tribal expressions of Ngai Tahu (the main iwi in the South Island) and their hapu into parish and diocesan life.
As Chaplain to the Te Rangimārie Chaplaincy over the past three years, I have been deeply moved by the community’s spiritual traditions that resonate with Catholic spirituality. The concept of whakapapa—genealogy and connection—mirrors our understanding of the Communion of Saints. The practices of inoi (prayer), waiata (song), and pōwhiri (ritual welcome) fit naturally within our Catholic liturgical life. Some ritual elements surrounding Matariki (the Māori New Year) carry distinctly Eucharistic undertones.
The Te Rangimārie Chaplaincy brings gifts of spirituality, resilience, and communal wisdom that can renew our diocese. Their presence invites us to become more relational, more grounded in the land, and more attentive to God in our daily
life. As the Te Rangimarie Chaplaincy begins worship at St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, and then at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament when it is built, our cathedral will truly become a whare inoi—a house of prayer—for all peoples, a place where Latin and vernacular languages exist side by side. In doing so, the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch will reflect the bi-cultural foundation of Aotearoa New Zealand and embody the Gospel call to be one body, one spirit, in Christ.
