Nelson-Tasman parish to be named after St John Paul II

By CathNews New Zealand

February 24th, 2026

St John Paul II in Christchurch in 1986 (Catholic Diocese of Christchurch)

After a consultation process, Wellington Archbishop Paul Martin SM has officially chosen St John Paul II Parish as the name for a new parish in the South Island.

Last year, Archbishop Martin directed the pastoral councils and finance committees of Holy Family Parish, Nelson, and Our Lady of the Bays Parish, Tasman District, to begin the amalgamation process for a new parish, and for the development of a single large church.

From October 17 to November 2 last year, there was a synodal process to search for a name for the amalgamated parish. Submitters were encouraged to “consider names that reflect our spirituality, mission, history and traditions”, and to be aware of Church rules for naming parishes.

It was noted that the name would be for the new parish, not the new church building. “The parish is the community of faithful who will worship across the seven churches in the Nelson-Tasman region.”

Archbishop Martin’s decision to name the parish “St John Paul II Parish” was announced this month.

“In his response to our consultation process, the Archbishop commended the hard work of our leadership team and the entire parish community,” Our Lady of the Bays parish priest Fr Andrew Kim wrote in the parish newsletter.

“He believes this name is a wonderful fit for our future for several reasons.”

It is a guide for the parish mission, he said, as it is “helpful to have a saint we can identify with, whose life and example provide a foundation for reflecting the mission of the Church in our time.”

The name is also a link to the Second Vatican Council. “The name honours the two Popes who began and saw through the completion of the Second Vatican Council. This links us to the movement of the Church over the last 65 years,” Fr Kim said.

And the name speaks to courage and witness, the parish priest explained.

“St John Paul II provided a firm foundation through his courage, witness and teachings during changing times in the world and the Church.”

FULL STORY

Our Lady of the Bays parish newsletter February 22 (Our Lady of the Bays Parish)

Name for new parish submission (Our Lady of the Bays Parish)

Archbishop Martin amalgamation letter 2025 (Our Lady of the Bays Parish)