$3m target for Tauranga, Te Puna church upgrades

Parish priest Fr Arnold Punzalan said St Mary Immaculate Church in Tauranga “is now in need of vital, time-sensitive renewals to ensure our spiritual home meets the needs of our growing community”.

“This project includes essential updates to our kitchen and toilet facilities, alongside crucial accessibility improvements so that every single member of our parish family, regardless of age or physical ability, can fully and comfortably participate in parish life.

“Furthermore, we intend to construct a new mezzanine floor, creating a safe, joyful space dedicated to our children and youth liturgy, pastoral gatherings and the warm fellowship that binds us together,” Fr Punzalan said.

He added that the project “also encompasses much-needed renovations at St Joseph’s Church in Te Puna”. The total cost of this shared vision is $3.06 million, he said.

“Because of the incredible, quiet generosity of many among us, $1.26 million has already been raised. To bring this beautiful vision to life, we humbly ask for your prayers, your ownership and your support,” Fr Punzalan said to parishioners.

From the first timber chapel in the area in the 19th century, Fr Punzalan traced an “unbroken line of worship spans more than 150 years”.

“As the current stewards of this rich heritage, we find ourselves at a beautiful crossroads. We are entrusted not just with preserving these walls, but with ensuring they remain a warm, vibrant and accessible sanctuary where future generations can encounter God’s love.”

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Dear Parishioners,… (Parish of St Thomas Aquinas, Tauranga Moana/Facebook)