Nominations sought for Nelson-Tasman parish name

Earlier this year, Wellington Archbishop Paul Martin SM wrote to parishioners, informing them that he had directed the start of an amalgamation process for the parishes of Holy Family, Nelson and Our Lady of the Bays. He also directed that a process be started for the development of a single large church in the Stoke-Richmond area.

The number of parishioners attending Sunday Mass in these parishes has been growing and placing a strain on the ability of churches to meet the needs of the people, Archbishop Martin wrote.

A consultation is running from October 17 to November 2 seeking feedback on the name of the new amalgamated parish.

“The naming process is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on who we are, where we have come from and who we are becoming as one community,” the consultation notice stated.

“This synodal process – one that invites every voice to be heard and valued – reflects the heart of how we are called to journey together as the people of God. We encourage you to consider names that reflect our spirituality, mission, history and traditions.”

The notice stated “it is important to note that we are choosing a name for our 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”.

The consultation form noted that “according to Church law, parish names must follow specific guidelines”.

“Our parish name must be one of the following: The name of the Trinity; A name for Christ as invoked in the liturgy, or a mystery of his life; The name of the Holy Spirit; A name for Mary under a title used in the liturgy; The name of a holy angel; The name of a canonised saint from the Roman martyrology; A geographic name using a standardised title (for example, “The Catholic Parish of … “).

FULL STORY

Parish amalgamation (Our Lady of the Bays Parish)

Letter from Archbishop Paul Martin to parishioners in Nelson-Tasman (Our Lady of the Bays parish)