Archbishop recounts his diverse ministry in new podcast

In conversation with host Joanna Kearney, Archbishop Paul recalls a simple but deep faith growing up in Hastings, where his connection with the Society of Mary planted the seed for his eventual vocation.

“Our parish was a Marist parish. The priests were Marists and the seminary was in Napier,” he explains.

“I’d had two cousins who had gone to the Marist Seminary who were older than I was, but had been over there myself as part of school. . . . So I got a nice look at what that life was. And I found that really appealing.

“I thought being a teacher was a really worthy and good way to be a priest and to live in community.”

Archbishop Paul speaks of diverse experiences as a seminarian and as a priest, including time in an Indigenous community in remote Australia, teaching in a number of schools in New Zealand and serving as part of the Society of Mary’s international leadership group in Rome.

It was while in New Zealand on holiday that Archbishop Paul received the phone call that would set him on a new course.

In fact, he had missed a couple of calls from a number he didn’t recognise, but then received a text from the then-Apostolic Nuncio, asking him to return the call.

“I was there, looking back at Lyttelton and talking to the Nuncio, and he says ‘the Holy Father is appointing you the Bishop of Christchurch’,” Archbishop Paul recounts.

Asked if he would accept, he knew there was only one acceptable answer to that request: Yes.

While that invitation was not completely unexpected, based on rumours he had heard, the appointment as successor to Cardinal John Dew as Archbishop of Wellington was a shock. An expected 25-year stretch as Bishop of Christchurch was transformed into a new ministry in Wellington.

Archbishop Paul also speaks about his perspectives on Pope Francis and Pope Leo, his participation in the Synod on Synodality and some of the difficult decisions he has had to make while a bishop.

Archbishop Paul’s interview is the sixth episode of the first season of the Catholic Kiwi Podcast. Earlier guests include Carmelite Sister Lauren of the Cross, Divine Renovation founder Fr James Mallon and former TVNZ United States correspondent Tim Wilson.

Episodes can be found by searching for Catholic Kiwi Podcast on YouTube or Spotify.

FULL STORY

Catholic Kiwi Podcast: Season 1, Episode 6 — Archbishop Paul Martin SM (NZCBC)