June

Re-opening of St Mary of the Angels church

'We’ve saved the Church,' was the jubilant reaction of Parish Priest, Barry Scannell sm, at the blessing and re-opening of St Mary of the Angels on Wednesday evening in Holy Week. He said that one of the saddest aspects of the church being closed was not being able to hold weddings, baptisms, and funerals for parishioners whose families had been coming to the church for generations. 'I’ll never forget having to ring 25 brides to tell them they could no longer host their wedding in the church,' he said. 'Then there was the ‘small’ matter of where to get $9.5m,' Fr Scannell told the donors. 'You are some of the over 800 individuals who have made donations. I have written to all of you and today I want thank you once again.'

Fr Barry Scannell SM
Parish Priest

Photo and report: thanks to sm.org.nz