Summit attendees urged to promote renewal at home

Bishop John Adams, Fr James Mallon and Divine Renovation lead for New Zealand, Cheryl Surrey (Taila Burton photo)

Palmerston North Bishop John Adams says he is “looking forward to the future with great anticipation” after more than 500 people gathered in his diocese for the Hope and Renewal Summit.

Delegates from each New Zealand diocese, as well as Australia, the Pacific and southeast Asia took part in the Summit, jointly hosted by the Diocese of Palmerston North and international parish renewal ministry Divine Renovation.

Bishop Adams said the Summit had been a “wonderful few days”.

“I’m not sure there’s been an occasion in recent history where the clergy and Catholic people have come together to talk about the future of the Church and what our parishes might look like,” he explained.

“So, I’m thrilled with what’s happening and looking forward to the future with great anticipation.”

Dozens of priests and six bishops attended a clergy day on Thursday, with Divine Renovation founder Fr James Mallon and ministry coach Matt Regitz speaking about the important role priests play in the work of parish renewal.

Hundreds of lay people joined the conference on Friday, with Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabor Pinter celebrating Mass and offering words of encouragement to the participants.

“My prayerful wish is that this Summit will be a true moment of grace, a time of unity and courage for the Catholic Church in all your countries,” he said.

“May it help you discover new pathways for evangelisation, strengthen bonds of fraternity and renew the zeal of pastors and faithful alike.

“May your deliberations give rise to concrete initiatives that will make the Gospel present in every corner of your nations.”

In addition to prayer, praise and worship and keynote addresses, delegates attended workshops across three streams, depending on their own or their parish’s current status: “New to renewal” or, using the nautical theme, either “Casting off” or “Sailing the Waves”.

Fr Mallon, who gave several talks across the three days, invited delegates to return to their communities and be “prophets of hope and renewal”.

Although the conference finished on Saturday evening, about 200 delegates attended a thanksgiving Mass on Sunday morning. In the homily, the Canadian priest said that if parishes are run faithfully and effectively, the Church is well set up to transform the world.

“At the heart of all we do in parishes must be ‘what is it that the Father is asking of us? What is the duty we are being asked to undertake?’,” he said.

“I hope, after these days, that each of us can point to the central task that Jesus gave his Church before he ascended to the Father – that great task, that great mission known as the Great Commission, to go forth to all nations and to make disciples of all nations.”

Palmerston North diocesan mission and evangelisation director Emily Sit said the Summit was “an incredible experience, united in worship and vision”.

“Our prayer is that the seeds of hope and renewal planted at this Summit will continue to stir the Spirit across our land and make our parishes shine as beacons of light, renewing our nation and carrying the Gospel with fresh courage into our communities,” she said.

Kevin Bailey, the executive director of Divine Renovation for Australia and New Zealand, described the Summit as “quite extraordinary” for the Church in this country.

“The last two days have filled my cup to overflowing,” Mr Bailey said as the Summit concluded.

“I think this is an inflection point for what’s going to be happening for the Church in New Zealand. It’s so great to be coming across from Australia and seeing this happening. The rest of the world needs to hear about this. It’s something quite extraordinary.

“Out of this conference, I think people are inspired to really make the changes that they really know they need to do to in order to bring more people to Jesus – and that’s the name of the game.”