St. Mary's Church, Pukekaraka Marae, Otaki Catholic Church

About

ABOUT OUR PARISH

In 2014, the parish was amalgamated with St Joseph’s Levin, but, in order to acknowledge the mana of Ngati Kapu and their place in the history of the Archdiocese, Cardinal Dew on 28th February, 2021, promulgated St Mary’s as a separate entity once again. The Covenant made with Ngati Kapu when they permitted the Church to use their land for the Mission, was renewed in December, 2020. This Kawenata (Covenant) recognises Ngati Kapu as Kaitiaki of the Mission who offer and welcome non-Maori to work with them.

The land entrusted to the Church is located next to Tainui Marae, the Turangawaewae of many from Ngati Kapu. This land contains a marae dedicated to Our Lady, Hine Nui o te Ao Katoa (Queen of the World). The Mission House is the home of Marist priests, who have cared for St Mary’s since its foundation. They now pastor Maori wherever called within the diocese. The parish is administered by a priest under the authority of the Bishop of Wellington.

The new Church was built in 1992 and incorporated the old Church which had become too small for a growing congregation. The year 2021 is a new beginning. The parish is entrusted to a Leadership Team made up of Ngati Kapu and other parishioners. The renewed Kawenata has helped all to understand the special nature of Pukekaraka and in the future it will be promoted as the place of pilgrimage it already is.

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Naumai, haeremai. Tena koutou katoa.

Welcome to the website of the sacred site of Pukekaraka and the whanau of Hato Mere/St Mary’s Parish, Otaki.

In 1844 Father Jean Baptiste Comte a Marist Father was sent on a mission from Auckland to Otaki. It is from here that Catholicism spread within the Wellington Archdioceses. By the mid-1850s, the church was established in Nelson, Whanganui, Wellington, the Hutt Valley, the Wairarapa, Hawkes Bay and Manawatu and soon after that in Taranaki. They also travelled to Kaikoura

and Akoroa to minister.

Pukekaraka is blessed to have the oldest, still-in-use Catholic Church in New Zealand. This building serves as a weekday Mass Centre and is often requested for baptisms, weddings and funerals. It is recognised as a special place for prayer.

WHAKAHERE - GOVERNING BODY:

Alex Hakaria (Trustee)

Debbie & Mike McAsey

Oriwia & Wawata Raureti

Fr Alan Roberts

Fr Phil Cody, SM

OUR WEEKLY TIMETABLE:

Mon: 10 am Liturgy of the Word & Communion.

Tue -Thur: 10 am Mass

Sat: No Mass

Sun: 10 am Mass

Miha Maori Mass is on the 1st Sunday of each