The week 21 to 27 May 2012
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Events being held at St Peter's on Willis between 21 and 27 May
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Day |
Date |
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Thursday |
24 May |
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Friday |
25 May |
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Friday |
25 May |
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Sunday |
27 May |
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Sunday |
27 May |
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For details of what's going on, where it is and who to contact click our "what's happening this month" page.
Feast Days 21 to 27 May 2012
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Tuesday 22 May |
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Rota Waitoa - the first Maori ordained in New Zealand, 1853
Waitoa was selected by Selwyn for training for the ministry. After his ordination Waitoa was appointed minister to the CMS station at Te Kawakawa (Te Araroa), East Coast. His appointment was the first to meet an urgent need for highly trained Maori clergy to provide supervision and spiritual guidance. At the same time it brought potential conflict to the Maori community. Waitoa initially met much opposition from Te Houkamau of Ngati Porou, who had twice been denied baptism by William Williams and who resented a member of a tribe he did not esteem assuming the position of teacher and leader among his people. Later, however, Te Houkamau was baptised by Waitoa. With Te Houkamau, Rota Waitoa built St Stephen's Church at Te Araroa, and possibly St Barnabas's at Hicks Bay. Waitoa's last years were marked by increasing difficulties. The resistance of East Coast Maori to government land sale policies, resentment of government authority, and some popular support among Ngati Porou for the King movement and Pai Marire, came to a head with the outbreak of war on the East Coast in 1865. Waitoa was one of an important group of East Coast leaders who opposed the King movement and Pai Marire, and in 1865–66 was involved in the hostilities. He continued his work throughout this period although at one time he was forced to abandon Te Kawakawa mission. He died from injuries sustained in a riding accident in 1866. Information from Te Ara : G. J. Dempsey. 'Waitoa, Rota - Biography', from the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 1-Sep-10 (However there is much much more to read so click on the Te Ara link to find out more details).Image from Alexander Turnbull Library - Reference: 1/2-103558; F- Photograph |
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Wednesday 23 May |
Frederick Augustus Bennett, the first Maori Bishop, 1950
Frederick studied at several native schools and in 1884 he continued his studies were continued at Te Wairoa Native School at Lake Tarawera where he met Bishop A. B. Suter of Nelson. With parental consent the Bishop took Frederick back to Nelson to continue his education at Bishop's School, then Nelson College where he was a prefect and member of the First XV. He sang in the Nelson cathedral choir, taught Sunday school, and assisted at services in outlying areas. Music was to remain an important part of his ministry. As assistant curate at All Saints' Church he organised the choral singing, raised funds through concerts in the Bell Block in Taranki to build a hall as a centre of mission and in 1905 formed a special concert party. From the money made by touring a church was built at Whakarewarewa, and a hall at Ohinemutu. Bennett was always concerned with improving the physical, intellectual, social and spiritual condition of Maori people and he was instrumental in campaigning for the Licensing Acts Amendment act 1904. This bought him into conflict with the diocese but he did not let conflict stop him from doing what he believed was right. Bennett was ordained deacon in 1896, completed his licentiate in theology and was ordained priest in 1897. He was installed in 1917 as pastor at Waipatu and on 2 December 1928 he was consecrated bishop of Aotearoa, the first Maori bishop in New Zealand's history. In August 1946 Bennett celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination. In 1948 he attended the Lambeth Conference in London, and during this visit preached at Westminster Abbey. His work over the years was complex and beset with difficulties, calling for talent, infinite patience and an ungrudging sacrifice of time. Bennett's loyalty to his church never flagged and he maintained a constant faith, a catholicity of outlook, and a quiet, unruffled calm. The above touches lightly on the life of Frederick Augustus Bennett. For far more detailed information go to Te Ara : Manu A. Bennett. 'Bennett, Frederick Augustus - Biography', from the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 1-Sep-10)Image from Alexander Turnbull Library, S. P. Andrew Collection (PAColl-3739), Reference: 1/1-018699; G, Photograph by Stanley P. Andrew | |
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Thursday 24 May |
Mother Edith, Founder of the Community of the Sacred Heart, Christchurch, 1922 Mother Edith was born on 10 March 1861 Edith Mary Mellish on the island of Mauritius. Her mother died when she was two and her father's second wife encouraged Edith in her desire to become a missionary. When circumstances permitted she followed her dreams. First of all she undertook some parish work. Then, seeking training, she joined the Deaconess Community of St Andrew, London, in 1881 and became a deaconess in 1891. In 1893 she was chosen from the Deaconess Community of St Andrew, London, to answer the call of Bishop Churchill Julius of Christchurch for a sister to work in his diocese. She arrived in Christchurch in 1893 to find a small group of dedicated probationer deaconesses ready to form a community. The sisters worked with unmarried women, cared for orphans, taught, did church embroidery, visited hospitals and prisons, as well as developing community life. Originally called “The Sisters of Bethany”, they became “The Community of the Sacred Name” in 1911. Things were far from easy for these women, and the community grew slowly under difficult circumstances. But grow it did. Mother Edith had a capacity for work that was unbounded, and a multitude of activities and varied works were carried on under her leadership. Although some Anglicans in Christchurch regarded the community with suspicion as “popish”, the sisters won wide admiration for their work. She died on 25 May 1922 and was buried in Linwood at Christchurch. Information on Mother Edith from Justice Net. Further information can be found at Te Ara. | |
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Friday 25 May |
The Venerable Bede of Jarrow, Teacher of the Faith, 735
Information from Orthodoxwiki
Quote from Brainy Quote. Image: "The Venerable Bede Translates John" by J. D. Penrose (ca 1902)*To read Medieval Sourcebook: Bede (673735): Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation, Books 1-5 go to Fordham University. | |
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Saturday 26 May |
Augustine, first Archbishop of Canterbury, Missionary, 605
Augustine was the prior of a monastery in Rome when Pope Gregory the Great chose him in 595 to lead a mission, usually known as the Gregorian mission, to Britain to Christianize the King thelberht of the Kingdom of Kent from his native Anglo-Saxon paganism. In a letter to the patriarch of Alexandria detailing early successes of the mission, Gregory wrote of having sent Augustine and his companions "to the ends of the earth". Before reaching Kent the missionaries had considered turning back but Gregory urged them on and, in 597, Augustine landed on the Isle of Thanet and proceeded to thelberht's main town of Canterbury. King thelberht converted to Christianity and allowed the missionaries to preach freely, giving them land to found a monastery outside the city walls. Augustine was consecrated bishop of the English and converted many of the king's subjects, including thousands during a mass baptism on Christmas Day in 597. Pope Gregory sent more missionaries in 601, along with encouraging letters and gifts for the churches, although attempts to persuade the native Celtic bishops to submit to Augustine's authority failed. Roman bishops were established at London and Rochester in 604, and a school was founded to train Anglo-Saxon priests and missionaries. Augustine also arranged the consecration of his successor, Laurence of Canterbury. The archbishop probably died in 604 and was soon revered as a saint. This information is from Tutorgig but it only skims what is there so for a fuller read click on the click.Image: Statue at Mission of Saint Augustine to the English - for further information go to Women for Faith and Family | |
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Sunday 27 May |
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The Day of Pentecost (Whitsunday) Pentecost (for Christians) commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the twelve Apostles and other followers of Jesus. The Apostles and followers were in Jerusalem. Jesus had recently been crucified and they were lost, scared and bereft. Before he left Jesus had told the Apostles that the Holy Spirit would come to them and give them power to take his message to the world. On the day of Pentecost, it happened as Jesus said, the Holy Spirit transformed their lives and, despite disbelief, opposition and, in many cases, death, they spoke the message of Jesus to the world. The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” Peter Addresses the Crowd Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “‘In the last days, God says, Image: Titian (Tiziano Vecelli), The Descent of the Holy Ghost, c. 1545. Oil on canvas, Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, Venice. |
Waitoa is said to have been of Ngati Raukawa, Ngati Maru and Te Arawa descent. The names of his parents are not known. He was an early convert of Octavius Hadfield, and received his initial religious instruction in Christianity at Hadfield's mission at Waikanae where he was baptised and took the name Rota (Lot) in 1841. In 1842 he met Bishop GA Selwyn when the latter visited Kapiti and for the next 12 years was the bishop's friend and travelling companion.
Frederick Augustus Bennett was born on 15 November 1871 at Ohinemutu, Lake Rotorua. His mother, Raiha Ratete (Eliza Rogers), was a high-born woman of Ngati Whakaue section of Te Arawa. His father was Thomas Jackson Bennett, a storekeeper, who had emigrated from Ireland in 1849. He had a splendid command of the English language and was a keen church worker. Frederick's dual ancestry equipped him powerfully for his life's work.
The Venerable Bede was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Wearmouth (today part of Sunderland), and of its daughter monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow. He is well known as an author and scholar, whose best-known work is Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (The Ecclesiastical History of the English People*), which gained him the title The Father of English History. St. Bede wrote on many other topics, from music and musical metrics to scripture commentaries.
Augustine of Canterbury was a Benedictine monk who became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in the year 597. He is considered the "Apostle to the English" and a founder of the English Church.
When the day of Pentecost came, they (the apostles) were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.Remember, for both St Peter's but especially non-St Peter's events please see "what's popping up around here".