Archbishops of Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia

25/05/2026

02/05/2026

Meet Bishop-elect Susan Wallace for Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Waipounamu.

video where she shares her plans for the Hui Amorangi and what she is looking forward to as the new Bishop-elect

29/04/2026

Primatial Announcement: The Venerable Susan Wallace named Bishop-elect of Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Waipounamu


E tīororotia ana e ngā rangi te korōria o te Atua; e tītohutohutia ana e te kikorangi ngā mahi ā ōna ringa - Ps 19.1

Ka tīorooro ki te tihi o Aoraki mauka,
ka tīorooro ki ngā wai pounamu e rere noa ki ngā tai e whā,
ka tīorooro ki ngā ngākau hari o Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Waipounamu.

E rere nei ko te rongo pai a ngā Pīhopa Mātāmua o te Hāhi Mihinare ki Aotearoa, Niu Tireni me Te Moana nui a Kiwa kua kōwhiria he pīhopa hou ki Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Waipounamu.

It is with a heart of thanksgiving and praise that we announce the election of The Venerable Susan Wallace (Kai Tahu, Ngāti Whātua, Ngāti Wai) to be the new Bishop of Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Waipounamu.

Archdeacon Susan's election is a moment of deep significance for Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Waipounamu, for Te Pīhopatanga o Aotearoa, and for the wider life of Te Hāhi Mihinare. Susan will become the first wahine Māori to serve as Pīhopa for Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Waipounamu, and only the second wahine Māori to serve as a Pīhopa in the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.

All throughout the ages God has called women and men to serve in the Church. From those in the bible such as Deborah, prophet, judge and leader of Israel, to Phoebe, entrusted with ministry in the earliest Christian communities, the people of God have always been uplifted, empowered, and enhanced when the gifts of women are received with aroha, thanksgiving, and joy.

Archdeacon Susan brings to her new calling a lifetime of service to the Hāhi, iwi and her hāpori, where she has earned the love and trust of her people. Susan's ministry has been shaped by more than forty years of lay leadership before her ordination as deacon in March 2024 and priest later that same year.

Since the passing of her beloved late father, Pīhopa Richard Wallace, in 2024, Susan has carried significant leadership responsibility for Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Waipounamu. As Commissary, she helped steady and guide the Hui Amorangi through a season of transition, preparing the way for the calling of a new Pīhopa, whether that calling would fall to her or to another. In this, she has shown humility and faithful stewardship.

Her election also stands within a wider legacy of women's episcopal leadership in this Church and Communion, including The Right Reverend Penelope Jamieson, the first woman elected as a Diocesan Bishop in the Anglican Communion, and The Right Reverend Waitohiariki Quayle, the first wahine Māori to serve as Bishop in this Province.

We ask the whole Church to surround and uplift Susan in prayer, grace, aroha and unity. The calling of women to Episcopal Leadership is something we celebrate.

We give thanks for the Electoral College of Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Waipounamu, and for the care, prayer and discernment they brought to this sacred process.

The ordination and installation of Archdeacon Susan as Bishop is set for Saturday 6 June 2026 in Christchurch.

Yours in Christ,

++ Don Tamihere, ++Justin Duckworth, ++Sione Ulu'ilakepa

21/04/2026

Archbishop Sione Ulu'ilakepa reflects on the installation of the Most Rev Sarah Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury.

15/04/2026

Archbishop Justin Reflects on the Archbishop of Canterbury's installation.

Attending the installation of Dame Sarah Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury was, for Bishop of Wellington and Archbishop - Tikanga Pākehā, Justin Duckworth, both a moment of privilege and a moment full of hope.

He jokes that he “somehow found himself at the very end of the procession,” arriving last — “the caboose” — a position no one really wants when every seat is already taken. But any minor logistical misadventures were quickly eclipsed by the significance of the occasion itself.

Watch the full video below

Attending the installation of Dame Sarah Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury was, for Bishop of Wellington and Archbishop - Tikanga Pakeha, Justin Duckworth...

03/04/2026

An Easter Message: What Happens When Love Leads Us?

What happens when love leads us?

Around 2,000 years ago there was a teacher who told his disciples that he had a new commandment for them.

“You should love one another”, he said, “in the same way as I have loved you.”

Most of us would welcome that idea. It evokes a sense that we could be fair, and just, and kind to each other, and even have compassion for one another.

It sounds good.

But if we know the story, then we know that what this teacher had in mind was far more than just a lovely sentiment. His proposition was radical, and revolutionary, and dangerous.

The teacher gave his new commandment during what would be his last supper with his disciples. He had lived and travelled and taught with them for many months. Through him they had seen lives changed, people healed and restored, and the miraculous happen. He had shown them what love looks like when it moves beyond being just an idea and becomes the real work of standing with the suffering, the marginalised, and the oppressed, liberating them from injustice, and setting them free.

But of course, the teacher’s work upset the oppressors. To them, a love that liberated the poor and the despised became a challenge to their privilege and power. A challenge too dangerous for them to ignore.

The teacher knew the danger but continued to care, and show compassion and kindness, and love others anyway. He inspired his people to do the same.

And so it was that the rulers of that time sought to end his life with a terrifying act of hate. They arrested and killed the teacher by hanging him on a cross.

When we consider what is happening in our world today, it seems that not much has changed since the time of the teacher. People are being marginalised and oppressed all over the world. Rulers are waging war and killing innocent men, women, and children. Minorities and immigrants are being vilified and oppressed. Communities face systemic and structural disadvantages that keep them poor and desperate, while the rich grow ever more rich and powerful. These times feel very dark indeed for many people.

In times like these, just like in the time of the teacher, love and compassion for others is not just a nice sentiment. In the face of hatred, love is a radical response. Under the threat of Empire, love is a revolutionary act. In a world reeling from war, love is the only hope for healing, and for lasting peace.

We who are the peoples and the communities of the world must love one another, because we know what happens when we don’t.
The story of Easter is the story of the teacher, the one we know as Jesus Christ. His story teaches us that love is stronger than hate. Hate kills. Love resurrects and brings new life.

Let us pray for the world, and especially for displaced immigrants, oppressed minorities, and those faced with unimaginable suffering in war-torn places like Gaza, the Ukraine, and the Middle East. Let us pray for our own communities suffering in the despair of a cost-of-living crisis, in unsettled homes and families, and for those in grief, pain, and need.

Let us pray for peace in a troubled world. But more importantly, let us pray for the courage and the strength to love like Jesus loved – in a real, radical, and revolutionary way. Let us love others despite difference, reject hate, and show compassion instead.

Let love lead. Because everything else fails.

++Sione
++Justin
++Don

Image: “Easter Morning” by He Qi, 2004.

26/03/2026

The Primates stood with their wider Anglican whānau to witness the historic installation of Archbishop Sarah Mullaly. The service revealed the beauty of God’s people in all their diversity, a reminder that when distinct voices are gathered in Christ, the Anglican Communion is strengthened.

The service gave vivid expression to the breadth and richness of the Anglican Communion, from the Kyrie sung in Urdu, to the Gospel Acclamation led by the African Choir of Norfolk, to the Gospel read in Spanish by the Rt Rev. Alba Sally Sue Hernández García, appointed Bishop of Mexico on 21 March 2026.

25/03/2026

🕊️ With Archbishop Sarah Mullally being installed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury Thursday 26 March 2026 (NZT), Bishop Anashuya Fletcher reflects on what the Diocese of Wellington is working through to help more women lead.

19/03/2026

A Statement on the Middle Eastern Conflict:

An Appeal for Peace
As the third week of escalating conflict unfolds between Iran, Israel, and the United States, we are called to raise our voices in prayer for peace and safety for all of God’s children.

The shifting objectives of the February 28, 2026, strike on Iran, conducted while peace talks were still in progress, alongside the tragic loss of over 150 girls at Shajareh Tayyebeh School in Minab, raise serious questions about compliance with international humanitarian law. This escalation risks igniting a long-term conflict that could involve more Gulf states, further compounding the devastation seen in Palestine and Israel over the past two years.

The toll of this conflict is staggering: over 1,000 lives lost in Lebanon, more than 1,300 in Iran, and dozens of Israelis and Americans. Up to 3.2 million people have been displaced within Iran, and over 1 million in Lebanon. Alarmingly, many of these refugees have faced further targeting in subsequent strikes after losing their homes and loved ones.

In these times, we must remember that Christ is present in the families who once gathered for supper and now seek refuge. He is found in the children who were learning in classrooms but now live in fear. He is with those observing Lent, those coming to the close of Ramadan, and those preparing for Pesach, reminding us of our shared life as children of God.

In unity with the calls of Archbishop Hosam Naoum and the Multireligious Council of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR):

Let us pray for the protection of the innocent, including mothers, children, and the elderly of all faiths. We seek divine wisdom for leaders in the United States, Iran, and Israel. May peace negotiators find the courage to foster dialogue that nurtures safety and understanding. Embracing the love and clarity of Te Wairua Tapu, we strive to extend compassion universally. The Church must stand as a beacon of reconciliation; its doors open to dialogue among all faiths.

We lift our hearts in fervent prayer for Archbishop Hosam Naoum and all those who faithfully minister within the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East.

“Ā mā te mārie o te Atua, e kore nei e taea te whakaaro, e tiaki o koutou ngākau, o koutou hinengaro, i roto i a Karaiti Ihu.”

Yours in Christ,

++Don Tamihere, ++Sione Ulu'ilakepa, ++Justin Duckworth

11/02/2026

The devastating storms that swept the North Island in January have left a mark on communities far and wide.

From Northland, to Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and down to Te Tairāwhiti communities, large and small, rural and urban have been hit hard.

Amid the tragedy, Anglican ministers and marae provided emergency shelter, pastoral care, and spiritual support, demonstrating resilience and deep care for one another.

Read the full story:

Aerial view of flood damage near Te Araroa. Photo/Te Araroa Civil Defence FB   The devastating storms that swept the North Island last month have left a mark on communities...read more >