St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Pukekohe

04/09/2026

With a new CEO appointed, NZ Catholic Education Office is seeking a Manager for Special Character (new role). Note, Wellington based but asked to spread among parishes. Role will focus on working with Bishops, Proprietors, school leaders to "promote authentic Catholic education, leadership formation...and sector-wide collaboration."

Dioceses have their own education teams focused on special character and authentic Catholic formation.

Bring your faith, vision, & leadership to a role that truly matters. Join a passionate team and ensure that Catholic schools continue to flourish.

01/09/2026

Next Gen Catholic youth event for teenagers (Embracing Human Dignity) is to be held locally on Sunday 20 September in the afternoon at St Ignatius. It's a Diocese wide event so it's good to see other youth travel out to Franklin.

01/09/2026

The Parish will host a seminarian for two weeks starting this Sunday.

As with other seminarians we have hosted, please welcome Philip and pray for him, his training, and continued discernment.

01/09/2026

WHY REV FRANK RITCHE COVERTED TO CATHOLICISM:

Rev Frank Ritchie is a well known Wesleyan Methodist Minister who comments extensively through media including his own slot on Radio NZ and Rhema. His recent conversion to Catholicism was part of a faith journey that accelerated through his experience with Blessed Mary and the contemplative rituals of the Faith which resolved his "restlessness". It's a long interview with Frank covering several subjects particularly inspirational from someone who saw the Catholic Faith through a lens of being a Protestant Minister. The Catholic Enquiry Centre has cut up the interview into headings in which you can explore the topics individually or you can watch the full interview.

What happens when a Protestant minister begins to seriously questio...

01/09/2026

Peter Woods is Director of Teacher Formation, La Salle Academy, Australian Catholic University. A decade ago, he established a programme (Catholic Schools Youth Ministry) of teacher formation and peer to peer formation (among student leaders) that is now across 270+ schools in Australia. As he reminds parents in the interview (25 min), there is a deep spiritual hunger among Gen Z so the role of Catholic schools and family is to allow the Holy Spirit to equip them with ongoing discipleship and deepen their sense of belonging to Christ. His third visit to NZ in recent times has seen some of the CSYM concepts such as Youth Ministers being taken up across Dioceses including the first in Auckland at our own Parish with St Ignatius.

(Please note as you listen to the podcast: Unlike NZ, Catholic schools in Australia are designated "private" with Dioceses managing them centrally across each State / Territory.)

Growing up in a Catholic family, a young Peter Woods recognised tha...

30/08/2026

SUNDAY MASSES TODAY - THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE:

Please keep Fr Robert in your prayers as he's in bed sick. If you have messages to Robert then be patient with any responses as he's still recovering.

We were blessed to have Fr Chris Gleeson SJ (Jesuit priest) who came over from Australia this weekend to be at St Ignatius for the week, and was able to celebrate our 8am and 10am Mass. Thank you again, Fr Chris.

Thank you to the two families who had their infant baptism shifted from 11.30am to 2.30pm to allow Fr Joseph to get across from Waiuku.

Fr Joseph will celebrate the 5pm Mass today and we welcome one adult who will receive her sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and First Holy Communion and one young person who will receive her sacraments of Confirmation and First Holy Communion.

Thank you to the Liturgy Committee members particularly Jean and Cathy Y for moving things around so efficiently.

Please keep Fr Robert in your prayers and thoughts.

God Bless,

Peter

28/08/2026

Blessed Feast Day of St Augustine. A Doctor of the Catholic Church. His influence on world history is immense.

As a young man, he lived a wayward life but it was through that experience that he was able to write about the "restlessness of the heart" (deeply flawed by original sin) and that we human beings seek it from worldly wealth, success and material things.

How apt is his writings centuries later where we continue to want and seek material things that doesn't satisfy or fill the gap in our hearts or soul.

St Augustine of Hippo. Pray for Us.

28/08/2026

NO CHEWING GUM:

It's unfortunate that we have to put up a post reminding people there is no chewing gum allowed in our Church and Hall.

Chewing gum can cause significant damage to floors and surfaces, and the cost of removing it is a substantial expense. That's why schools ban chewing gum as do many public facilities.

We have had gum miss the bin and fall on the floor. We have found gum in the toilets; btw they are very hard to flush. We have recently found gum in a newsletter and then left in the pew...a double whammy of disrespect!

Help us keep our Parish environment clean and well maintained.
The Patron Saint of cleanliness is St Zita. So St Zita, pray for us.

28/08/2026

CARPARKING ETIQUETTE:

We are becoming a broken record on this.

Come early to Mass (see Mass etiquette post below) so you can prepare for it. This also means you can find a carpark including on the surrounding streets.

Do not park in the St Patrick’s Village driveway or over any driveway entrances in the surrounding streets especially on Blair Street. There is plenty of parking in Hogan Street and Dublin Street.

The section across the road is NOT a carpark; it's private property and we have asked them to call a towing truck if they see a vehicle there.

Our grass area at our cemetery is NOT a carpark.

In the Church carpark, park ONLY in the allocated carparks. They are freshly painted so you can see the lines.

Keep Emergency Access clear at all times.

Under NO circumstances is it acceptable to block other cars. It is the right of a person including neighbours to have your car towed if illegally parked and you will pay for its release.

Group and Programme leaders: Please send this message around via your WhatsApp and email groups.

This reminder is also in the latest Bulletin.

Of the three Sunday Mass, the 5pm has less people so please consider that if you are regularly chasing your tail on getting to the 8am and 10am.

If you have visitors coming to Mass, remind them of this simple etiquette.

27/08/2026

FEAST DAY OF ST MONICA:

The Roman Catholic Church celebrates the life of St Monica on 27 August. It is intentionally next to the feast day of St Augustine of Hippo (28th), her son and one of the greatest philosophers and theologians. Many organisations, entities, schools, hospitals, structures are named after him including the Augustine Order of which Pope Leo is a member.

St Monica experienced significant trauma and heartbreak in her life. But her strength came from faithfulness, family values, forgiveness, prayers, and perseverance. Her experiences were also within the context of fourth century North Africa where Christians were being persecuted. When her abusive husband, cruel mother-in-law, and wayward son were all baptised, Monica said bringing them to the mercy and love of God was the greatest gift a mother can give her family.

St Monica, pray for us.