01/09/2026
𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 🙏❤️
CEC was delighted to sponsor a collaboration between the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch and Divine Renovation, bringing together parish priests, SLTs and staff for two days focused on 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗹, 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀.
It was wonderful to welcome Brent Dolfo from Vancouver, with around 11 parishes represented from Christchurch Diocese, Palmerston North, New Plymouth and Dunedin – friends in mission from across Aotearoa!
One analogy from the gathering captured the spirit of the two days beautifully.
Parishes weren't being asked to 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿. Instead, we were invited to 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝘁 and take a look inside. Are there different parts, practices or ways of doing things that might help our particular parish run a little better?
We began by looking at 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲.
And there was so much to celebrate.
Many of the parishes represented are already well along the journey of renewal. But there was also an honesty about the challenges: How do we help people invite others to Mass or Alpha? How do we connect people into formation? Welcome and accompany immigrant communities? Build stronger bridges with school families? Raise up catechists and new leaders? Follow people up? Help people move from OCIA into a lifetime of discipleship, service and mission?
We were reminded that 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻.
When you're climbing a mountain, sometimes you need to stop on a ledge, turn around and take in the vista – to recognise just how far you've already come. ❤️
Brett Powell, the new CEO of Divine Renovation, joined us via Zoom and reminded us that 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗻.
A missionary disciple:
1. Follows Jesus.
2. Becomes more like Jesus.
3. Joins Jesus in His mission.
That led us into a rich conversation about moving from 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 and building a culture of accompaniment.
In 2 Timothy 2:2, we see this multiplication in action: St Paul forms St Timothy, who is entrusted to form reliable people, who in turn will be able to teach others.
𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀.
Jesus modelled this too. While ministering to the crowds, He was intentionally forming the Twelve. He didn't simply put out a general call for volunteers – He noticed people, called them and invested in them.
What might happen if we became more intentional about 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽?
We explored a beautifully simple model:
𝗜 𝗱𝗼. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵. 𝗪𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸.
𝗜 𝗱𝗼. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽. 𝗪𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸.
𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼. 𝗜 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽. 𝗪𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸.
𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼. 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵. 𝗪𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸.
𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼. 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀. 𝗪𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸.
That's multiplication. Our fruit begins to 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲'𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘀 🌱
Fr James Mallon also joined us via Zoom and offered another very relatable image: anyone who has tackled a home renovation knows that it usually 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸! Parish renewal can be a little like that too.
Sometimes, if we want to grow fast, 𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝗹𝗼𝘄.
Renewal takes patience. Culture takes time. And culture is shaped by 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲.
What a wonderful couple of days – learning, sharing honestly, praying and worshipping together, being refreshed and encouraged, and spending time with friends in mission from around New Zealand.
There is so much already happening in our parishes. And there is so much possibility ahead.
May we keep accompanying people, raising up leaders and forming disciples who will form disciples – 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻. 🙏❤️
Catholic Diocese of Christchurch Divine Renovation Ministry
