Blog

The Cathedral Project design and remediation manager Jenny Goddard (centre) speaks with building services engineer Patrick Arnold, of eCubed, and project architect Brenda Solon, of Tennent Brown Architects, at Taranaki Cathedral. The people who have been entrusted with developing the plans for the earthquake strengthening and refurbishment of Taranaki Cathedral came together on-site this week, gathering information for the last push towards a finalised design. “It’s a mark of how much closer the project is getting to actually physically starting,”... read more

Mark 8:27-38 I don’t know about you, but I often have a crisis of character as I try to work out who I really am. I can blame this on the roles I am now in for some of it and those I have recently been in. In my current role as Priest-in-charge of this Cathedral I struggle to know whether I am a resident of Hawera or of New Plymouth. In my previous role I was equally recognised as an... read more

Although light rain falls, the aroha and warmth of Archdeacon Tiki Raumati shines through as people of all races and faiths gather to lay to rest the respected minister and kaumatua. Being buried in the grounds of Taranaki Cathedral Church of St Mary is, in some ways, The Venerable Tikitūterangi (Tiki) Raumati’s final sermon – a silent yet visible, powerful and enduring message of peace and reconciliation, reaffirming his profound connection with Taranaki Cathedral and his commitment to bringing people... read more

Cathedral Kaumatua, the Venerable Tikitūterangi (Tiki) Raumati ONZM passed away on the morning of August 30th after a short illness. read more

Rob Baigent-Ritchie talks to Sarah Foy One cathedral inspired Rob Baigent-Ritchie’s spiritual convictions, now he’s ministering at another cathedral in a different island. Rob, an associate priest at Taranaki Cathedral who is married to Annie Baigent-Ritchie, became a Christian in 1971 at Christchurch Cathedral. He grew up in the city, and as a youngster attending St Barnabas’ church with his parents, remembers loving parables and the stories of the New Testament. “Not just the gospel stories about Jesus but about all... read more

Taranaki Cathedral will be marking the 125th Anniversary of Women's Suffrage in New Zealand with a commemorative service at 12 noon on Wednesday 19th September at the Interim Cathedral. The 45-minute service will be a celebration of the event of Women's Suffrage in New Zealand and an opportunity to hear the struggles of women for and in public office and also be a challenge to women for future civic engagement and participation. Speakers will include Charmaine Sarten, president of the Aotea... read more

Matt Cathcart, left, and Toa MacDonald, of Clelands Construction, excavate the foundations of Taranaki Cathedral’s oldest wall, which was built in 1846. The Cathedral Project is digging into the church’s past to ensure there is a strong base on which to build the cathedral’s future. Excavation investigation work of the 172-year-old building’s foundations is being undertaken as part of the project to earthquake strengthen and refurbish the historic cathedral – New Zealand’s oldest stone church. “The project’s engineers, Holmes Consulting,... read more

The re-opening of Taranaki Cathedral is a step closer following the granting of resource consent for the earthquake strengthening and refurbishment of the historic church. “It’s a really pleasing result and an important milestone,” The Cathedral Project remediation and design manager Jenny Goddard said after the New Plymouth District Council (NPDC) reported its decision. “It gives us surety around the design for the remediation of the cathedral and enables the drawings to now be developed further by a range of specialists... read more

New Plymouth lawyer Ian Mitchell, a St Mary’s parishioner whose distinguished service to the community included 34 years on the Taranaki Anglican Trust Board, died in July 2018, a month short of his 90th birthday. Ian was born in Blenheim in 1928. He boarded at Nelson College before studying law at Victoria University, and then practised law at Govett Quilliam for 41 years, 25 of them as the senior partner. Ian supported many organisations professionally, including the New Plymouth District and... read more

Today, being the nearest Sunday to the 6th August, we observe as World Peace Day. This is marked this day as it is also Hiroshima Day, the day when an atomic bomb was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, followed a few days later by another dropped on the city of Nagasaki. The bombings effectively ended World War II by bringing about the surrender of Japan, but at a terrible price – the two cities were destroyed and casualties, mostly... read more