NZ Centre Opens
New Zealand
Stares aplenty from cars inching towards New Zealand's busiest kilometre of road.
The keening karanga of invitation from the maori woman calling the 200 or so guests into the building. The chanting maori prayers of Pa Ryan as he walked through and blessed the large meeting room, the work stations, the kitchen, the storage areas. The fearsome haka of challenge by members of the St Peter's College First XV.
The maori speech of welcome to the place by the kaumatua from the Catholic Marae across the road. The
impressive presence of Liston College students proud in their new dress uniform. The "feel" of welcome and warmth the decor of the Centre manages to convey. The barbecue and nibbles and drinks quietly transferred from the car park to inside at the demand of a passing squall. The overwhelming sense of support and good wishes from the priests, the Marist Brothers, the St Peter's and Liston communities and the Network
from around New Zealand. All impressions from the October 17 opening of the
Edmund Rice Centre at 123 Manukau Rd in Auckland.
The Centre is the home for several activities of the Province and Network in New Zealand:
· The ERN Coordinator for New Zealand, Damaris Kingdon, in her work for the NZ-ERN Support Office.
· The Edmund Rice Justice Group, represented by Sam Drumm.
· The Edmund Rice Camps, Auckland.
· The Christian Brothers Oceania Province, represented by Br Barry Buckley, who does the administration work for the Christian Brothers in this part of the Province. Barry is the Centre Manager.
· The Office also has a space for Br Damien Price who works with various groups in the country in formation and development.
It is seen that the Centre though will be a place of welcome for meetings and work and sustenance and reflection for all groups in the Network across NZ to help them respond to God's call in the eyes of those on the edge in need.
The story leading to the establishment of this Centre began in December 2001 when the New Zealand Christian Brothers and about a dozen people from what was then known as the Edmund Rice Family spent a weekend in a student hostel in Christchurch and tried to envision how the Edmund Rice charism would be expressing itself in 2020. A key component agreed was an Edmund Rice Resource Centre. The problem was there was
no money to hire someone for that Centre and no place for it to be. The Christian Brothers undertook to sell one of their houses to get some money and Kieran Fouhy, principal of St Peter's College, offered to provide an Office in the school, and so, in January 2005 the Edmund Rice Support Centre opened. In 2007 the Edmund Rice Justice Trust also moved into this, by now cramped, office. Prior to this, the Edmund Rice Camps, Auckland, had found a home at the Edmund Rice Community in Auckland.
When the new Christian Brothers' Province of Oceania was formed and the decision was made to move administration to Australia, a need for some type of administrative support for the Province in New Zealand became apparent. The search was initiated by the Director of Support and Administration, Max Montisci, to find a place which could house that administrative support as well as the ERN Support Office, the Justice Trust and the Edmund Rice Camps. After a number of false leads 123 Manukau Rd was found, prepared and now opened. It is a significant sign of support from the Province for the Edmund Rice Network in New Zealand.
Pa Henare Tate suggested the name Puta Manu, bird sanctuary. So the complete name means Edmund Rice Centre - his Bird Sanctuary. A Puta, sanctuary, is a place birds fly in and out of to feed and rest - he says this could mean gaining nourishment which may be physical or spiritual. Then the birds fly out from the Puta to scour the oceans and land - he sees that as applying to the benefits collected and stored while at the Puta giving the means to take flight to scour the oceans and lands of endeavours and dreams.
The image is a rich one and captures the welcoming, hospitality, acceptance, and loving presence which have been at the heart of what Damaris, Sam and the Camps have been trying to do in Auckland, what the various Edmund Rice groups around New Zealand are striving for, and what Edmund Rice 200 years ago did when he opened the doors of the stable school in Waterford with its tailor shop and baker. It suggests the key thrust of
Edmund Rice's take on what Jesus was about: every person, including those in very difficult circumstances, is a unique expression of God and needs to be given the resources to let the unique gifts develop. It also well expresses the dream of the Oceania Province of the Christian Brothers in providing the resources for this Centre, a dream we summarise in the three words: presence, compassion, liberation.
The Province expresses deep appreciation for the hospitality shown over the last five years by St Peter's College and for the work put into the launch of the Centre by Barry Buckley, Damaris Kingdon and Sam Drumm with their many helpers.
