Ngā Kaupapa nui o te wā - News and Events
Thank you to those who joined our Hui-ā-Whānau/community update on Saturday 11 November. This was an opportunity to update the wider Hāto Petera whanau and the North Shore community on an idea for the future. A copy of the participant handout and slides presented at the hui can be found here.
We are keen to hear your response. You can email your feedback to Teresa or complete an online survey form here.
On Saturday we hosted a Sacred Spaces visit at Hato Petera. Our guests from a range of faiths (and of no faith) were welcomed in to the wharenui by Geremy Hema and also visited the whare karakia. This was the second in a series of four Exploring Sacred Spaces for 2023. About 25 guests attended. It was a special experience and we were blessed with Geremy and Marist Brothers Brian and Kieran sharing stories from the past and dreams for the future….

TE WHĀNAU O HĀTO PETERA HUI-Ā-WHĀNAU
SATURDAY 11 November 2023 from 3-5pm
Haere mai ki runga o te Marae o Te Kamaka, e takoto iho nei, ki te whare o Te Kamaka e tū ake nei.
Haere mai, kia huihui tahi ai tātou mō te kaupapa e pā ana ki te aronga ā muri ake o te pae o Hāto Petera.
All are welcome to join for an update about the future development of the Hāto Petera site.
Please feel free to share this information.
Enquiries to Teresa McNamara – [email protected] (021 649 012)
Congratulations to Geremy Hema who won an award at the Australasian Catholic Press Association Awards last night:
Geremy Hema, Tui Motu was Winner in the Best Content Ecumenical & Interfaith category.
This category recognises the increasing links and dialogue between the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations and other faiths. Entries may include any news or feature items of content that demonstrate the advances or challenges in ecumenism and interfaith relations.
The Auckland Interfaith Council have arranged a series of visits to sacred spaces during September and October : “Exploring Sacred Spaces”.
You will see that the visit to Hāto Petera Chapel is hosting one of these events on Saturday 7 October at 1.30pm.
All welcome.
Ka tanuku e! Ka tanuku e!
E kapo ki te whetū, e kapo ki te marama!
E kapo ki te ata o te raukura kua riro.
E te pou o te Hāhi, te Waka o Pētera.
Te mūrau a te tini, te wenerau a te mano.
E te Rangatira e Pauro, haere atu rā.
Today (22/08/23) our much loved and esteemed kaumātua, Pauro Richard Kanara will be laid to rest, reunited again with his beloved Kataraina. Uncle Pauro and Aunty Kataraina were familiar faces at the many hui around the country. They were tireless in their support of Hāto Petera College and all the many kaupapa connected to the kura. They have played a huge role in shaping a multitude of young men and women who have gone on to excel in various fields.
It was strange seeing uncle without aunty at hui since she passed. Now it will be stranger still, when the uncle Paoro’s familiar presence will no longer be seen on our taumata. We are all indebted to them both for their guidance, their wisdom and their unfailing love. We were honoured to have Uncle Pauro lay in Te Kamaka for a time as he made his way back to Motutī and then finally to Taiao Marae in Pawarenga.
E te Ariki hoatu ki to pononga, a Pauro te okiokinga tonutanga. Ā kia whiti ki a ia te māramatanga mutunga kore.
Click the link to read a story on the NZ Catholic website about the proposed repurposing of the Hato Petera site.
“Ka mea tōna ariki ki a ia, ‘Pai rawa, e te pononga pai, e te pononga pono! Pono tonu tau mahi ki ngā mea ruarua, māku koe e mea hei rangatira mō ngā mea maha: uru mai koe ki te hari o tou ariki!’” Matiu 25:23
Kua karangahia e te ariki i tēnei pononga pai; tēnei pononga pono i te pō o te Rātapu te 6 o Ākuhata 2023.
He momo kuia pērā i a whaea Leonie, horekau e kitea anō. He kuia i aroha ki te kura o Hāto Pētera, i kaha tautoko i nga tini kaupapa o te kura mō ngā tau maha. He kuia nāna i akiaki ngā rangatahi Māori katoa kia whai mātauranga.
Ka whakaritea e tōna whānau i ēnei ahuatanga mō tana haerenga whakamutunga: Hei te Wēnerei 9 o Ākuhata, ka haere a whaea Leonie ki te Marae o Pehiāweri mō te pō kōtahi. Hei te atatū o te Taite, te rā 10 o Ākuhata ka haere a whaea Leonie ki Marae o Pākanae, ki te taha o te Pā o Whiria, te paiaka o te riri, te kawa o Rāhiri. Ko te rā nehu, ko te Paraire 11 o Ākuhata.
Ahakoa pōuri ana mātou i tōna wehenga atu, ko te tūmanako kia hari tonu a ia i te haringa mau tonu, i te kainga o te Matua Nui i te Rangi, ko te kāinga i ngākaunuitia nei e ia hei nohoanga mōna.
Nō reira e te Ariki hoatu ki a ia te okiokinga tonutanga… ā kia whiti ki a ia te māramatanga mutunga kore. Kia okioki ia i runga i te rangimārie. Āmene.
“The master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” Matthew 25:23
The master called this good and faithful servant on Sunday evening of August 6th, 2023
A kuia such as whaea Leonie will never be seen again. She loved the College of Hāto Petera and was an ardent supporter of the school over many years. Whaea Leonie always encouraged Māori, particularly young Māori to pursue education.
Whaea Leonie’s whānau have decided that her final journey, which began at Whaiora Marae in Ōtara will then move to Pehiāweri Marae on Wednesday 9 August for one night, then on to Pākanae Marae where the Requiem Mass and burial is anticipated on Friday 11 August.
Although we are deeply saddened by whaea’s passing, our hope is that she will enjoy everlasting happiness in the house of the Father in heaven, the home where she has always longed to dwell.
Eternal rest grant to her O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace. Amen
Past student Frank Solomon was honoured in the King’s Birthday and Coronation Honours List 2023 for services to education, particularly Māori and Pacific education.
Mr Frank Solomon (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa) and his wife Judy Solomon co-founded Solomon Group, an education provider for school non-achievers with particular reference to Māori and Pacific learners in South Auckland and Northland.
Mr Solomon trained as a teacher and was Principal of Waiheke Area School and Rotorua Lakes High School in the late 1980s. In 1997, Mr and Mrs Solomon co-founded Solomon Group initially in Pukekohe, a Private Training Establishment that provides learning opportunities to disadvantaged Māori and Pacific learners in a holistic, cultural environment based on Māori kaupapa values. They established several initiatives to support 7,000 students a year over many years to gain skills and qualifications to secure employment, achieve financial independence and lift mana. They were host providers for ‘Whānau Ara Mua’, an intergenerational education programme which increases parents’ literacy and employability skills. The Group also worked collaboratively with Māori and Pasifika Trades Training to provide pathways to employment within the trades. Mr and Mrs Solomon worked with ANZ to deliver the ‘Money Minded’ programme, teaching financial literacy and budgeting skills to students, many of whom were former beneficiaries.
[Photo of the Solomon family from Solomon Group website]