A lasting religious memory
Catholics and the wider population revelled in the first and, so far, only visit by a bishop of Rome to Aotearoa, Jessica Long reports.
As the plane carrying Pope John Paul II landed at Auckland Airport on November 22, 1986, an enormous crowd awaited him for a celebratory mass in Auckland Domain.
Crowds flocked to the 75 hectares of green space and, in true Kiwi fashion, the 66-year-old pontiff was given a warm, cultural welcoming – being invited to hongi and wear a Ma¯ ori feather cloak over his white cassock.
Addressing New Zealand’s youth, the head of the Roman Catholic Church said they should not fear ‘‘the different evils’’ of contemporary society.
Everyone could be lost at times, John Paul II said, ‘‘lost within ourselves or lost in the world about us’’. But he assured the ‘‘dear young people of New Zealand’’ that a person’s sacrifice and generosity would lead them to a positive and fulfilled life.
‘‘Your aspiration is that the world should be changed. I say you should change the world.’’
His advice spilled across the crowded park. Change took personal discipline and effort to reach out to those in need, requiring courage and strength. It was met with challenges but people should always strive for truth, freedom and salvation.
‘‘The decisions you make now, the friendships you form, the values you choose to live by, the goals you set for yourselves – these will shape your personal future and have an impact on society. There is no place for selfishness and no place for fear.’’
The religious leader’s visit Down Under proved to be not only of great significance to Catholic people but also the wider population.
But ‘‘his absolute opposition to any expression of sexuality outside of Christian marriage and his stand against divorce are at odds with public attitudes’’, The Evening Post newspaper reported.
‘‘Where the sacredness of human life is often ignored and even opposed, where the mystery of human sexuality is easily distorted and confused, where the beauty of human love is forgotten in a mad rush to satisfy selfish desires. Do not let yourselves be misled or discouraged,’’ John Paul II was quoted as saying.
He was firm about the need for a ‘‘Christian family life and lifelong fidelity in marriage’’.
‘‘It was those sentiments that had marred a recent visit to the Netherlands, where he was greeted with ‘an outburst of fury which was almost medieval in its intensity’,’’ The Post’s article read.
The pope concluded his appearance by saying: ‘‘Young people of New Zealand, Jesus is with you. Do not be afraid.’’
With that, the Catholic Church’s chief pastor left Auckland to fulfil his whirlwind schedule – with multiple appearances in Wellington, then Christchurch over three days – before jetting off to Australia’s capital.
It was a Sunday when the Polish-born pope stood before 25,000 people at Wellington’s once grand Athletic Park. The city’s blustery reputation did not disappoint. ‘‘Only Wellington’s wind marred proceedings, making microphones roar, billowing the pope’s vestments and blowing over a crucifix, a microphone and a music stand,’’ The Dominion reported.
But the pontiff ‘‘won over the hearts of the crowd’’ when he blessed a 16-year-old wheelchairbound cerebral palsy sufferer.
The sick, dying and elderly were also given a special anointment at another gathering in Mt Cook’s Winter Show Buildings. There, the pope told Catholics their faith contrasted with modern evils such as euthanasia and abortion.
While his holiness was in town, the Polish community’s Newtown’s headquarters were vandalised with Nazi graffiti and its papal flags splashed with paint, but the small backlash was ignored by the thousands who turned out to see him.
After a final dinner of roast beef, artichokes and almond pastries at Lyall Bay’s Vatican ambassadorial residence, the pope flew to Christchurch the next day.
While in the South Island, he held an ecumenical liturgy in the city’s Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament and celebrated mass at Lancaster Park.
Despite more than 30 years passing since then, Pope John Paul II is still the only supreme pontiff to have visited New Zealand’s shores.