Iraqi Community
Further contributions and photos regarding the history of the Iraqi community at St Thomas More are welcome. Please send them to Ghassan Emmanuel, email gemmanuel59@hotmail.com or history@stm2018.net.
The Iraqi community within the bigger family of St. Thomas More Parish
The Beginnings
Iraqi immigrants started coming to New Zealand back in the mid-1980’s with sporadic migrations that go back to the 1960’s. It was back in November 1993 when a few Iraqi Christian families; namely the Ghazzi’s and Bashouri’s, who immigrated to New Zealand and settled in the North Shore of Auckland, identified St. Thomas More Church in Glenfield as they were searching for a Catholic Church where they could attend Holy Mass. Since then more waves of Christian Iraqi immigrants started coming in and the majority identified with St. Thomas More as their home parish.
The bigger waves arrived early 1995 where we felt the warmth and the full embrace of the local parish community. Fr Philip Sullivan, the parish priest back then, fully embraced the Iraqi community and did not spare any effort in helping us to integrate within the wider parish community. He visited us in our homes, became our guide as we navigated through the settlement process in our new home, New Zealand. He introduced us to Sister Denise who soon became our bastion as she extended her boundless love and help to most, if not all, of us. He also introduced us to Bishop Pat Dunn.
From those beginnings, the Iraqi community continued its integration journey towards becoming a true and effective part of this wonderful and blessed parish of St. Thomas More and labourers in His vineyard. This is through immersion in the parish life; its various ministries; its various groups and above all, in its mission….
Parish life and various ministries...
As any migrant community, we struggled through the challenges of restarting and rebuilding their lives and settling in a new country. The struggle was always peppered with the sad and alarming reality that beleaguers our extended families, friends and the population as a whole, who are living in Iraq. Through all these struggles we more drawn into our parish life as we sensed the compassion from our fellow Kiwi and other ethnic groups; compassion expressed in word and deed.
Our deep faith and the sense of gratitude enthused us into serving our Lord and the Parish community through the various ministries. As early 1996 some of our talented musicians and singers joined the parish choir, with huge encouragement by Fr Phillip. With the advent of the Rosminians and Fr John Bland becoming our parish priest, the Iraqi choir was established and with Fr John’s motivation and guidance the choir continues to serve once every month at the 10 AM Sunday Mass. Fr John, and following Fr Ben (Fr Benedict Francis) who succeeded him as parish priest, also encouraged this choir to introduce some hymns in Arabic and as well as alternately leading the Christmas, Easter and other Holy Day Masses.
The Parish council, since 2003-2004, always had Iraqi members on board serving either as ethnic group representatives or in the council’s various ministries.
Guided by the Holy Spirit and inspired by the example of the good and pioneer parishioners, we went on to serve in the various ministries; Children’s Liturgy of the Word, Catechism, sacraments of Initiation, the RCIC and RCIA programmes, Extraordinary ministry of the Holy Communion as well the readers of the Word.
Passionist Family Groups, Parish Camps…
Mid to late 1995, we were blessed to join the Passionist Family groups in the Parish. The Charism of the Passionists shone through the groups’ leaders and members as they generously extended their time and effort to make us truly feel as members of the wider Parish family and introduce us to the kiwi culture.
The Parish camps organised and led by the Passionist Family Groups provided us the full exposure a true kiwi tradition; these together with the dance parties, the groups’ birthday parties, the games nights, the Christmas hampers and the monthly activities, were hugely instrumental in our integration process, as a migrant community, into our new home, New Zealand.
The Youth
We arrived mostly as young families with young children or newlyweds or singles who tied the knot here in NZ, hence the majority of our children grew up with the other children in the Parish. They, in their turn, got involved in the various youth ministries.
They serve as altar servers, choir musicians and singers and Youth groups leaders. They take part in organising youth camps, activities and fund raisers. They, and similarly all of the Iraqi community at STM, continue to receive huge support and guidance from Fr Alfredo (Fr Alfredo Garcia – our Parish Priest)
Parish initiatives, Events, Fundraisers and other services ….
As vibrant and engaging as our Parish is, there is room for everyone to take part and serve. The Iraqi community, as part of the wider Parish community, continues to serve passionately in Parish missions; in fundraising through organising dance and music parties; Ethnic food galas; serving morning teas; parking warden duties and church cleaning.
Fr Ben (our previous Parish priest) was always very supportive of all these initiatives.
Sharing with the Catholic Chaldean faithful
In April 1996, a group of Iraqi Catholic Chaldeans approached Bishop Patrick Dunn expressing their need for a Chaldean priest to serve the Catholic Chaldeans spread out across Auckland and across the North Island. Bishop Pat supported the initiative which materialised with the visit to New Zealand, in 2002 by the late Patriarch Raphael I Bidawid who promised to send a priest for the service of the community.
Saint Addai the Apostle Chaldean Catholic Parish was established in New Zealand in May of 2003 with the arrival of Father Fawzi Koro who celebrated his first Mass at St Thomas More Church that same month. Ever since, the Chaldean Mass is celebrated every Sunday evening for the Chaldean parishioners on the North Shore, now led by the new parish priest, Fr Douglas Al-Bazi.
St Addai’s parishioners continue to engage actively in supporting STM, ranging from material support, e.g. donating and installing the large screen TV in the hall, to providing material for some catholic education and Bible study courses.
Ghassan Emmanuel, Aug 2017
The Iraqi community within the bigger family of St. Thomas More Parish
The Beginnings
Iraqi immigrants started coming to New Zealand back in the mid-1980’s with sporadic migrations that go back to the 1960’s. It was back in November 1993 when a few Iraqi Christian families; namely the Ghazzi’s and Bashouri’s, who immigrated to New Zealand and settled in the North Shore of Auckland, identified St. Thomas More Church in Glenfield as they were searching for a Catholic Church where they could attend Holy Mass. Since then more waves of Christian Iraqi immigrants started coming in and the majority identified with St. Thomas More as their home parish.
The bigger waves arrived early 1995 where we felt the warmth and the full embrace of the local parish community. Fr Philip Sullivan, the parish priest back then, fully embraced the Iraqi community and did not spare any effort in helping us to integrate within the wider parish community. He visited us in our homes, became our guide as we navigated through the settlement process in our new home, New Zealand. He introduced us to Sister Denise who soon became our bastion as she extended her boundless love and help to most, if not all, of us. He also introduced us to Bishop Pat Dunn.
From those beginnings, the Iraqi community continued its integration journey towards becoming a true and effective part of this wonderful and blessed parish of St. Thomas More and labourers in His vineyard. This is through immersion in the parish life; its various ministries; its various groups and above all, in its mission….
Parish life and various ministries...
As any migrant community, we struggled through the challenges of restarting and rebuilding their lives and settling in a new country. The struggle was always peppered with the sad and alarming reality that beleaguers our extended families, friends and the population as a whole, who are living in Iraq. Through all these struggles we more drawn into our parish life as we sensed the compassion from our fellow Kiwi and other ethnic groups; compassion expressed in word and deed.
Our deep faith and the sense of gratitude enthused us into serving our Lord and the Parish community through the various ministries. As early 1996 some of our talented musicians and singers joined the parish choir, with huge encouragement by Fr Phillip. With the advent of the Rosminians and Fr John Bland becoming our parish priest, the Iraqi choir was established and with Fr John’s motivation and guidance the choir continues to serve once every month at the 10 AM Sunday Mass. Fr John, and following Fr Ben (Fr Benedict Francis) who succeeded him as parish priest, also encouraged this choir to introduce some hymns in Arabic and as well as alternately leading the Christmas, Easter and other Holy Day Masses.
The Parish council, since 2003-2004, always had Iraqi members on board serving either as ethnic group representatives or in the council’s various ministries.
Guided by the Holy Spirit and inspired by the example of the good and pioneer parishioners, we went on to serve in the various ministries; Children’s Liturgy of the Word, Catechism, sacraments of Initiation, the RCIC and RCIA programmes, Extraordinary ministry of the Holy Communion as well the readers of the Word.
Passionist Family Groups, Parish Camps…
Mid to late 1995, we were blessed to join the Passionist Family groups in the Parish. The Charism of the Passionists shone through the groups’ leaders and members as they generously extended their time and effort to make us truly feel as members of the wider Parish family and introduce us to the kiwi culture.
The Parish camps organised and led by the Passionist Family Groups provided us the full exposure a true kiwi tradition; these together with the dance parties, the groups’ birthday parties, the games nights, the Christmas hampers and the monthly activities, were hugely instrumental in our integration process, as a migrant community, into our new home, New Zealand.
The Youth
We arrived mostly as young families with young children or newlyweds or singles who tied the knot here in NZ, hence the majority of our children grew up with the other children in the Parish. They, in their turn, got involved in the various youth ministries.
They serve as altar servers, choir musicians and singers and Youth groups leaders. They take part in organising youth camps, activities and fund raisers. They, and similarly all of the Iraqi community at STM, continue to receive huge support and guidance from Fr Alfredo (Fr Alfredo Garcia – our Parish Priest)
Parish initiatives, Events, Fundraisers and other services ….
As vibrant and engaging as our Parish is, there is room for everyone to take part and serve. The Iraqi community, as part of the wider Parish community, continues to serve passionately in Parish missions; in fundraising through organising dance and music parties; Ethnic food galas; serving morning teas; parking warden duties and church cleaning.
Fr Ben (our previous Parish priest) was always very supportive of all these initiatives.
Sharing with the Catholic Chaldean faithful
In April 1996, a group of Iraqi Catholic Chaldeans approached Bishop Patrick Dunn expressing their need for a Chaldean priest to serve the Catholic Chaldeans spread out across Auckland and across the North Island. Bishop Pat supported the initiative which materialised with the visit to New Zealand, in 2002 by the late Patriarch Raphael I Bidawid who promised to send a priest for the service of the community.
Saint Addai the Apostle Chaldean Catholic Parish was established in New Zealand in May of 2003 with the arrival of Father Fawzi Koro who celebrated his first Mass at St Thomas More Church that same month. Ever since, the Chaldean Mass is celebrated every Sunday evening for the Chaldean parishioners on the North Shore, now led by the new parish priest, Fr Douglas Al-Bazi.
St Addai’s parishioners continue to engage actively in supporting STM, ranging from material support, e.g. donating and installing the large screen TV in the hall, to providing material for some catholic education and Bible study courses.
Ghassan Emmanuel, Aug 2017