Pope John Paul II makes lasting impression on New Zealand

Friday, 17 November 2017

Pope John Paul II is invited to hongi during his visit to the Auckland Domain.

Catholics and the wider community revelled in the first, and so far, only visit by a Roman bishop 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.

Pope John Paul II tours Wellington, New Zealand as part of his Papal Tour in 1986.

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 – invited to hongi and wear a Māori feather cloak over his white cassock.

Addressing New Zealand's youth, he told them they should not fear 'the different evils' of contemporary society.

Pope John Paul II wearing a Maori feather cloak during his visit to the Auckland Domain.

Pope John Paul II meets dignatories at Christchurch Airport on November 24, 1986.

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Crowds flocked to see Pope John Paul II during his visit to the Auckland Domain.

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John Paul II said everyone could be lost at times, 'lost within ourselves or lost in the world about us'. But, he assured the 'dear young people of New Zealand', a person's sacrifice and generosity would lead them to a positive and fulfilled life.

Bishop Boyle had a bond with Pope John Paul II. Here the pair are in Christchurch during the Pontiff's visit in 1986.

'Your aspiration is that the world should be changed. I say, you should change the world.'

His advice spilled across the crowded park.

Pope John Paul II during the annointing of the sick at the Winter Show Buildings, Wellington on November 23, 1986.

Change took personal discipline and an effort to reach out to those in need, with courage and strength, he said. It was met with challenges but they 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 the future of society.

Cerebral palsy sufferer Barbara Moran was blessed by Pope John Paul II outside the Wellington Show Buildings in 1986.

'There is no place for selfishness and no place for fear.'

The religious world leader's visit to the Down Under proved to be not only of great significance to Catholic people but also the wider community.

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 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 said.

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 said.

'Young people of New Zealand, Jesus is with you. Do not be afraid,' the pope said.

With that the Catholic Church's chief pastor left Auckland to fulfil an intense schedule-hopping to Wellington, then Christchurch in a whirlwind three days before jetting off to Australia's capital.

It was a Sunday when the Polish-born Pope stood at Wellington's once grand Athletic Park in Newtown before 25,000 people.

The capital'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 stand and a music stand,' The Dominion reported.

But, the pope 'won over the hearts of the crowd' when he blessed a 16-year-old wheelchair-bound cerebral palsy sufferer.

The sick, dying and elderly were given a special anointment at a gathering at the showgrounds in Mt Cook, where the pope told Catholics their faith contrasted with modern evils such as euthanasia and abortion.

The Polish community's headquarters in Newtown were vandalised with Nazi graffiti when the pope was in town and its papal flags splashed with paint, but the small negative backlash was ignored by the thousands who turned out to see the Polish-born pope.

After a final dinner of roast beef, artichokes and almond pastries at Lyall Bay's Vatican ambassadorial residence, Apostolic Nunciature, John Paul II flew to Christchurch the following morning.

He held an ecumenical liturgy at the Catholic cathedral and celebrated mass at Lancaster Park.

Despite more than 30 years passing, Pope John Paul II is still the only supreme pontiff to have come to New Zealand's shores.