Since May 2025, we have been featuring a series of reports from Dr Robyn Andrews, a Research Fellow at Massey University and parishioner at St Mary’s in Palmerston North. Below we have collated all five of her reports for easy access.
Many thanks to Dr Andrews for sharing her research with us.
Catholic Parish Demographics: An Overview
In this first article, Dr Andrews introduced her series of reports exploring demographic shifts in Catholic parishes across Aotearoa New Zealand. Her research highlighted the growing presence of migrant communities — particularly from South India and the Philippines — and examined how these changes were shaping parish life.
Through interviews with parishioners and priests, both long-standing and newly arrived, Andrews uncovered stories of adaptation, faith, and renewal. This introductory article set the stage for deeper insights that followed in later editions of Tūmanako (with more detailed versions available in Tui Motu).
Catholics from the Philippines
This report explored the experiences of Filipino Catholics who migrated to Aotearoa New Zealand.
It highlighted their strong commitment to weekly Mass attendance and their efforts to maintain vibrant devotional traditions such as fiestas, rosary groups, and the feast of Señor Santo Niño de Cebú. Filipino parishioners contributed actively to parish life through music ministry, youth groups, and lay-led liturgies. Monthly Masses in Tagalog and the appointment of a chaplain supported their spiritual needs. Interviews revealed how these communities recreated a sense of family and belonging, blending their traditions with local practices and enriching the wider Church in Aotearoa.
Syro-Malabar Catholics from India
This report focused on the experiences of Syro-Malabar Catholics from Kerala, India, who migrated to Aotearoa New Zealand and joined Roman Catholic parishes.
Parishioners spoke warmly of the welcome they received and described how they adapted their devotional practices to the local context. While they missed the scale and frequency of religious events in India, they recreated traditions such as Good Friday processions, pre-Christmas carolling, and home-based prayer groups. Children attended catechism in their Rite, and many celebrated sacraments back in India to maintain cultural and liturgical continuity. Monthly Syro-Malabar Masses in Malayalam complemented their regular participation in Latin Rite liturgies. The community actively contributed to parish life through ministry roles and committee service, while remaining committed to passing on their faith to the next generation. Their presence enriched parish communities and reflected the universality of the Catholic Church.
Longstanding Parishioners
This report captured the reflections of longstanding parishioners — Māori, Pākehā, Pasifika, and others — on the changes they observed in their parishes over the past two decades. These shifts coincided with the arrival of new Catholic migrants, primarily from Asia, contributing to what Rev Dr Joe Grayland termed the emergence of Aotearoa’s “Fourth Church.”
Interviewees noted significant demographic changes, with Indian, Filipino, and Pacific Island parishioners now forming the majority in some communities. They described fuller churches, more diverse liturgical practices, and new devotional expressions such as incense use, elaborate Marian adornments, and multilingual choirs. While some found these changes challenging, many embraced the renewed energy and diversity. Migrant priests and new gestures during Mass were also mentioned, along with the reintroduction of traditional practices like veils and receiving Communion on the tongue.
Despite some tensions, most longstanding parishioners expressed a sense of belonging and optimism, recognising the vitality and universality brought by newer members.
Dynamics Facing Priests Working in ‘Migrant’ Parishes
Dr Andrews’ final report examined the pastoral and cultural challenges faced by priests ministering in parishes with majority migrant congregations.
Migrant priests, often from Asian countries, arrived with limited knowledge of Aotearoa and encountered a more collaborative and less hierarchical parish structure than they were used to. While some had benefited from earlier, more comprehensive orientation programmes — including marae stays, cultural modules, and mentoring — many recent arrivals received minimal preparation. This lack of formation sometimes led to misunderstandings around liturgical norms, pastoral expectations, and cultural sensitivities.
Priests formed in Aotearoa, mostly Pākehā, expressed feeling overwhelmed by unfamiliar devotional practices and expectations from migrant communities. They noted differences in liturgical styles, emphasis on Marian devotion, and the frequency of blessings and commemorations. Some struggled to connect with these expressions of faith, while others worried about whether they were ministering appropriately. The report suggested that better diocesan support and formation for all priests — migrant and local — could help bridge these gaps, fostering mutual understanding and enriching parish life.