More than 500 Catholics gathered in Palmerston North on October 3-4 for the Hope and Renewal Summit, jointly hosted by the Catholic Diocese of Palmerston North and the international ministry Divine Renovation. The event aimed to support parish communities across New Zealand in becoming more mission-focused and spiritually vibrant.
The Summit was attended by 520 participants, including 81 priests, five bishops, one emeritus bishop, and the Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand. It featured keynote addresses, workshops, and liturgical celebrations designed to equip parish leaders and communities for renewal.
Fr James Mallon, founder of Divine Renovation, delivered the opening keynote, contrasting two narratives within the Church: one of decline and one of revitalisation. He highlighted signs of quiet revival in places like the UK and noted that 30 – 40% of New Zealand parishes are beginning to explore parish renewal models.
Other keynote speakers included Bishop John Adams of Palmerston North and Matt Regitz, Director of Coaching for Divine Renovation. Regitz spoke on the importance of vision in parish life, describing it as a “God-inspired picture of the future” and distinguishing between mission (outward-focused) and ministry (inward-focused).
Fr Simon Story, parish priest of New Plymouth, shared a personal testimony about the challenges of early priesthood and how discovering Divine Renovation in 2018 helped him reframe his ministry. He reported increased engagement from families in his parish since adopting a missionary mindset.
Participants engaged in breakout sessions, Adoration, and Mass. Bishop John celebrated Mass with volunteers before the Summit began, encouraging confession and trust in the Eucharist as a response to spiritual malaise.
One of the final sessions featured Fr Mallon speaking on the power of the Holy Spirit as the driving force of mission. A recurring scripture throughout the Summit was Romans 5:5: “Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
The Summit concluded with a Thanksgiving Mass on Saturday morning.
Photos: Emma Dodsworth | Gavin Abraham