Napier’s new Anglican dean, Ruihana Paenga, aims to save the Waiapu Cathedral of St John the Evangelist
The preferred plan for Napier’s iconic Waiapu Cathedral is to save it and keep it as a “spiritual home” for the city and diocese, the cathedral’s new dean says.
The Very Reverend Ruihana Paenga was welcomed as the new dean of Waiapu during a special service at the start of this month, attracting a large gathering inside the cathedral.
Waiapu Cathedral, officially named the Waiapu Cathedral of St John the Evangelist, is an eye-catching church building in the centre of Napier.
Paenga told Hawke’s Bay Today it was a “massive honour” to be installed as dean.
She is the first Māori dean of Waiapu, which is part of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.
As dean, she will serve the parish congregation, the wider Waiapu diocese, and the community in various ways, including leading church services on Sundays.
She will also be heavily involved in discussions surrounding the future of the earthquake-prone cathedral.
There are three “streams” or tikanga in New Zealand Anglicanism, including Te Pīhopatanga o Aotearoa (the Māori Anglican Church), which Paenga will also serve.
Waiapu Cathedral was completed in 1965, after the former cathedral was destroyed in the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake.
Tragically, two people who were inside the cathedral died, including Bishop William Williams’ daughter Kate.
In recent years, a question mark has hung over the future of the current cathedral, which is in need of multimillion-dollar earthquake strengthening work.
Former Waiapu dean Di Woods began exploring options for its future, but those discussions have been put on hold since her departure.
Now that a permanent dean has been installed, those discussions can begin once again.
Paenga said the preference for the iconic cathedral was to save it.
“The parish and the diocese and Te Pīhopatanga want to retain the cathedral building as a spiritual home for us all.
”There is a will of the church ... to keep the building as an icon, for spiritual wellness and flourishing," she said.
“Further discussions will be had over the coming months around a plan going forward.”
Demolishing the cathedral is not an option, or a preference, given it is a Category 1 heritage building.
Paenga said she was looking forward to being involved in discussions to retain the cathedral.
Paenga lives with her adopted son and her mother in Napier, after growing up and spending most of her life in Tairāwhiti/Gisborne.
She attended Gisborne Girls’ High School, then studied at Waikato University before returning to Tairāwhiti, initially working for her iwi.
She became involved in a church in her 20s, largely through learning more about her whakapapa (genealogy) and Ngāti Porou heritage, and also learning te reo.
She started serving in Sunday school and then with youth in Tikitiki through a Māori Anglican Church (St Mary’s), and eventually studied and worked towards becoming ordained.
In more recent years, she has been serving the church in Gisborne.
She said the Waiapu parish had “received me so willingly”, and she was humbled to be part of the “beautiful, amazing cathedral community”.
She encouraged anyone who wanted to come to church to attend the 10am Sunday service at the cathedral.
She said the Christian faith had been pivotal in her life.
“I know that without my faith I would find life, in general, a lot more challenging to deal with and cope with and to remain positive about.
“That personally is what my faith gives me,” she said.
“This is a place where, if they are interested, you cannot be judged and feel welcome.
“It’s very simple: you are not judged, you are welcome here, there is a place for you should you feel you want to know more.”
She said her faith had also helped her be fulfilled.
“[And it] helps me to help everyone I care about, and also those I barely know as well.”
The Waiapu diocese, which covers the likes of Hawke’s Bay, Tairāwhiti/Gisborne and Bay of Plenty, has moved into its new headquarters right next to the cathedral in Napier CBD.
However, Paenga’s office is in the cathedral itself, as it is better suited for pastoral ministry.