Bishop of Auckland - Bishop Stephen Lowe
Bishop Stephen Marmion Lowe, was appointed Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Auckland on 18 December 2021.
Bishop Steve is the Apostolic Administrator of Hamilton until the Pope appoints a new bishop for the Hamilton diocese.
Bishop Stephen Lowe was born in Hokitika, the youngest child of Milly and Frank Lowe, with two older sisters Margaret and Dorothy.
He was educated at Hokitika Primary School, then St Mary's Primary School and because there was no Catholic College in Hokitika he completed his secondary schooling at Westland High School.
Following school he worked for the NZ Forest Service in Hokitika and Christchurch and the NZ Timberlands in Timaru. During this time he became involved in his local parish in Timaru North where he was involved in a young adults group and with youth in the parish. In 1989 he discerned the call to priesthood and entered Holy Cross College seminary in Mosgiel in 1990. He completed his final year of seminary study at St Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia during 1994-1995. Bishop Stephen Lowe was ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Christchurch in his home town at Hokitika in 1996.
He served as the assistant priest in Mairehau, Ashburton and Greymouth parishes before being appointed parish priest of Timaru North. From 2005-2007 he completed a Licence in Spiritual Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He was appointed to Holy Cross Seminary in 2008 where he served as Formation Director until the end of 2014. While based at the Seminary in Auckland, he served, for a time, as Parish Priest in Ponsonby.
Auxiliary Bishop of Auckland - Bishop Michael Gielen
Bishop Michael Gielen was born in Cambridge and raised in Tokoroa, the son of Henk and Maureen Gielen and the oldest of six siblings. After studying at Holy Cross College in Mosgiel he was ordained as a priest in 1997 in Tokoroa by Bishop Max Mariu, SM, Auxiliary Bishop of Hamilton (the first Maori Catholic bishop).
He has been a priest for 22 years serving in Gisborne, Hamilton, Steubenville – USA, Mt Maunganui, Rome – Italy and most recently as Director of Formation at Holy Cross Seminary. Bishop Michael was ordained Auxiliary Bishop for Auckland Diocese on 7 March 2020. The deacon at the ordination Mass was his father, Deacon Henk Gielen.
Bishop Michael counts his Catholic faith and his family as the greatest blessings of his life; through them he has come to know Jesus in the most profound way. Sharing this Good News is his life’s-work. He is also a keen cyclist. In 2015 he and seven seminarians of Holy Cross Seminary cycled for 33 days from Cape Reinga to Bluff to promote vocations for the priesthood. His other passions included rugby and cricket, which he played, and just about all sports going. He always has a book “on the go”, covering most genres, latterly he has enjoyed NZ historical novels. He loves journeying with people from every walk and background of life; they have made him who he is. He looks forward to walking with you on this incredible journey of life.
Bishop Michael’s Latin motto is Totus Tuus “All Yours.”
Bishop Emeritus of Auckland - Bishop Patrick Dunn
Bishop Patrick James Dunn was born on 5 February 1950 in England, the eldest of seven children of his parents, Dr Pat and June Dunn (both deceased), where his father was doing post-graduate study in obstetrics and gynaecology. They returned to New Zealand in December 1950 and established the family home in Remuera, Auckland.
He was educated at St Michael’s School, Remuera, Sacred Heart College, Glen Innes and the University of Auckland. He studied for the priesthood at the national seminary, Holy Cross College in Mosgiel, prior to ordination in 1976.
Following ordination, his pastoral work included time with the Catholic Maori Mission and in the parishes of Mangere East, Takapuna, Pakuranga and Northcote. During this time he was also diocesan Director of Vocations.
During 1988 and 1989 he studied at the Melbourne College of Divinity to obtain his Masters Degree in Theology.
He was appointed the personal assistant to Auckland’s Bishop Denis Browne in 1992 and ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Auckland on 25 July 1994. The following year, when Bishop Browne was appointed Bishop of Hamilton, Bishop Patrick was formally installed as 11th Bishop of Auckland on 29 March 1995.
Bishop Patrick's Motto is: Be not Afraid
These were the first words spoken by Pope John Paul II when he addressed the crowds after his election as Pope in 1978. They occur many times in the Scriptures.
