Pope approves visit plans

Press, 26 August 1986, Page 10

Pope approves visit plans

Pope John Paul II has approved the programme for his three-day visit to New Zealand, beginning in Auckland on November 22 and finishing in Christchurch with an ecumenical service and Mass on November 24.

Christchurch organisers made few changes to the programme for the Pope’s five-hour visit.

The main change has been to the lay-out of an altar, which will now be more simply built in front of the No. 1 grandstand at Lancaster Park for the Mass the Pope will lead. An altar was to have been built above the oval in front of the scoreboard but this plan was scrapped because the altar would have been too

expensive, said the Christchurch Papal visit newsmedia communicator, Mr Bernard Smyth. “In addition there would not be enough high fidelity sound equipment to cope with the choir in one place and the altar in another,” he said. Now the two would be closer together. "The Pope and the six New Zealand bishops, have indicated that the keynote of the visit should be one of simplicity,” Mr Smyth said. A large and expensive altar would be out of keeping with that aim. Because of the change the Pope would now dress for the Mass in the Canterbury Rugby Union rooms. A separate build-

ing was to have been built especially for the occasion. Mr Smyth said he did not expect Pope John Paul would be wearing “black and red,” although he would wear red vestments because the theme of the Mass was “justice is the way to peace.” Red signified fire, the colour of the Holy Spirit and of Justice. The Victory Park Board was giving the organiser the use of the park for the Mass free, said Mr Smyth, The Pope will wear different colours at each of his appearances in Auckland and Wellington. In Auckland, he will wear green, the colour of hope, and in Wellington, white,

to mark the Feast of Christ the King. , A choir of up to 1000 people from parishes throughout the Canterbury diocese will sing at the Christchurch Mass. ' While in Christchurch the Pope will also attend an ecumenical service at

the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament.

His first stop in New Zealand, will be the Auckland Domain, for a Maori welcome, an open air Mass and a youth rally. He will then travel to Wellington to celebrate a Mass at Athletic Park. The Pope will also attend a public meeting for the sick, elderly and handicapped at the Wellington Show and Sports Centre. He will spend two nights in Wellington before flying to Christchurch. The Pope will have private meetings with the’ Governor-General, Sir Paul Reeves, the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, and New Zealand’s six Catholic bishops.