Karanga for Bishop

Press, 3 February 1987, Page 3

Karanga for Bishop

A karanga by Catholic Maoris in Christchurch will escort the body of the Catholic Bishop of Christchurch, the Most Rev. Denis Hanrahan, into the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrement for a liturgical reception this morning.

The reception for the body of the Bishop, who died suddenly on Sunday afternoon, will start at 10 a.m.

Four relatives and two priests, friends of the Bishop, will carry the coffin into the cathedral. The priests, the Rev. Gerry Creagh, of Greymouth, and the Rev. Kevin Hackett, of Auckland, were seminary classmates of Bishop Hanrahan, said the director for Catholic Communications in Christchurch, the Rev. Ray Schmack. .

The former Catholic Bishop of Christchurch, the Most Rev. Brian Ashby, would also give a eulogy during the service.

After the service Bishop Hanrahan’s body would lie in state until tomorrow morning. A Requiem Mass would be held tomorrow at 2 p.m.

Telegrams and messages of condolence “poured into” Cathedral House yesterday, the bulk of calls coming from bewildered parishioners who had been unable to believe the news media reports of the Bishop’s death, said Father Schmack.

A message of sympathy had been received from Cardinal Thomas Williams, leader of the Catholic Church in New Zealand, who would preside at the Funeral service, said Father Schmack.

The Papal Pronuncio in New Zealand, the Most Rev. Antonio Magnoni, would also attend the Funeral, together with eight Catholic bishops.

The Vicar-General and parish priest of Sockburn, the Very Rev. Matthew Duggan, had been appointed diocesan administrator, said Father Schmack. Monsignor Duggan would help run the parish until a new bishop was appointed by Pope John Paul 11, possibly in six to nine months.

Monsignor Duggan was appointed Vicar-General by Bishop Hanrahan in August, 1985.