VIRTUES From the Chaplain
The Terrorist Attack We began the year with a Chapel service for our staff only day. Then, on the Wednesday of the first week of Term 1, we welcomed new students and staff with a mihi whakatau. It was wonderful to have Bishop Richard Wallace, Ma ¯ ori Bishop of the Anglican Ma ¯ ori Diocese of Te Waipounamu, lead the welcome. This was followed by a service. On the Friday, we had the induction service for new prefects. Because of the extraordinary size of the congregation, we made an exception, and these two services were held in the Assembly Hall. It was an honour to welcome His Grace The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Dr John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, and his wife, The Reverend Margaret Sentamu, at our Ash Wednesday service, along with our Warden, Bishop Peter Carrell. Archbishop John is the most senior
member of the Church of England ever to have been part of a Christ's College service. He gave a stirring, encouraging sermon. The inaugural Year 13 joint Chapel service with St Margaret’s College was held in our Chapel on Thursday 20 February. New Chapel Window A large crowd gathered in Chapel on Saturday 22 February, when Bishop Peter Carrell dedicated a new stained glass window in memory of Old Boy and New Zealand rugby player and administrator Jock Hobbs. It is located in the south transept, near where Jock sat when he was in the choir. There is much symbolism in the window – for example, the fern divided into fifteen. In the afternoon and early evening, the sun streams through, at times giving a magnificent display of colour on the east wall of the transept, a display that can
be seen from many vantage points throughout the Chapel.
Covid-19 and the second half of the year The year was, of course, dominated by Covid-19. During lockdown, I posted online videos of short services, and Kiwis all over New Zealand had to adapt their faith practices: Christians celebrated Holy Week and Easter Day; Jews celebrated Passover; Muslims were in the holy month of Ramadan. The values of humanity’s great faith traditions came to the fore: the value of working together; the value of caring about and for those weaker and more vulnerable; our care of our planet. At this time, we managed to reduce pollution and carbon emissions; we managed to get homeless people into accommodation.
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Christ’s College Canterbury
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