Bishop Barry died peacefully Saturday 13th February 2016. He was the Bishop of Christchurch, New Zealand since 2007. A great part of his recent pastoral service was in assisting people who had been badly affected by the Christchurch earthquakes and in overseeing the recovery of Catholic parishes and other institutions in the Diocese. Ironically today, Sunday, Christchurch suffered another earthquake which, thankfully, did not cause a great deal of damage as its epicentre was at sea and quite deep.
Bishop Barry was readmitted to Christchurch Hospital on Friday 29th January having had a heart attack. Prior to this he has had some months of ill health due to several strokes. He had always hoped, along with all of us, that he would make a good recovery sufficient to enable him to continue to serve the people of Christchurch. Holy Faith sisters who knew him remember his gentle ways and deep concern for all people.
Last week the school which the Holy Faith sisters began in 1955 under the name ‘ Our Lady of Fatima’ had its official re-opening under the new title of St Francis of Assisi. It has been substantially rebuilt and extended to accommodate students of nearby parishes whose schools and churches were destroyed in the previous earthquakes and whose parishes now constitute one parish with Our Lady of Fatima. At least the number 370 has been retained. We wish the school community well in its new incarnation.
Image from Diocese of Christchurch website.
