Over 200 people have been killed in the series of quakes and 27,000 have left the city permanently. More than 5,000 damaged homes need to be razed to the ground, “to say nothing of the 900 plus city buildings that will have to be demolished,” he said.
The New Zealand Apostolic Congress, which was held at the local St. Bede's College from Aug. 26-28, was launched under the title “Divine Mercy - God's Gift for our Time.” The event began with a Votive Mass of Divine Mercy, celebrated by Bishop Barry Jones of the Christchurch diocese.
Bishop Jones was accompanied by Archbishop Alapati L. Mataeliga of Samoa and Fr. Patrice Chocholski, Secretary General for the World Apostolic Congress on Mercy and parish priest in Lyon, France.
"Fr. Patrice Chocholski has traveled around the globe over the past three years, visiting every continent, and attending every national and regional congress and encouraging all to greater trust in Divne Mercy and greater works as servants for the Lord, " Barrett said. "He spoke of the need for modern witnesses to Divine Mercy in a world infused by hate, revenge, and self."
Barrett said upwards of 500 people attended Masses, Eucharistic adoration, presentations, films, and talks given by “witnesses to and for mercy.”
One of the best aspects of the congress was the “high caliber of the keynote speakers,” which included Fr. Rory Morrissey, a spiritual director for the congress, and EWTN host Fr. Antoine Thomas of the Brothers of St. John who offered a special adoration session for children.
Other notable guests included the American Deacon Bob Digan –the husband of Maureen Digan who received a miraculous cure of lymphodemia at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow, Poland in 1981.