Saint Peter & Paul - Puhoi, New Zealand - Roman Catholic Churches on Waymarking.com

Church of Saints Peter and Paul.

The Puhoi pioneers brought the Catholic faith with them from Bohemia, and it was very important to them in their struggles in those early years of hardship. When people asked how they survived, and achieved success they invariably responded "We had the faith, and we helped each other". Cardinal SCHWARZENBURG had urged them to keep their faith in the land of their adoption, and upon arriving in Puhoi, a room in one of the two nikau whares was set aside as a chapel. It was eighteen months before a Priest was able to come and say mass for them. The pioneers said the Rosary together and prayed in their families.

The first priest was Fr D'ACKERMANN, and was much loved. He understood their language, which few people did. He, and following priests visited Puhoi every few months until Fr ADELAAR was appointed Parish Priest in 1877. Up to this time, babies to be baptised were carried to Auckland, and later walked there to be confirmed. The people built a presbytery for their permanent priest, at a cost of 134 pounds, and services were held in the school. Fr ADELAAR suggested that a church should be erected, and planning began. John WENZLICK threw his whole heart and soul into the project, collected what each family could give, organised labour and materials. Auckland firms also contributed, and the building was completed at a cost of 264 pounds.

The Church was blessed and opened on 10 August, 1881 and was so named because the pioneers arrived on the feast day of Saints Peter and Paul. The altar painting was commissioned by the people of Puhoi from an artist in Bohemia, van HERZOG, and is an exact copy of the one in Littitz church in Bohemia. The statues were a donation from the Paul STRAKA family.

The church was enlarged, and a bell tower added when Fr BRODIE was priest, around 1900. Fr SILK organised the stained glass windows, and the scrolls commemorating Puhoi families, to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the settlement. The Puhoi Town Band donated the statue of St Joseph and the marble plaque as a war memorial.

The altar was simplified in 1963, because of the changes recommended by the second Vatican Council.

Mass is celebrated every Sunday and Wednesday, and the church is well-loved and cared for by parishioners and visitors. www.puhoihistoricalsociety.org.nz/Church.htm

Type of Church: Church Status of Building: Actively in use for worship Date of building construction: 08/10/1881 Associated Shrines, Art, etc.: nil Diocese: Auckland Address/Location: Puhoi Road Puhoi, North Island New Zealand Relvant Web Site: [Web Link] Date of organization: Not listed Dominant Architectural Style: Not listed Archdiocese: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   08/17/2015 waiiti20 visited it