The Rev. Peter Carrell, bishop-elect of Christchurch, New Zealand, will be consecrated and installed Feb. 9 as work on the diocese’s earthquake-damaged cathedral proceeds.
His consecration begins at 11 a.m. (NZDT) at Christchurch Boys High School Auditorium. His installation will follow at 3 p.m. on Cathedral Square.
The cathedral was all but destroyed by an earthquake in June 2011. Years of dispute and legal wrangling came to an end in September 2017 when the diocese agreed to rebuild the cathedral, with financial support from national and local governments.
The bishop-elect described his new role as a privilege and an honor, adding: “I am grateful for all the support, prayer and aroha I have been receiving and that no doubt will continue. I am excited and yearn for the Diocese to move forward and thrive.”
Work toward the cathedral’s restoration hums along.
Last month, giant cranes removed the steel frame that has supported the west end of the cathedral and its large rose window for most of this decade. Stonemasons have removed what was left of the window and begun gathering and recoding historic glass and carvings from the rubble.
This work will enable further explorations so that an effective plan for its restoration can be drawn up. The restoration, once it begins, is expected to take 10 years. Government sources estimate the cost at $105 million NZD.
It will be partly funded by a $42 million insurance payout received by the diocese’s property trustees, a $10 million Christchurch City Council grant, a $10 million Crown cash contribution, and a $15 million government loan.
The cathedral congregation has been meeting in an acclaimed transitional cathedral, made of reinforced cardboard, a short distance from the historic site.
Adapted from ACNS
Matthew Townsend is a Halifax-based freelance journalist and volunteer advocate for survivors of sexual misconduct in Anglican settings. He served as editor of the Anglican Journal from 2019 to 2021 and communications missioner for the Anglican Diocese of Quebec from 2019 to 2022. He and his wife recently entered catechism class in the Orthodox Church in America.
