Aquinas was truly blessed yesterday to have Bishop Richard visit for the day and celebrate Mass to consecrate the school’s new altar and lectern. The taonga were hand-crafted by senior students and feature bespoke designs representing Aquinas’ Catholic tradition and cultural connection to Tauranga Moana.
Bishop Richard, who was ordained in December, led students through the significance of the ceremony to transform the wooden objects into sacred symbols of Christ. He also enlightened students on St Thomas Aquinas’ journey from an overlooked student to one of the Church’s greatest minds.
Aquinas’ new chapel altar and lectern were created by students Jacob Graham, Holly Van den Borst and Eric Shin for their 2023 Level 2 Product Development project. The trio researched, designed and crafted the items to speak to Aquinas’ story, culture and location. The altar features a large carving by Rotorua’s Aaron Hepi. A full article on their work will feature in our upcoming AC newsletter.
