Our Catholic Parish of the Wairarapa consists of all our five communities of Martinborough, Featherston, Greytown, Carterton, and Masterton.

Cardinal John Dew officially launched and blessed our one Parish on March 1st, 2015.

The Wairarapa Parish occupies the south-eastern corner of the North Island, east of metropolitan Wellington and south-west of the Hawke's Bay region. It is lightly populated, having several rural service towns, with Masterton being the largest. It is named after its largest lake, Lake Wairarapa. The Wairarapa is shaped like a rectangle, about 130 kilometres (81 mi) long (from Palliser Bay north to Woodville) and 65 kilometres (40 mi) (from the Tararua Range east to the coast).

Pope Francis wrote in Evangelii Gaudium 28 “The Parish is the presence of the Church in a given territory, an environment for hearing God’s Word, for growth in the Christian life, for dialogue, proclamation, charitable outreach, worship and celebration.”

It is important for all in our Parish Leadership Team, our local Church Committees, our schools and college and parishioners to remember Pope Francis definition of a Parish, thinking and acting always for the good of our Parish family, in furthering the kingdom of God in the Wairarapa.

The Sacramental life of the Parish is celebrated regularly in our five local communities with an emphasis on mission and evangelisation. It is also desirable for our Parish to come together for various celebrations, for example, a combined Parish Eucharist to clearly show our unity as the Catholic Parish of the Wairarapa. This ideally could be at Easter and Christmas or a suitable Feast day.

Our Pastoral Parish Council is commissioned with the Pastoral/Mission governance of our Parish, while at the same time making sure our five communities are all involved in their own local maintenance and day to day activities through their local Church committees.

Your continued prayers and support for the governance and mission of the Catholic Parish of the Wairarapa is deeply appreciated.

Parish Priest: Father Bruce England

Office Administrator: Denise Holden