Tui Motu magazine is blessed with volunteers in Dunedin and in many places around the motu.

The team of Ōtepoti/Dunedin volunteers, who come regularly to the office to label the envelopes and pack them ready for posting, contribute their service and strengthen the community of Tui Motu magazine. 

We had nine volunteers in Dunedin during the year:

Ken Fahey
Kathleen Currie
Shirley Curran — "retired" in March 2024
Susie Logan OP — "retired" in March 2024
Kathy Mayo
Maureen Smith
Jan Ogilvie OP — began in November 2023
Kris Bennett — returned in February 2024 after five years working elsewhere
Francie Skelton — began in February 2024. 

These volunteers contributed at least 242 hours of work — and a year of friendship.

Blessing and Farewell to Volunteers

On 18 March 2024 we had a farewell lunch for Shirley Curran and Susie Logan OP who, now in their 90s, are expected to attend only celebratory events from now on. Shirley has volunteered for over 22 years. Susie has given her service for 14 years. We haven't let them go — they have now joined our "communion round" where we take a share of morning tea and news to them after we've packed the magazines each month.

In the blessing ritual we prayed:
"We place this shawl around you Shirley.
Whenever you reach for it
know that you are pulling
our gratitude and our love around yourself
enveloping you in our long, warming, cherishing hug.
May the gifts of companionship and wisdom
you’ve shared with us over the years
remain as characteristics of volunteering at Tui Motu."

For Susie we prayed: "We place this shawl around you Susie.
May it wrap you in cosiness
reminding you of our love for you
and our appreciation of your presence among us.
Let it be our long, warming, cherishing hug of you.
May the gifts of companionship, wit and wisdom
you’ve shared with us over the years
remind us at Tui Motu of the joy of community."

Highlights of the Tui Motu Community

As well as the monthly morning teas when work is finished each month, we celebrated the end of the publication year with a celebration dinner on 2 December. Ann and Ann put on their aprons and concocted a feast in thanksgiving for the interest, generosity and friendship of our volunteers.

Volunteers in the Parishes

Our volunteers in the "field" keep the magazine before the minds of parishioners by selling copies in their parishes each month. This is an inestimable service and one for which we are most grateful.

Maree Wrigley and Claire Ryan in St Ignatius, St Heliers, Auckland 
Rita Cahill RSJ at St Joseph's Parish, Whakatane
Ross Gregory at St Mary Star of the Sea, Gisborne
Catherine McNamara at Our Lady of Lourdes, Palmerston North
Jacinta Hurley at St Patrick's Parish, Palmerston North
Liz Hickey RSJ at Catholic Parish, Whanganui
Greg Donnelly at St Mary's New Brighton Parish, Christchurch
Sean Brosnahan at St Francis Xavier Parish, Dunedin — retired March 2024
Jan Ogilvy OP at Mercy Parish, Dunedin
Judith Robinson OP at Invercargill Central Parish

Highlight Zoom Session for Subscribers and Friends

Claire Ryan, who wrote about Matariki in the July 2023 issue, offered a Zoom session on Matariki for subscribers and friends on 15 July 2023. Approximately 100 joined the session and many others sent apologies because they were unable to join. This was an exceptional session and Claire was generous in sharing her expertise and in answering our questions.