Naw-Rúz greetings from the Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Interfaith Relations

A warm letter was received from the New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Interfaith Relations, conveying greetings for the festival of Naw-Rúz.

Beate Matties, Co-President of the Auckland Interfaith Council and a member of the Catholic Bishops' Committee for Interfaith Relations, was a guest at the Naw-Rúz celebration hosted by the North Shore Bahá'í community at Te Kamaka Marae in Northcote. After the pōwhiri, Beate was invited to address the gathering and read the letter, extending the warm wishes of the committee and the Bishops of New Zealand to all present and to the wider Bahá'í community of Aotearoa.

The letter acknowledges the long-standing presence of the Bahá'í community in New Zealand and emphasises the importance of interreligious dialogue. It also mentions the importance of reflection and prayer, and our shared aspirations for an inclusive and peaceful future. To read it, please click on the button below.

In response, the National Spiritual Assembly has written to the committee with gratitude for their sentiments and reciprocal best wishes to the Catholic community in New Zealand. This letter is also available below.