Bishop Barry Jones passes away

�It is with great sadness that we heard today of the passing of Bishop Barry Jones. My brother Bishops and I would like to extend our sincere condolences to Bishop Barry�s siblings and extended family, close friends and the Christchurch Diocese who will be mourning the loss of a loved brother, friend and servant leader.� Said Cardinal John Dew, President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference.

Bishop Barry died peacefully at 3.30am this morning surrounded by family. He was readmitted to Christchurch Hospital on Friday 29th January after suffering a heart attack. Prior to this he has had some months of ill health due to several strokes.

�Bishop Barry was a man of great and unwavering faith in the Lord, he was a humble and stoic man and this was particularly so in the face of his recent illness,�

�We know that he was well cared for by the medical professionals, his family and friends in recent months. We know he would want us to pray in gratitude for their care of him.� said Cardinal John.

�A proud Canterbury man, he was especially fond of his home town of Rangiora in North Canterbury. The suffering and distress of those living in Christchurch during and after the earthquakes was always close to mind for him and he would often express to those of us outside of Canterbury the kind of challenges and daily stresses that the people of Christchurch were experiencing.� said Cardinal John.

Bishop Barry was ordained close to 50 years ago, in that time he served as priest in Timaru North, Cathedral, Christchurch Hospital, Kumara, Akaroa, Sockburn, Te Rangimarie, Burnham, Vice Rector Good Shepherd House, Riccarton and Greymouth. He was ordained Coadjutor Bishop in 2006 and later was install as the ninth Catholic Bishop of Christchurch Diocese in 2007.

�As Bishops we will greatly miss his dry sense of humour at our meetings, and in our work together we will miss his wisdom and his pastoral insights. He would often be mindful and express the needs of those that were most vulnerable, such was his empathy and pastoral nature.� said Cardinal John.

�He was a man of few words, but unafraid to speak his mind and always with wisdom. He had an incredible sense of social justice, a grasp of tikanga Maori and fluent in te reo.�

�He had chosen for his Bishop�s motto � �The Lord delights in his people� - an apt phrase for a leader who expressed his love for the Lord through his service to His people, and in turn was beloved by so many.� said Cardinal John.
Haere atu e te Rangatira o te Hahi, i roto i te korowai o te Atua.
Moe mai e Pa, moe mai.

May he now rest in peace.

Details of Bishop Barry\'s funeral arrangements are available here. For more information please contact Simone Olsen, Communications Adviser for the New Zealand Catholic Bishops, 021 611 052.

Biography of Bishop Barry Jones, 9th Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Christchurch.
A gallery of photos of Bishop Barry is available here on the website of the Christchurch Diocese.

Born: 29th August 1941 in Rangiora
Ordained priest: 4th July 1966
Parishes and Ministries served:
Timaru North, Cathedral, Christchurch Hospital, Kumara, Akaroa, Sockburn, Te Rangimarie, Burnham, Vice Rector Good Shepherd House, Riccarton, Greymouth
Ordained Coadjutor Bishop: 4th October 2006
Appointed Catholic Bishop of Christchurch: 4th May 2007

Educated at St Joseph�s Convent primary School, Rangiora; St Bede�s College, Christchurch
Studied for priesthood at Holy Name Seminary, Christchurch (Philosophy); Holy Cross College, Mosgiel (Theology)
Ordained at Ss Mary and Francis de Sales Church, Rangiora in 1966
Appointments held since ordination: North Timaru; Cathedral Parish; Hospital Chaplaincy; Kumara; Greymouth; St Mary�s College and Sacred Heart College Chaplain; Our Lady of Victories; Akaroa; Catholic Maori Mission; Good Shepherd House; Riccarton; Cathedral; Greymouth
Ordained Coadjutor Bishop of Christchurch in the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Christchurch on 4 October, 2006. Installed as Bishop for the Christchurch Diocese on 4 May, 2007
NZCBC representative on Prison Chaplaincy Service of Aotearoa New Zealand Board and Interchurch Council for Hospital Chaplaincy
Bishop member of Te Runanga o te Hahi Katorika ke Aotearoa; Catholic Bishops Committee for Ecumenism and Anglican-Catholic Bilateral Dialogue; member of the NZCBC Commission for the Church in Society