St. Joseph's Cathedral, Avarua facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Joseph's Cathedral |
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| Location | Avarua |
| Country |  Cook Islands New Zealand |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
St. Joseph's Cathedral is an important Catholic church. It is the main church for the Bishop of Rarotonga. You can find it in Avarua, which is the capital of the Cook Islands. Avarua is on the northern side of Rarotonga, the biggest island in the Cook Islands. The Cook Islands are a self-governing country in the South Pacific Ocean. They are freely associated with New Zealand.
This cathedral is like the "mother church" for the Catholic Diocese of Rarotonga. A diocese is an area that a bishop looks after. This diocese covers the Cook Islands and also Niue. The area became an "apostolic prefecture" in 1922. This means it was a special area looked after by the Pope. Later, in 1966, it became a full diocese. This change happened because of a special order from Pope Paul VI.
About the Cathedral
St. Joseph's Cathedral is currently led by Bishop Paul Donoghue. Inside the church, you can see beautiful stained glass windows. These windows show different stories and people from the Bible.
For many years, there were talks about the land where the cathedral stands. The church needed to agree with the landowners and the Cook Islands government. This was about the church continuing to use the land, which was on a lease. Finally, in 2018, an agreement was reached. This agreement made sure the church could stay on the land. It also helped Nukutere College, a school located nearby.
See also
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Rarotonga
- Paul Donoghue
- Roman Catholicism in New Zealand
- Nukutere College
