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Church unaware its former choir director James Tibbles had twice resigned amid sex allegations
20 Apr, 2021 07:03 AM
3 minutes to read
James Tibbles, a well-known early music specialist, resigned as the choir director and organist at St Patrick s Cathedral in December. Photo / File
James Tibbles, a well-known early music specialist, resigned as the choir director and organist at St Patrick s Cathedral in December. Photo / File
NZ Herald
St Patrick s Cathedral - the mother church of the Auckland Catholic Diocese - was unaware its former choir director had twice resigned from jobs following sex conduct allegations.
James Tibbles, a well-known early music specialist, was the choir director and organist at St Patrick s since 2014, but resigned in December to pursue other musical opportunities , the church said.
RNZ
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces Auckland will rejoin the rest of the country at alert level 1 at midnight on Monday, February 22. “Lent still began on Ash Wednesday, that 40-day period leading up to Easter did begin,” Freer said. “Lent is a very special time in the life of the church, it’s one of the most important times in the annual calendar. “It will be wonderful to be able to get back to normal.”
Anna Loren/Stuff
Auckland Unitarian Church services were taken online during the recent level 3 lockdown. Smaller congregations, with fewer than 100 people, were able to return to worship under alert level 2, but Freer said 70 continued to be affected.
STUFF
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Auckland will be moving to Level 3 at midnight and the rest of the country to Level 2. The Catholic Diocese of Auckland has postponed all Ash Wednesday masses and weekday services within the region affected by the lockdown. Catholic Diocese spokeswoman Lyndsay Freer said they would be postponed until at least Thursday. “Hopefully if Level 3 is removed after Wednesday, arrangements can be made for ashes to be distributed – possibly at Masses next Sunday.” The decision affects 189,000 Catholics and about 70 churches, she said. “Lent still begins [on] Wednesday, and although sadly we will not be able to attend Mass and receive ashes, we can still begin our usual prayerful Lenten observances,” Freer said.