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Primates of the Anglican Communion — Archbishops of Aotearoa, New Zealand & Polynesia

The co-primates of the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand & Polynesia

The Most Rev. William Brown Turei, Archbishop and primate of the Maori Tikanga and Bishop of Aotearoa.

Born in 1924 in Opotiki, in the eastern Bay of Plenty in the North Island of New Zealand. Archbishop Turei was reared in Rangitukia and Cape Runaway and studied at Te Aute College for four years. He attended College House, Christchurch, but left in 1944 to enter the army during the Second World War, serving in the 28th Maori Battalion. After demobilization he trained for the ministry at St John’s College, Auckland and was ordained deacon in 1949 and priest in 1950. He served as priest in charge of Maori pastorates in Tauranga, Whangara, Te Puke, Whakatane, Manutuke, Christchurch and Waipatu and was appointed . He was appointed Archdeacon of Tairāwhiti in 1982, while also serving from 1984 as chaplain of Hukarere Girls College, and as chaplain to Napier Prison. On 7 March 1992 he was consecrated bishop of the Te Pihopa ki Te Tai Rawhiti serving Maori churches on the North Island, and on 11 May 2006 was installed as co-primate in succession to Archbishop Whakahuihui Vercoe of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. He is married to Mihi Turei and they have three children and six grandchildren.

The Most Rev. Winston Halapua, Archbishop and primate of the Pacifika Tikanga and Bishop of Polynesia

Archbishop Halapua was born in 1945 on Tonga, the seventh of 10 children. His father, the Rt. Rev. Fine Halapua was the first Anglican Tongan priest and later served as assistant bishop in Polynesia. Reared in Tonga and Fiji, in 1966 he enrolled at St John’s College in Suva and went on to earn a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Pacific Theological College in Suva in 1971. He underwent graduate studies at Birmingham University and earned a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts and Doctorate in sociology from the University of the South Pacific. Ordained deacon in 1971 and priest in 1972 for the Diocese of Polynesia, he served his curacy at Viti Levu West and Lautoka. H served as vicar of Holy Trinity, Otahuhu from 1977 to 1982, warden of St John’s College Suva from 1982 to 1989, diocesan secretary from 1984 to 1987, and vicar-general of Polynesia from 1987 to 1994. In 1996 he was appointed lecturer at St John’s College and Archdeacon of Auckland for the Diocese of Polynesia, and in 1997 was appointed Principal of the College of the Diocese of Polynesia at St John’s. He was consecrated Assistant Bishop of Polynesia on 10 April 2005 and based in Auckland. He was elected Bishop of Polynesia in April 2010 and installed on 1 August 2010 at Suva’s Holy Trinity Cathedral. he met Sue White, a Methodist student who was to become his wife. He is married to the former Sue White, a priest of the Diocese of Auckland, and they have two sons, Anthony and Joseph.

The Most Rev. Philip Richardson Archbishop and primate of the Tikanga Pakeha and Bishop of Taraniki.

Born was born in the Auckland suburb of Devonport in 1958, Archbishop Richardson was educated at Rangitoto College and earned a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Theology degrees from the University of Otago. He trained for the ministry at St John’s College, Auckland and undertook further studies at Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary in India and Knox College, Dunedin.. Ordained deacon in 1981 and priest in 1982 for the Diocese of Auckland. He served as a deacon in Glen Innes curate at St Heliers Bay, Whangarei, and Roslyn, and vicar of Holy Cross, St Kilda. He was appointed warden of Selwyn College at the University of Otago in 1992. A special meeting of the Diocese of Waikato synod in February 1999 elected him area bishop for Taraniki. On 1 May 2013 he was appointed Archbishop of the New Zealand dioceses and co-primate of the ACANZP. He is married to the former Brenda Holme and they have two children, Josh and Clare.

To update information in this biography please contact geoconger@gmail.com

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