John Adams (bishop)
John Lewis Adams is a New Zealand bishop serving as the third bishop of Palmerston North since his appointment by Pope Francis on 22 June 2023. His consecration took place on 30 September 2023.
Early and personal life
Adams was born in Christchurch, New Zealand. His mother trained for five years to be a "an SMSM sister" before leaving and meeting her husband, who was a very proficient snooker player and who had represented New Zealand at the sport. Adams was educated at St Bede's College, Christchurch before attending several tertiary facilities to become a trained teacher. Adams is a keen sportsman. He has played "top class table tennis", "senior cricket" and, as a hunter, he has been helicoptered, with others, "onto the top of the Southern Alps" and spent a week in permanent snow there. He enjoys a game of golf.Adams trained as a priest at Good Shepherd House, Christchurch in 1995 before moving to the Holy Cross Seminary, Auckland, in 1996.
Priesthood
Adams was ordained as a priest on 4 July 2003 in Christchurch New Zealand. During his time as a priest in the Christchurch Diocese, he held many positions:- CBS Music President: 2002 – current
- Tertiary Chaplain: 2008 – 2010
- Council of Priests: 2009 – 2023
- Clergy Trust Fund: 2011 – 2021
- Episcopal Vicar for Education: 2013 – 2023
- College of Consultors: 2014 – 2023
- Chair, Council of Priests: 2015 – 2023
- Chair, Education Council: 2015 – 2023
- 2003 – 2004: St Teresa’s Parish, Riccarton
- 2004 – 2005: St Patrick’s Parish, Greymouth
- 2005 – 2007: St Patrick’s Parish, Greymouth
- 2008 – 2010: Christ the King Parish, Burnside
- 2011 – 2018: St Joseph’s Parish, Papanui
- 2019 – 2023: St Peter Chanel Parish, Rangiora
Episcopacy
On 22 June 2023, Adams was appointed as the third bishop of Palmerston North by Pope Francis and he was consecrated and installed on 30 September 2023.Response to clergy abuse
In January 2024, Bishop Adams was accused of inappropriately responding to the survivors support network SNAP Aotearoa New Zealand.Following an interview in July 2024, a reporter wrote that Bishop Adams believed “there ha been a culture change going through the church in the wake of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care’s final report.” The Royal Commission report, released the previous week, had contained details of abuse at institutions across New Zealand.
Approach
Episcopal ministry
Adams said that he intended "to take seriously the role of the episcopal ministry of sanctifying, teaching and governing the People of God. So that, to quote the second Vatican Council, we might continue to become 'a people brought into unity from the unity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.' "Tradition
Adams supports the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass, and offered it himself when he was a parish priest in Rangiora. He has expressed sympathy for the current plight of Traditional Catholics, stating that "The big word at the moment is inclusion, but it tends to only go one way. Traditional Catholics have a terrible time of it at the moment. There’s not much inclusion heading in that direction, it seems to me."Adams has stated that the church is ever ancient and ever new. "We tend to be rather good at one side of that. We are either on about the ancient, or on about the new. I would like, during my time here, to see a way in which we might live out both those things. There is a deep Catholic instinct to suggest both/and, rather than either/or. And I think the Church does itself or its people no favours when we choose one or the other."