Stephen Lowe (New Zealand bishop)

The Most Reverend

Stephen Lowe
Province Wellington
Diocese Hamilton
Orders
Ordination 13 February 2015 (Bishop) in Hamilton; June 1996 (Priest) in Hokitika
Personal details
Birth name Stephen Marmion Lowe
Born 3 August 1962
Hokitika, New Zealand
Nationality New Zealander
Denomination Roman Catholic Church
Occupation Roman Catholic bishop
Profession Cleric
Alma mater Holy Cross Seminary, Mosgiel, New Zealand
Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome

Stephen Marmion Lowe (born 3 August 1962) is the third Catholic Bishop of Hamilton, New Zealand. He was appointed on 22 November 2014 by Pope Francis to replace Denis Browne, the 2nd Bishop of Hamiton, whose resignation was accepted on the same date. Lowe was ordained as a bishop and installed at the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Hamilton, on 13 February 2015.[1][2]

Lowe was born in Hokitika, the youngest child of Milly and Frank Lowe, with two older sisters Margaret and Dorothy. He was educated at Hokitika Primary School, then St Mary’s Primary School, Hokitika. He undertook his secondary studies at Westland High School. Following school he worked for the NZ Forest Service in Hokitika and Christchurch and the NZ Timberlands in Timaru. During this time he became involved in his local parish in Timaru North where he was involved in a young adults group and with youth in the parish. In 1989 he discerned the call to priesthood. He attended Holy Cross College in Mosgiel and then the St Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia, United States. Lowe was ordained a priest in 7 June 1996 in Hokitika for the Diocese of Christchurch and served as the assistant priest in Mairehau, Ashburton and Greymouth parishes before being appointed parish priest of Timaru North. During the years 2005-2007 he completed a Licenciate in Spiritual Theology in Rome at the Pontifical Gregorian University.[3][4][5][6]

From 2008 until October 2014, Lowe was the director of formation at the National Seminary, Holy Cross College in Ponsonby, Auckland. While based at the Seminary in Auckland, he served, for a time, as Parish Priest of Ponsonby[3][7] Lowe's ordination as Bishop took place at the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Hamilton on 13 February 2015 and his principal Consecrator was his predecessor, Denis George Browne, Bishop Emeritus of Hamilton and the principal Co-Consecrators were Bishop Barry Philip Jones of Christchurch and Bishop Charles Edward Drennan of Palmerston North[6]

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Denis Browne
3rd Bishop of Hamilton
2015–
Succeeded by
Incumbent

References

  1. Peter Grace, "Bishop-elect comes north", NZ Catholic, November 30-December 13, 2014, No. 454, p. 1.
  2. Kerr, Florence (14 February 2015). "City's new Bishop welcomed". Waikato Times. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Michael Field, "New Bishop of Hamilton named", Stuff News (Retrieved 27 November 2014)
  4. "Pope Francis Appoints New Bishop of Hamilton", NZ Catholic (Retrieved 27 November 2014)
  5. "New Bishop Announced for the Diocese of Hamilton", Catholic Diocese of Hamilton, 24 November 2014 (Retrieved 27 November 2014)
  6. 6.0 6.1 "Bishop Stephen Marmion Lowe", Catholic Hierarchy (Retrieved 27 November 2014)
  7. "About us", Holy Cross College (Retrieved 27 November 2014)

External links