Maori elders, as a result of their contact with Europeans, invited Christian missionaries to New Zealand, and the first to arrive was Rev. Samuel Marsden in 1814. Following the Musket Wars of the 1820’s, Maori quickly embraced Christianity, a faith in which they ‘found personal dignity, social discipline and political empowerment.’¹ Maori also recognised the importance of literacy and soon learnt to read and write at the mission schools. As sections of the Bible were translated into te reo Maori, it wasn’t long before many Maori were able to memorise and recite whole passages. The first te reo Maori New Testament was published in 1837. By 1840, when New Zealand’s founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi was signed, most of the settlers and possibly a majority of Maori were Christians.
By 1843, 45,000 Maori were catholic,² and by 1845 there were 60,000 te reo Maori Bibles in circulation.³ As the Maori population in 1845 was estimated to be between 70 -110,000, over 50% of Maori had their own te reo Bible.

1. Head, Lindsay Christian Modernity and Culture: New Perspective on New Zealand History, AIF Press, Adelaide, 2005 p. 592
2. New Zealand Government Website; Nga Korero Ipurangi o Aotearoa
3. Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand, Maori converts, p.5

In the 2001 New Zealand Census, 98% of Maori identified themselves as belonging to some Christian denomination. For the general public it was 60.6%. In the 2006 Census the total number of people who identified as Christians fell to 55.6% and by 2013, the number had fallen to 48%. At this rate, when the results of the 2018 Census are released it would not be surprising if the number of people who identify as Christians is less than 40%.
Why has the numbers of Christians plummeted, not just in New Zealand, but all around the Western world – because the West has forgotten God? The West has denied its heritage, and rejected its faith and moral compass.

“The Rosary is the Bible on a string.” Fr. Ronan Murphy

‘The Holy Rosary is like a second memorial and representation of the life and passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.’ St. Louis Marie De Montfort

There is no greater, more powerful prayer than the Rosary.

We are inviting people to come together not just around the coastline, but wherever they live in New Zealand i.e. in rural areas or in towns and cities, large and small. This year it will be predominantly held by ZOOM

Recently we would have to say, Poland. On 7^th October 2017, the Feast of the Holy Rosary, over one million Polish people gathered around the border of their country (in 4,000 locations including 320 churches) to pray the Rosary. It was truly inspiring. Also, the power of the Holy Rosary has been demonstrated time and time again throughout history.

Because Sat 3^rd December 2022 is to coincide with the annual March for Life

Find a good location not on the map and sign up; get a team of people to help you as it makes it a lot easier and more enjoyable; promote the Coast To Coast Rosary at every opportunity; and lastly we’ll give you instructions for the actual day.

1. ‘Life’ is very appropriate for New Zealand. Sadly, New Zealand now has one of the most extreme abortion laws in the world, and euthanasia is now legal.
2. Secondly, ‘Faith’ is also applicable to New Zealand. We are a bi-cultural nation, but we are also historically a Christian nation. In recent years however, New Zealand has become increasingly secular.

We hope that the NZ Coast to Coast Rosary will be a powerful public witness to the dignity of every human life from conception to natural death, and also be the spark to help our once Christian nation turn its heart and soul back to Our Lord Jesus Christ.