The New Zealand Catholic bishops have met with Pope Benedict XVI in the first of two meetings during their ad limina visit. The second meeting will take place this Saturday (December 17).
 
The president of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop John Dew of Wellington, said the meeting consisted of “good conversation” with the Holy Father, who spoke with each of the bishops about their dioceses.

Each bishop submitted a report on their diocese for the Holy Father prior to the ad limina visit.
 
Before meeting with the Pope the bishops met with the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples and celebrated Mass with the bishops of the Episcopal Conference of the Pacific (CEPAC) at the altar of the tomb of St Peter in the Vatican Grottos
 
The bishops are also meeting with the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, during which they will discuss the Cause for the Beatification of Suzanne Aubert.