The Bishop’s Action Foundation is supporting the development of The Sir Paul Reeves Centre – Te Manu Hononga within the Taranaki Cathedral.
Our strategic leadership role includes creating a Theory of Change to guide the work plan of the Centre over the next 3-years and developing sustainable funding pathways as well as mapping the unique place of the Centre within the ecosystem of reconciliation within Aotearoa New Zealand.
In a landscape full of programmes, Te Manu Hononga (The Sir Paul Reeves Centre) stands apart. It is not just a provider of content—it is a place of encounter. At Te Whare Hononga, visitors confront Aotearoa’s shared history with mana whenua and are invited into long-term reconciliation work, becoming peacemakers rooted in relationship. This mission is grounded in reconciliation, bicultural partnership, faith-informed formation, and the unique history of Pūkākā.
We have identified several fragmentations that weaken the current reconciliation ecosystem:
– History is taught without context & relationship
– Pākehā identity is disconnected from whenua
– Faith communities lack rigorous truth-telling
– Initiatives are transient, with few sustained over time.
– One-off workshops raise awareness but don’t necessarily shape practice
Te Manu Hononga offers a unique post-awareness space where people can reflect, wrestle with new understanding, grieve, reorient, and commit to transformation. Within the Taranaki Cathedral precinct, the remediated cathedral will demonstrate social transformation through educational work of Te Manu Hononga.