THE VERY REVEREND

ANNE MILLS

Dean 

Anne was born in Papua New Guinea where her father was involved in education.  She and her family returned to New Zealand when independence was declared.  They moved to Katikati where she completed her schooling.

​After gaining her Bachelor of Education and Diploma of Teaching from Waikato University, Anne worked as a primary school teacher, including roles in senior management.

​After a spell as Lecturer at the School of Education at Waikato University, Anne gained her B. Theol and M.Theol (Hons) from Auckland University.  She was Priested in 2002, and worked in the parishes of Saint Mark’s, Remuera, Saint Peter’s Cathedral, Hamilton, and as Co-Vicar of Chartwell Cooperating Parish, Hamilton before returning to Saint Mark’s as Vicar.  Anne has held several Diocesan positions, including being Archdeacon of Waikato.  She has been on the Board of Trustees of Waikato Diocesan School for Girls, and is Chair of their Proprietors Board.  Anne is currently a member of the King's College Board of Governors. She also Chairs the Council for Ecumenism and is on the Executive of the National Dialogue for Christian Unity.  She has served 2 terms on General Synod.

​Anne enjoys cooking and gardening, spending time with family and friends and walking her Shetland Sheep dog.  Anne is married to Chris who is a teacher.  She has two daughters.

​Anne was Installed as the Tenth Dean of Auckland on July 6 2017.

THE REVEREND RICHARD GIRDWOOD

Priest Assistant

Richard was born in Cape Town and grew up in Durban. After school he completed his year of National Service at the School of Artillery, where he became a bombardier. He then went to the University of Natal where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Biblical Studies. Before going to Theological College he spent some time teaching Religious Education at his old school.

During Advent in 1979 he was made a deacon in the Diocese of Johannesburg. He was ordained a priest in 1980. He served in a number of parishes as well as Johannesburg Cathedral. After a few years he changed from being a stipendiary cleric to being self-supporting.  He was employed as a secondary school teacher and was then seconded to lecture at the Johannesburg College of Education in Religious Education and Biblical Studies.  He also lectured in the Drama department and was the Dean of a Hall of Residence.

Richard spent seven years at a private school for boys, where he was the Head of the English Department and became the Senior Housemaster, before moving to New Zealand in 1997. Here he taught in two secondary colleges, becoming the Deputy Principal of one of them. In 2008 he was invited back to South Africa to be the Rector of the parish of St Michael and All Angels, Observatory, in Cape Town. After a few years he also became the Archdeacon of Groote Schuur. In 2016 he returned to New Zealand and taught for a few years before retiring in 2018. He became a Priest Assistant at the Cathedral in 2018.

ROWAN JOHNSTON

Director of Choirs

Rowan completed a Master of Music in Conducting with first class honours from Auckland University and is a registered teacher. With over twenty years’ experience working with choirs, Rowan has demonstrated consistently that excellence is central to his practice.​

Rowan’s choirs have achieved success on both national and international stages, resulting in regular invitations for him to work with choirs throughout New Zealand and overseas. Rowan has developed excellent relationships with composers and musicians throughout New Zealand including practitioners of Māori and Pacific music and is looking forward to including new works by New Zealanders into the choir’s repertoire.​

Rowan has had a long association with the Cathedral having been a member of the choir from 2002–2015 and an elected member of the Cathedral Council for several years.

MARIA BEER

Marketing and Events Manager

The Cathedral is not only used for worship. We also host a wide variety of events throughout the year. 

Please contact Maria for any information about booking a commercial event at the Cathedral.

CAMILLA NGATAI

Financial Administrator

Camilla is an essential part of our office team. 

Please contact our Financial Administrator if you have any questions for the accounts department.

THE REVEREND IVICA GREGUREC

Precentor

Ivica was born and raised in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia.  He studied at the University of Zagreb, obtaining Bachelor and Master's degrees in Theology in the Catholic Faculty of Theology.  He was ordained Deacon in 2001 and Priest in 2002, in the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Zagreb.  His deaconate and curacy were spent in Malešnica – Oranice, a suburban parish in Zagreb.

After volunteering for work in overseas missions in 2004, Ivica was assigned to an International Mission community in the Solomon Islands where he remained for seven years. His main roles in the Solomons were as Director of Formation and Lecturer ( in Theology and Cultural Anthropology) in the Holy Name of Mary Seminary, Tenaru. He also undertook pastoral work as a parish priest in Good Shepherd Parish, Red Beach, Guadalcanal.

At Pentecost 2012, Ivica was welcomed into the Anglican Communion in St Paul’s Church, Burwood, Sydney. In December 2012, he joined the pastoral team of Dunedin North Parish, as Priest Assistant 

Ivica was commissioned Cathedral Precentor at Holy Trinity Cathedral on 27 November 2016.

Apart from his passion for liturgy, ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue (he represents the Anglican Diocese of Auckland on the Auckland Interfaith Council), Ivica enjoys reading, geocaching and genealogy.  

He is also an Associate of the Sisters of the Church, a religious order with a strong presence in the Anglican Church of Melanesia, as well as being a member of the Australasian Regional Committee of St George's College in Jerusalem.

He still hasn’t converted to rugby – he is a strong supporter of the Croatian national football (soccer) team.

DR

PHILIP SMITH

Cathedral Organist

Philip Smith is a native of Stoke-on-Trent, where he became a chorister at the Parish Church and an organ pupil of Michael Rhodes: he subsequently became Organ Scholar and later, Assistant Organist of Stoke Parish Church.

Following a period of study Chester Cathedral he became a Student of The Royal Northern College of Music, gaining Diplomas from Trinity College of Music and The Royal College of Music, in organ performance. The Degree of Bachelor of Music followed from The University of Huddersfield.

In 1990 Philip was appointed as Assistant Organist of St. Asaph Cathedral before taking up the position of Organist & Director of Music at The Collegiate Church of St. Peter in Ruthin – during his tenure he was awarded the Archbishop of Wales Award for Church Music by Dr. Rowan Williams, … “for services to Church Music in the Principality of Wales.” and in 1997 he oversaw the building and installation of a new 4-manual, all mechanical organ by Henry Willis & Sons of Liverpool.

2008 brought a move to Auckland in New Zealand to take up the post of Cathedral Organist at Holy Trinity Cathedral where he presides over a new, 122-stop instrument which he designed for the completion of the Cathedral.

In 2018 he was conferred with the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts (by examination) by the University of Waikato in New Zealand, submitting a thesis on The Life and Works of French Organist and Composer, Léonce de Saint-Martin, who was Organist of Notre Dame de Paris following the death of Louis Vierne.

In addition to his work at the Cathedral, Dr. Smith is also Visiting Organ Teaching Fellow at The University of Waikato and Organ Teacher at The University of Auckland, Baradene College,  Dilworth School and the Diocesan School in Auckland and St. Paul's Collegiate School, Hamilton.

MERLE ABBOT

Secretary and PA to the Dean

Merle is usually the first face you see if you visit the Cathedral office and manages the needs of our Cathedral community.

Our Secretary also oversees weddings, funerals and baptisms so if you're interested in booking a service at the Cathedral, please contact Merle.

'OFA LANGI

Children and Famlies Minister

Family is at the heart of Cathedral life and we welcome children and young people in our community.

Please contact 'Ofa for further information about our ministry to children and families.

Sarah wilson

Communications

Sarah designs and produces our publications including the Cathedral magazine, Trinity Life.

Please contact Sarah with any questions or queries about our publications.