The Rev’d 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, where he was appointed Priest Assistant with special pastoral responsibility for St Martin’s Church, North East Valley and St Thomas’s Church, Pine Hill. 

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

Apart from his passion for liturgy and inter-religious dialogue, 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. 

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

The Reverend sarah west

cathedral curate

Sarah was born in Dunedin but spent her initial childhood years in Singapore and travelling as where her parents worked as doctors in association with Overseas Mission Fellowship. She returned to New Zealand, completing her schooling years in Auckland.

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Sarah has been highly involved in Children and Youth ministries from her mid-teens and felt a calling to work in the church at the age of eighteen. From there, she completed a Bachelor of Theology from The University of Auckland, majoring in Biblical Studies. After three years as a full-time Youth Minister at St Chad’s Anglican Church in Meadowbank, Sarah had her first child. Not long after, she entered into the discernment process for ordained ministry.

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In 2016, Sarah began training at St John’s Theological College where she completed a Post-graduate Diploma in Ministry. She was ordained Deacon on the 24th November, 2018 and Priest on 23rd November 2019.

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Sarah is married to Brent who is a Primary School teacher and mother to two beautiful children, Emerson and Lucy. She also enjoys the company of her (rather large) retired racing greyhound and has a soft spot for animals, inspired by the example St Francis of Assisi.

The Reverend richard Girdwood

Priest assistant

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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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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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.

'Ofa Langi

Children and Families Minister

Rikard Pahlen

Facilities Manager

Merle Abbot

Secretary and PA to the Dean

Maria Beer

Marketing & Events Manager

Camilla Ngatai

Financial Administrator

Communications Assistant