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A New Zealand trainee priest who drowned while saving an 8-year-old boy in New Caledonia has been elevated to saint-like status in the Pacific nation.
But Jeremy Gray, 29, was a humble man who did not do it to become a hero, his New Caledonian superior, Father Christopher Hifo, told the Herald after Mr Gray's funeral in Christchurch.
Hundreds of mourners, including three bishops, gathered at St Mary's Church to farewell Mr Gray and acknowledge his selfless act.
Mr Gray went into the water south of Noumea last Wednesday when Ismael Fisiipeau got into trouble and managed to get him, but could not himself escape a sink-hole off the beach.
Mr Gray had earlier got to know Ismael and his family at the parish near Noumea where he was getting pastoral experience as part of his path to becoming a priest in Marist Catholic order.
"I don't have enough words to express how much we feel at this painful time," Mr Hifo told mourners yesterday.
"He was someone who has been able to touch our hearts and the hearts of many people in New Caledonia."
Born in Invercargill and schooled around the South Island, Mr Gray decided about 13 years ago to convert to catholicism.
The first sign of his desires for priesthood came when he was caught in his schooldays at a church wearing a vicar's garments and administering communion to three other students.
After gaining a first-class degree in French and linguistics at Canterbury University, Mr Gray went on to study theology and train with the Marist order in Christchurch and Auckland.
Staff at the order were "quietly proud" of Mr Gray's academic achievements, and his "gorgeous singing voice".
A specialist in making home-made bread and seafood chowder, Mr Gray needed all his strength to keep up with the "extraordinary men in the Pacific", Marist fathers told mourners.
A competent skier, he tried to teach the "shorter men" in New Caledonia to snowboard, watching them disappear down hillsides "like rockets".
Mr Hifo told the Herald Ismael's parents were deeply traumatised by Mr Gray's death, but also hugely thankful.
The Marist order hopes the great sacrifice shown by Mr Gray will encourage others to follow his journey into the priesthood.
