Latest news with #MarkFrancis
NZ Autocar
11 hours ago
- Automotive
- NZ Autocar
members-only luxury car storage opens in Auckland
Auckland has just welcomed an unprecedented offering for the country's automotive elite: Matchbox, New Zealand's first members-only luxury car storage facility. The brainchild of property developer Mark Francis and business partner Zlatko Filipchich, Matchbox is located conveniently between Auckland Airport and the city's CBD. The facility has been purpose-built to meet the needs of classic, performance and collector car owners. The secure, climate-controlled garage uses car stacking systems to maximise space, with each unit accommodating up to four vehicles. But the service goes beyond storage as Matchbox offers full concierge support including WOF checks, insurance and registration management and pick-up/delivery services across Auckland. 'Matchbox is about more than just storage, it's about creating a home for cars and a community for those who love them,' says Francis. 'We saw a real need for a facility where vehicles could be cared for as works of art.' Filipchich adds, 'Whether it's a classic Mini or a modern supercar, every vehicle gets the same meticulous attention. We take care of everything, so members can simply enjoy their cars when they want to.' The facility is designed with lifestyle in mind, featuring a members' lounge, private lockers, and an automotive library. Its location makes it attractive to not only Auckland residents but also out of town property owners and international clients, who can fly in, pick up their vehicle and head directly to their destination. Matchbox aims to cultivate a vibrant community, with regular events and social opportunities for members. 'Matchbox is a club as much as a facility,' Francis explains. 'We're building a community around a shared passion.' Find out more at
CBC
08-05-2025
- General
- CBC
What do we know about Robert Prevost, the new pope?
Robert Prevost, the choice of the world's Catholic cardinals to serve as leader of the 1.4-billion-member Church, is the first pope from the United States and a relative unknown on the global stage. Aged 69 and originally from Chicago, Prevost has spent most of his career as a missionary in Peru and became a cardinal only in 2023. He has given few media interviews. He takes the papal name Leo XIV, and succeeds Pope Francis, who had led the Church since 2013. Rev. Mark Francis, a friend of Prevost since the 1970s, told Reuters the cardinal was a firm supporter of his predecessor's papacy, and especially of the late pontiff's commitment to social justice issues. "He was always friendly and warm and remained a voice of common sense and practical concerns for the Church's outreach to the poor," said Francis, who attended seminary with Prevost and later knew him when they both lived in Rome in the 2000s. "He has a wry sense of humour, but was not someone who sought the limelight," said Francis, who leads the U.S. province of the Viatorian religious order. Prevost first served as a bishop in Chiclayo, in northwestern Peru, from 2015 to 2023, and became a Peruvian citizen in 2015, so he has dual nationalities. Pope Francis brought him to Rome that year to head the Vatican office in charge of choosing which priests should serve as Catholic bishops across the globe, meaning he has had a hand in selecting many of the world's bishops. Jesus Leon Angeles, co-ordinator of a Catholic group in Chiclayo who has known Prevost since 2018, called him a "very simple" person who would go out of his way to help others. Leon Angeles said Prevost had shown special concern for Venezuelan migrants in Peru, saying, "He is a person who likes to help." More than 1.5 million Venezuelans have moved to Peru in recent years, partly to escape their country's economic crisis. In a 2023 interview with the Vatican's news outlet, Prevost focused on the importance of evangelization to help the Church grow. "We are often preoccupied with teaching doctrine ... but we risk forgetting that our first task is to teach what it means to know Jesus Christ," he said. Prevost said during a 2023 Vatican press conference, "Our work is to enlarge the tent and to let everyone know they are welcome inside the Church." Pope praised for leadership, listening skills Prevost was born in 1955 and is a member of the global Augustinian religious order, which includes about 2,500 priests and brothers, operates in 50 countries and has a special focus on a life of community and equality among its members. He has a bachelor's degree from Villanova University in Philadelphia, a master's from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and a doctorate in Church law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. Prevost first went to Peru as a missionary in 1985, returning to the United States in 1999 to take up a leadership role in his religious order. He later moved to Rome to serve two six-year terms as head of the Augustinians, visiting many of the order's communities across the world. He is known to speak English, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese. Returning to Rome in 2023, Prevost generally did not take part in many of the social events that attract Vatican officials throughout the city. Leon Angeles said he is a person with leadership skills, "but at the same time, he knows how to listen. He has that virtue." "The cardinal has the courtesy to ask for an opinion, even if it's from the simplest or most humble person," she said.
