Shrine of St. Joseph, one of the oldest church buildings in the Archdiocese of St. Louis, and the site of a Vatican-authenticated miracle.

Going on pilgrimage is as old as the Church itself. In fact, it pre-dates the Roman Catholic Church when we consider that Old Testament events, such as the flight from Egypt were, in fact, pilgrimages.

Throughout the Church’s history, men and women have embarked upon long and arduous journeys to special locations to be closer to God. Jerusalem, as well as other sites in the Holy Land, are perhaps the most famous pilgrimage destinations. But in Europe especially, the tradition of pilgrimage to famous cathedrals and sites of miracles became commonplace. Chartes, Lourdes, and the Camino immediately come to mind. Some places of pilgrimage exist in theMetService recorded 26mm of rain in Tauranga between midnight and noon.

Floodwaters spread right across Papamoa Beach Rd, just east of Domain Rd, causing traffic to be diverted.

Roading contractors said they had been monitoring the flooding and diverting traffic in Papamoa from 7.30-9am yesterday.

They had also been called to check Maleme St, Welcome Bay Rd and Dickson Rd.

A Tauranga City Council spokesman said Papamoa Beach Rd had not been officially closed.

"Despite flooding across the road, it remained open and passable for traffic.

"Our contractors report that they were about to close it but the water started to recede, so they left it open," he said.

The council received 13 weather related calls, which were all about surface flooding around the city.

Water across Maleme St was the only other notable event.

The council