Cardinal John Atcherley Dew, Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Wellington (New Zealand), Military Ordinary emeritus of New Zeland, was born in Waipawa, New Zealand on 5 May 1948.  He studied philosophy at the Holy Name Seminary and theology at Holy Cross College. He was ordained a priest on 9 May 1976.

After his ordination he began serving in parish ministry. In 1980 he travelled to the Cook Islands as a missionary, working in the Maori community. There he also served as parish priest and head of archdiocesan youth ministry. In 1988 he was appointed director of formation at Holy Cross College in Mosgiel.  From 1991-1993 he studied spirituality at the Institute of St. Anselm in Kent, England.  Upon earning a diploma, he stayed in England and began serving as parish priest in Newtown.

He received episcopal ordination on 31 May 1995, subsequent to his appointment as titular Bishop of Privata and Auxiliary of Wellington. 

He was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Wellington on 24 May 2004.
He succeeded Cardinal Williams as Archbishop of Wellington on 21 March 2005. 
He was appointed Military Ordinary for New Zealand on 1 April 2005. 
He was installed as Archbishop of Wellington on 7 April 2005.

President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ Conference since 30 October 2009.

He served as President of the Federation of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Oceania from 2010-2014.

He participated in the III Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (October 2014) on The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelization. Appointed  by Pope Francis he participated in the XIV Ordinary General Assembly on The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and Contemporary World (October 2015).

On 5 May 2023 the Holy Father has accepted the resignation from Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Wellington presented by Cardinal John Atcherley Dew. 

On 27 May 2023 the Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the military ordinary for New Zealand, presented by His Eminence Cardinal Dew.

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by Pope Francis in the consistory of 15 February 2015, of the Title of Sant’Ippolito (Holy Spirit in Sassia).

Member of:

• Dicasteries: for the Evangelization; for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments; for Promoting Christian Unity.