NINETY YEARS OF AGE

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 223, 20 June 1925, Page 8

NINETY YEARS OF AGE

REV. MOTHER MARY JOSEPH AUBERT PRESENTATION OF PURSE OF £2OO A large number of friends attended the Home of Compassion yesterday’ to congratulate the Rev. Mother Mary Joseph Aubert on the occasion of her ninetieth birthday. All day long there was a profession of cars aud pedestrians up the slanting street that leads from Adelaide Road to the Home of Compassion at Island Bay. and for all callers there was a kindly welcome and a cheery word. An Impromptu Reception. In a bare-floored. bare white-walled room, containing only two single beds, u washstand. and small table, the Bev. xrn'li<— '.r.1.1 lier court, re’-eiving th<emigretulat’ons and thanks of all callers with a cheerful zest and I pleasure, revealed in ■ her glistening eves and trembling hand--. At 1 about 11.15 a.in a group of ladies bead- | ed by Mrs. Rylar ds. Mrs. Dwyer, and Mrs. 'Maearthy Reid called upon the Rev. Mother and gave voice to their congratulations ou behalf of a large number of peonle who could not attend. On behalf of these, Mr. J. J. McGrath, addressing the Rev. Mother, said that thev had met there for the purpose of showing by their presence how very deeply they appreciated the wonderful and solf- c aerifieiii<r work done in this counter by the Rev. Mother and her devoted band of Sisters of Our Lady of Compassion, and to express the hope that the Rev. Mother would he spared to see the good work go on nnd prosper. The noble example set bv the Rev. Mother in her relations with the sick and incurable had been a great incentive to all. There were many who had a great admiration for the work the Sisters of Compassion were carrying on in Wellington in the relieving of the sick and the poor of the community. It was most difficult to speak of a work so sublimely selfsacrificing, and in thinking of the Order, before they came within the walls of the home, they got a feeling, an atmosphere that existed nowhere else in the country. Mr. McGrath said

that he wished to band to the Rev. Mother a Minnie scroll, which bore one word. “Greetings.” with water-colour sketches of the home on the first rage, and the signatures of her well-wishers within. Many of the names were those of people who did not subscribe to the same form of religion as the Rev. Mother, hut none the le-=s were imbued with kindly, Christian, and charitable feelings Iri connection with the work the noble sisters were doing. With it went a purse of --8200, which no doubt would he gratefully received owing to the many needs of the home. There was a rumour that ihe Rev. Mother was going off to Sydney bv the next boat—(laughter)—with the idea of having another look at Paris—(more binnh’eil—but whatever she did was sure to be *•'■*l,l. and there would never he _ an objection on their part. Till- was the case of the womenfolk gelling io-othcr just to mark this ninetieth birthday by a smell presentation in onpreoi.nfion of a noble life’s work in the cause of sweet charity, and to express Iho hope that she might be spared for many a long day. (Applause.) The Rev. Mother’s Reply.

Tn the course of her reply the Rev. Mother spoke with gentle eharm of her early days in France, and how the saintly Cure of Ars Clean Marie Baptiste Vinnnoy). recently beatified, had been the outstanding figure of her earthly veneration, end a guir’lng light to her throughout her Jong life. If ever a man “walked with God” it was tlie Cure of Ars; and it had always 'been her pleasure tz> follow humbly in his footsteps in doing what she could to relievo ths poor am) suffering. His had been the example that in 1858 had stirred her to take up missionary work, under Bishop Ponipallier, among the .Maoris, The Rev. Mother recited with great humour the financial troubles aim had to meet and overcome in one way or another, from the making of the first great basket perambulator in which the sisters gathered foodstuffs from whomsoever would give. When she had approached the late Mr. Edwin Arnold for sueli a vehicle he quoted £2O a- tlie price, "at a time when I had nnt twenty shillings,” added.the Rev. Mother, But when she explained herself tlie price was reduced nt first to £lO and then to nothing. Laughingly rhe Rev, Mother told n store of a hanker who Informed her that .£2500 had to be found by the and of the month. "Two thousand five hundred pounds, nnfl I had not twenty!” she added. V hen slip told the banker her condition he asked what ho was to do. "Sell me up, I suppose,” answered the Lev, Mother cheerfully, but ueedless tn pay, she was never sold IIP: , always provided. Thon alts tainted how thn first contribu. tifw Lo tluj Horn® of Compassion had

come from a child, the most beautiful hoy she had ever seen, who had asked her (the Rev. Mother) if she accepted pennies, and when he was answered in the affirmative, the little boy had given her twopence. She had never been able to trace that child, though she had made diligent inquiries, and now, after a quarter of a century, she would give anything to find him. People of every kind, irrespective of race or creed, had helped, from the highest to the lowest, and they were as thankful for that child’s twopence as for some of the larger' sums they received from other people. The widow’s mite was always acceptable—it was a deposit in advance on the Bank of Heaven. To the Sisters the. work was a labour of love and a pleasure—without it they would be miserable. She was aged now, but if she had to live her life over again she would ask no other happiness than to continue as a humble assistant in discharging God’s holy will among the little ones, and the poor and afflicted. She hoped tpeir benefactors, next to God, would thank the Cure of Ars in France, who in 1858 had inspired her to commence the work of their order in New Zealand, and who, at that time, accurately foretold their work in this country, including the establishment of the Home of Compassion. Ninety Candles.

Among Um many girts was a beautiful birthday rake. 18 inches in diameter, fringed with ninety’ diminutive inndles—one for each year of the Rev. Mother’s life, sent bv Mrs. 11. Dwyer, mid a profusion of flowers from ninny friends, including a lovely bouquet from the Public Trustee. Apart from the ti’lifl mentioned, seperal cheque* for substantial amounts wer* received from well-wishers near and far. After the little 'gathering in the Rev. Mother’s room, where she sits ••hair-rid-den, those present partook oi looming tea at the hands of the Sisters.