MAORI NUNS

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 202, 23 May 1936, Page 21

MAORI NUNS

Foundation of a Native Sisterhood A novitiate lor Maori muis, it is stated, is to be started in New Zealand. There is nothing new in the idea of Native Sisters. But there is something now in the idea of Maori Sisters. Unlike other natives,, the Maori as yet has not ventured to aspire to the higher state of life. During the past three or four years, however, an occasional girl has expressed the desire and persisted in repeating it to different priests. This has been more particularly evident in the settlement of Waitaruke, in the Whangaroa district, where the Marist Sisters are in charge of the native school of the Mill Hill Fathers. The idea was not wholly impossible, as the Marist Sisters have been trainin" girls in Fiji with no little success. Two of the Maori girls in particular, who had expressed a wish to become nuns, showed such good promise that they were given special charitable work looking after the small schoolchildren in the native hostel (a board-ing-house for Maori children who live a long way from the school). Thus in a small way the movement began. The help and advice of the Bishop was sought. Bishop Liston, Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland, not only gave his approval, but at once, entered wholeheartedly into the project. Two Marist Sisters have been chosen and are being trained at the Marist Sisters’ Mother House in France, to act as Mistresses of Novices for the training of the Maori postulants. They are expected to arrive in New Zealand toward the end of this year.

A picturesque site for the novitiate has been chosen on a hillside overlooking Whangaroa Harbour, Bay of Islands, some short distance from the school and convent in the Waitaruke settlement. In the meantime plans are being made for the erection of a suitable building, and immediately these are completed the work will be put in hand.