MEMOIRS OF THE EARLY DAYS THE CHURCH IN NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 39, 26 September 1907, Page 14

MEMOIRS OF THE EARLY DAYS

THE CHURCH IN NEW ZEALAND

(Contributed.) Preface. +-h W A tJ } the fast fleetin S years, the old residents of xne colony are passing .away from the scene of their struggles, hardships anxieties patiently borne, hopes long deferred, and In many instances never realised, bo that a wealth of valuable historic information may not be lost for all time, and 'that those who now remain may be afforded • an opportunity to ' tell the tale for the benefit of future generations, is the mission of this modest publication. Those of the Faith will, it is hoped, profit by the ( " lessons to be learnt - , proving how steadfastly ihe pioneers of settlement in this young Colony clung to the religion of their forelathers and to the ties that bound them to the dear old land, despite much adversity, and many disappointmen Dp* Although, by oceans divided, the old land and the new were one in heart, and one in mind, to preserve and spread the Faith with confidence, contentment t?riJS P °S° r Z6a H SuCh hi S h motives, also, characterized the lives of our valiant pioneers. Introduction. r,i. Sixty :! ix years haye * elapsed since the true light of Christianity was shed upon these most favored Isles ot the Southern Seas, known as the British Colony of New Zealand. To ensure this brief introductory sketch being as accurate and comprehensive, as* possible it is necessary to consult whatever historical documents' There are available. In this connection, therefore, perhaps the most trustworthy records are those contained in what is known as the • Early History of ' the Catholic Church m Oceania '-compiled from records left by Bishop Pompalher-giving. in detail the trials, labors, and pnvations of this, .the first, most saintly 'and zealous missionary ; and. published under the direction Htp On ßi°lf w suc * essol V° the See of Auckland, the late Right Rev Dr. Luck, 0.5.8., in 1888, on the ocSmJ Jt ( ? lUr ? aUainin g jubilee. Another, valuable work of reference is 'The History of the Fil^r^?^' compiled and published by his frETtS ardmal F M ° ran > Archbishop of Sydneyf and worthy'inSSion: "^ aay be deriV6d muCh Wt " Je a? lWi«f' rl £ in 6 T? ear 1838 that the Ri £^ dSS-J P &S r* fllf 11 " 1 ? 0 * Pompallier, w,ho. had been apSLy d^ 110 of West ern Oceanica by our Holy Father Pope Gregory XVI. of venerable' memory, HTNp t« S t nd We^ ry ocean " v °ya-ge, reached the then cnm^iSS T shores . of + New Zealand. The Bishop, accompan ed by one priest, the Rev. Father Servant, and two religious Brothers of the then infant Society of fnrftr and f 2* Hokian e a in .the north of the most Xerwarrfi ?S d i composing the group, and a few days mill U January 13) celebrated his- first Povnton » Z T 6al t nd rA\ the house of Mr '' Thomas £oynton, .an Irish Catholic. This, so ' far as is known, was absolutely the first time that uo i?°}L p Sac f flee of * he Ma *s had been offered Kn+, v hi c . ountry on shore, because it is open to conSSert 'of th ?f>f Srb i y ' although most improb'aWy a JnmmmS * Church may have been among the shp's 2 mnl °L? n ? °f- other .°f the exploring vessels which. in.£S? J t , lmeS vlslted the coast > in which event" the Z™ Ma A S ff + 7 OUl + d^ c celc * ra ted whilst the vessel lay £ the offing After getting matters fairly established at the awj a t nn £ ln & + P - aCe < Hokia *ga), missions jwe?e 'opened SS?f B i,^S».? atlyeS i. at . TarioUß °^ her Elements in the) d£K n Z* T K 0 J lhe Colony ' an undertaking renpriests P 7 the arrival at inter vals of "more In July, 1840, a French corvette, ' L'Aube ' arrived at the Bay of Islands, at . which place" one" o? the missions, as before mentioned, was in progress! Ringing " two priests and two catechists of the Society of MSrr also funds i for the propagation of the Faith under the Vicanate-Apostolic. The commander of the vessel §oM a S«™ a S U r' Came *? + New Zealand «nder instrucl f ions from his Government to establish a French Colony to ™i£°%^ fme * harb ° r XtK th * South Island " a nd a °so llvTof \^% c f ou ntry as a French possession. The .first gf.? hl , s duty was d u i y accomplished, but in < the latter his plans were .frustrated by the fact that sus bf fl^ h^ intention ,'- British offlcials anticipated S by a few days, an d hoisting their flag in the south proclaimed the group British territory. 5 Only a short

time ago, the last surviving .original French settler, Mr iielievre, died ,at Akaroa. Some of the descendants of the pioneer band still remain there, others are scattered in various directions. > Captain Lavaud, kindly offering to convey in his vessel to Banks Peninsula some priests to minister: to the new settlers, Bishop Pompallier sent two, Fathers Comte and Pesant and Brother Florentin, the Bishop himself following, accompanied by Father Tripe, in September, 1840, in a small schooner which he had purchased, and named the ' Santa Maria.' These events' marked the beginning- of the Catholic mission in the south and larger island of -New Zealand. A fittle later on, the ' Santa Maria ' set sail still further south, to Otago, conveying the Bishop and Fathers Comte and. Pesant, Father Tripe being left in charge at Alcaroa. . After establishing a mission at what is now the city of Dunedin, a return was made to Akaroa where father Comte was left with Father Tripe. The course of the ' Santa Maria ' was again shaped northward and on Christmas Eve, 1840, the , little vessel arrived at Port Nicholson, now the city of Wellington and capital of the Colony. Here the intrepid missionaries found a population of nearly four thousand Europeans, among whom were some hundreds of Irish Catholics, members of British" regiments which had just arrived, and intending colonists. Mass was celebrated next day (Feast of the Nativity). After a stay ,of some little time in Wellington, ministering Jo the people and establishing the mission- for Europeans and Natives alike, a return was made to Akaroa. Here the Bishop rested for a while, and busied himself in writing a catechism in the Maori language for the use of the missionaries generally. With Fathers Comte and .resant travel was renewed, this time round the Peninsula to Port Cooper— now the important conronercial town of Lytteltjon— which was reached in three days 1 hey were received here by the. Maoris most cordially' and here also Father Comte was left with instructions to . remain a fortnight and' return overland to Akaroa. Ihus was established the Church in 1 the South - island. Once more the ' Sa^ita Maria . sailed northward ana after calls had .been made at various -previously established missions, on the east coast of the island a course was shaped for the Bay of Waitemata, and ' a mission planted at what is now the city of Auckland ihis mission was dedicated to St. Patrick. On the site given for a church to the Bishop by the Government officials, St. Patrick's Cathedral .now- stands. About this time a devastating war broke out and continued for several years, which had the effect to a great extent of interfering with the hitherto most successful missionary enterprise, and nullifying much of the good work accomplished for the spiritual' welfare of the Natives. Never disheartened, however the devoted Bishop and priests labored on and contended not only against the ravages of war, but against infinitely worse foes, which even to this day attack the Church with relentless persistency— ignorant prejudice bigotry studied misrepresentation, and the basest slanders' These . were , the trials and tribulations encountered and endured. The Church survived them all and even prospered, and yearly shows greater signs of progress and prosperity. , F & When reading .the records of the voyage made up and down the then little known and at all times dangerous an.d treacherous coast by the early missionaries in their _ frail craft, one naturally marvels at their escape frona shipwreck and death. The coast was the* practically uncharted ; land marks were undefined by day, with no lights for guidance at night. Surely and unmistakably a watchful Providence ' guided their every movement,, always guarding and ever protecting them. How often in our present day do we notice great ocean liners equipped with all modern inventions ?f" +"]!? 1 ?! the ; r ?fks and shoals with which the coast is studded, notwithstanding the knowledge possessed of existing dangers,, correct charts, properly defined routes, • tide currents weather forecasts, numerous lights, and in fact everything possible to ensure perfect security * ™h " 1 m 8 i,- the i Rev ' Fal *er O'Riley, a Capuchin, arrived in Wellington as private chaplain to an English gentleman, the Hon. Mr. Petre, and for .the time, and for, -many years after, this .priest ministered to the • . Catholics of the place. In 1846 the Rev. Father Viard b.M., who had some time previously been appointed Vicar-General by Bishop Pompallier, was consecrated his coadjutor, and . in the sair'e year Bishop Pompallier, after spending ten years ..in tne Colony, took his departure on a visit fo Europe,' Monsignor Viaird assuming episcopal charge meanwhile. At the period above mentioned the whole of .the Colony was one immense diocese. • In, 183S New Zealand "was divided into' two. fTioceses, Auckland and Wellington, Bishop Pomcallier*) retaining Auckland, and was thus its first Bishop '

He died in France in 1870. The second Bishop was the Right Rev. Dr. Oroke ; consecrated 1870, and'trans"--lated to , Cashel 1875. The Right Rev. Dr. Steins, S.J., was third. He was translated from India in ,1879; died in Sydney, N.S.W., 1881. He was succeeded by the Right Rev. Dr. Luck, 0.5.8., who was consecrated in 1882, and died in Auckland in 1896.' The fifth and present Bishop is the Right Rev. Dr. Lenihan,who was consecrated in 1896. ' The Right Rev. Dr. Viard, S.M., was appointed first Bishop of Wellington in 1860, and died there in 1872. He was succeeded by the Most .Rev. Dr. Redwood, S.M., the present occupant of the See, who was consecrated in 1874. On, May 10, 1887\ Wellington was erected into' an archdiocese, and on the 13th of the same month Dr. Redwood was created Archbishop and Metropolitan by Papal Brief, receiving the Pallium on August 28, 1887, from the' hands of the Right Rev. •Dr.- Luck, Bishop of Auckland. The occasion was marked by an impressive ceremony, which took place in the presence of a vast assemblage in St. ' Mary's Cathedral of the archiepiscopal city. In tfie South Island the diocese of Dunedin was established in 1869. The Right Rev. Dr. Moran, who tiled In 1895, was the first Bishop. His successor and present Bishop is the Right Rev. Dr. Verdon, consecrated in .1896. The diocese of Christchiirch, also in the South Island, was erected in 1887. The first and present Bishop is the Right Rev. Dr. Grimes, S.M., consecrated in. the > same year. In 1888 the J.ubilee or first fifty years of the Catholic Church in NeAv Zealand was celebrated. (To be continued).