Pompallier

POMPALLIER, Jean Baptiste Francois (1801-1871) was the first Roman Catholic Bishop of the south-west Pacific, and an influential settler in northern New Zealand from 1938-1868.

He was born at Lyons in France, into a wealthy silk manufacturing family, worked in the silk trade, then became a dragoon officer and was ordained a priest in 1829 after four years in the Lyons Seminaries.

He was chosen by Pope Gregory XVI to head a mission in Western Oceania and arrived in the Hokianga Harbour, where there were known to be Catholic families in January 1838, after having placed priests on islands en route across the South Pacific from Chile.

There was some immediate opposition to Pompallier in New Zealand because of the fear of French annexation, which had been a public issue with the arrival of the so-called Baron de Thierry, but Pompallier's courage and dignity impressed many of the Maori leaders and helped him ultimately overcome the suspicions of Europeans.

In the middle of 1838 Pompallier moved his headquarters to Kororareka, where the house he later built is still in existence. Pompallier was present at the meetings before the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, at the invitation of Captain Hobson. He deliberately absented himself as the chiefs were about to sign, and although he made no public comment on the issue between the British administration and the Maoris, he did gain from Hobson an assurance of religious freedom in the colony.

Pompallier expanded his mission by placing priests in other centres of the North Island and walked long distances overland to visit his men. There were allegations during the governorship of FitzRoy that French missionaries were whipping up insurrection among Maori chiefs in Northland, but George Grey investigated these claims on his arrival as successor to FitzRoy and completely cleared Pompallier and his men of any blame.

Pompallier made several visits to Rome and in 1860 was made Bishop of Auckland. After applying for naturalisation, he had been declared a British subject in 1850. He resigned his responsibilities in New Zealand in 1868 and he died near Paris in 1871.

He was a man of courage who could not achieve as much as he wanted because of the lack of resources available to him.

"Bishop Pompallier has been appointed by our Holy Father the Pope to visit New Zealand and the Islands of the Southern Ocean to preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, to preach the same Gospel that St Peter and St Paul preached eighteen hundred years ago, the same Gospel that St Patrick preached in Ireland about fourteen hundred years since.

Dr Pompallier is a saintly man: he seeks the glory of God and the salvation of his fellow men; he has left all for this great object: he goes to instruct the ignorant, to teach them the arts of civilized life; he wants nothing in return but that they may turn to adore the true God. I, an Irish Catholic priest, residing in Sydney for nearly siz years, recommend his Lordship most earnestly to every Catholic, especially every Irish Catholic, that he may meet on his apostolic mission, and I pray God to bless all those who may assist him in his great undertaking.

May the peace and blessing of God be with all who receive this fruitful servant of Christ. Amen." JOHN MCENCROE

PLINTH ERECTED ON THE SITE OF BISHOP POMPALLIER'S FIRST MASS IN NEW ZEALAND
It was unveiled by the Apostolic Delegate, Most Reverend Archbishop John Panico,
at Totara Point, on 9th March 1938.

THE GRAVE OF BISHOP POMPALLIER AT PUTEAUX, FRANCE

The inscription reads: Monseigneur Jean Baptiste Francois
Pompallier, Premier Eveque d'Auckland (Nlle Zelande) 1858*-68.
Archeveque Titulaire 1868. Decede a Puteaux le 21 Decembre 1871.
Requiescat in Pace.

The grave at Puteaux has been a place of pilgrimage for many of New Zealand's prelates, priests and people. The late Archbishop O'Shea, and his successor, Archbishop McKeefry, Metropolitans of New Zealand, have visited it on more than one occasion. In 1935 the Bishop of Auckland, Archbishop Liston, had the tomb completely renovated, and he informed the parish authorities at Puteaux that his people in New Zealand felt it a privilege to help in perpetuating the memory of their first Bishop. Archbishop Liston's latest visit to the grave was made in May 1954.

POMPALLIER HOUSE, Russell, Bay of Islands, New Zealand

Holy reunion
LISTENER December 25 1999
Bishop Pompallier comes here.

The impending return of Bishop Pompallier's remains in November 2000 is a brilliant coup for New Zealand Catholics. Project leader and Episcopal Vicar for Auckland Maori, Pa Henare Tate, expects many Catholic communities will ask to host Pompallier's casket during its New Zealand pilgrimage. When Pompallier's journey is completed, he will be laid to rest in the crypt of a new Totara Point chapel, on January 13, 2001.

But why did the Catholic Church agree to move Pompallier's remains, and how did New Zealand Catholic acquire them?

Pa Henare says that, although it is uncommon for the modern Catholic Church to move priests' remains, it did so in Pompallier's case because of Maori aspirations. The Church realises that the Bishop is "the foundation of Maori devotion". Tai Tokerau Pastoral Council, representing the Northern Maori laity, has lobbied for 20 years for Pompallier's return.

Pompallier's 1838 visit to Mangakahia (near Kaikohe) is central to their case. Pa Henare relates this oral history. When Pompallier was leaving, the chief of Mangakahia said, "Bishop, if you have love for us, send us a priest." Pompallier replied in Maori, "I don't know about your love for me, but I know about my love for you, because I left land and family for you."

Maori think Pompallier's answer symbolically shows that he wants to be with them in New Zealand. In a nutshell, this is why they think he should come back.

When he visited Pompallier's grave at Puteaux, France, in December 1998, Pa Henare prayerfully asked the Bishop, "Are you again prepared to leave your land and whanau for those you did love, and who still love you?"

During his New Zealand mission, Pompallier visited various Maori communities between Hokianga and Akaroa. Pa Henare expects that people in these places are looking forward to "renewing the spiritual links" forged when Pompallier visited their ancestors 160 years ago. He says that Northern Maori have a particularly "great devotion and relationship" with Pompallier. Since 1938, they return to Totara Point on January 13 each year, the anniversary of Pompallier's first New Zealand Mass. In the Northern Hokianga, and especially among the Panguru people, one child in each generation is named after the Bishop.

Of course, Pakeha Catholics also eagerly await Pompallier's return. Pa Henare says that Pakeha are rejoicing because "Bishop Pompallier is the beginning of their whole Catholic tradition and history". Pompallier laid the foundation of Pakeha Catholicism in various communities from Northland to Otago. He is doubly significant for Aucklanders because he was the first Bishop of Auckland. Denis Browne, Auckland's bishop during the 1980's, generated local support for Tai Tokerau's campaign.

Maori lobbyists gained the attention of a sympathetic French priest, Father Jean Yves Riocreux is responsible for Catholics in French Polynesia. He sympathises with Pacific people's aspirations. Understanding Pompallier's place in Maori devotion, Riocreux spent the past 18 months arranging to return Pompallier's remain to New Zealand. He astutely negotiated approvals from French Prime Minister Chirac, French and New Zealand embassy staff and, of course, from Catholic authorities in New Zealand and France.

However, the French still had to be ratified back in New Zealand. Auckland Bishop Pat Dunn consulted his priests and laity, and the National Bishop's Conference before making his final decision to bring Pompallier back. Dunn's diocese looks forward to hosting Pompallier's casket at St Patrick's Cathedral, before its New Zealand pilgrimage begins. He says "It will be an historic occasion for the Catholic Church in this country... Bishop Pompallier was a great missionary bishop who gave his best years to New Zealand."

Strangely, Pompallier is better known in New Zealand than France. Pa Henare says that, even when he retired to Puteaux in 1868, French people barely knew him. Pompallier had no know living relatives, his only niece and nephew also being celibate missionaries. No French people visited his grave at Puteaux Cemetery these days. Only New Zealanders.

Pompallier's lonely grave helped influence French government and church agreement. With no French descendants or devotees, government and church officials were happy for him to come to New Zealand.

A loving maintained chapel at Totara Point is better than a lonely, concrete slab at Puteaux.

Bishop Pat Dunn of Auckland and Bishop Max Mariu of Hamilton both
from New Zealand at the grave of Bishop Pompallier in Puteaux, France recently.

On the grave was placed the Pectoral Cross worn by Bishop Pompallier
and now worn on occasions by the Bishop of Auckland.

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