Girard0107 - Revision history

Merv at 21:12, 16 January 2025

2025-01-16T21:12:56Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:12, 17 January 2025
Line 44:		Line 44:
	;[10]: My Reverend Father, there have been about 120 baptisms in my district. I have celebrated two marriages, three I mean. Amongst others I have married a New Zealander to an American Methodist, after dispensation. I received abjuration. There was a Protestant woman who, having recanted before me, and having received conditional baptism the same day, was married according to the laws of the Catholic church to an Englishman who was a Catholic. Five or six Catholics who were prepared for death have passed away. Three or four children have died after baptism. Apart from those, there are at least five more. I have just recalled that one Sunday I noticed a small child whose parents rarely came to services. I asked to baptise him. They consented and the following Wednesday this little child was brought to me dead. Poor child, I adopted him, I kept him in our house. I had a coffin made for him by our Brother and he was the first of the deceased to repose in our cemetery. A Catholic in my area died suddenly, struck down by a stroke; I knew perfectly well that he was a Catholic, everyone knew that he was from America and of Irish parentage. The Protestant minister came to bury him. There is no means here for legal proceedings against the minister. I well know that these men do not have the same unselfishness as us and that they would go to the aid of the dead rather than the sick. But after all I would rather believe that the minister was behaving as he thought right and that he did not know what faith the deceased professed.<ref> After the word “deceased”, three lines of text are crossed out; This text begins: “Divine Providence …”. </ref> My Very Reverend Father, rejoice with me, I have just erected a monument. Before coming to the Bay of Islands to receive the Bishop’s instructions and fulfil other essential duties, I wanted to leave my people under the protection of a cross. I am able to say that it was a true monument. It is fifteen feet high; it is thoroughly painted and will resist the onslaught of the weather for a long time. I carried it on my own, accompanied by Brother Elie to the high point where out cemetery is situated. We certainly thought of Jesus carrying his cross helped by Simon the Cyrene <ref> Cf. Matt 27:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26. </ref> That is not all; we collected some large stones from a quarry that we had bought on the instructions of the Bishop. Our Brother shaped them as much as he was able with his carpenter’s and joiner’s tools. We two, accompanied by two children, went at night to load the stones into a canoe (the quarry is on the river’s edge). I did not wish to work during the day out of respect for my soutane and not wishing to be observed by a crowd of people. By moonlight we loaded our stones. One was very big and to carry it to its final destination we needed six men. God be praised. I am convinced that the first rock to be struck by a chisel in New Zealand was the stone of our pedestal. That reminds me of ''l’Electa digno stipite tam sancta membra tangere.''<ref> Two lines of the hymn ''Vexilla regis prodeunt: '' “the wood you have chosen deserves to touch such holy limbs”. </ref> The most touching circumstance is that I blessed that cross on the day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, a moment after it had been erected. We needed some cement. Seashells fired for a long time provided it. A speech was made before some Europeans and a good number of Maori. I explained to these latter how they should salute the cross and in what way it was, for all of us, an object of honour, gratitude, confidence and love. It dominates to perfection all the surroundings. It directly faces a chapel of the opposing Anglicans. I say: On one side there is Gerizim, on the other Zion. <ref>The opposition of Mount Gerizim, where the Samaritans had built a temple and Mount Zion, the place of the temple of the Jews (cf. John 4:20). </ref> Oh the beautiful sign of the cross. How my eyes longed to see it in this country, alas, still so deprived of religious monuments. Up till now I have celebrated the holy mysteries in a chapel made of rushes. I made up my mind to convert my house into a chapel and give it up to the King of Kings. I will stay in a little outhouse. Our Brother, having put the roof on his house, put a cross on it with little wrappings as in the French custom. You would not believe it but the natives have copied it perfectly; I have since seen amongst the natives, a new house with its little cross and wrappings of different colours.		;[10]: My Reverend Father, there have been about 120 baptisms in my district. I have celebrated two marriages, three I mean. Amongst others I have married a New Zealander to an American Methodist, after dispensation. I received abjuration. There was a Protestant woman who, having recanted before me, and having received conditional baptism the same day, was married according to the laws of the Catholic church to an Englishman who was a Catholic. Five or six Catholics who were prepared for death have passed away. Three or four children have died after baptism. Apart from those, there are at least five more. I have just recalled that one Sunday I noticed a small child whose parents rarely came to services. I asked to baptise him. They consented and the following Wednesday this little child was brought to me dead. Poor child, I adopted him, I kept him in our house. I had a coffin made for him by our Brother and he was the first of the deceased to repose in our cemetery. A Catholic in my area died suddenly, struck down by a stroke; I knew perfectly well that he was a Catholic, everyone knew that he was from America and of Irish parentage. The Protestant minister came to bury him. There is no means here for legal proceedings against the minister. I well know that these men do not have the same unselfishness as us and that they would go to the aid of the dead rather than the sick. But after all I would rather believe that the minister was behaving as he thought right and that he did not know what faith the deceased professed.<ref> After the word “deceased”, three lines of text are crossed out; This text begins: “Divine Providence …”. </ref> My Very Reverend Father, rejoice with me, I have just erected a monument. Before coming to the Bay of Islands to receive the Bishop’s instructions and fulfil other essential duties, I wanted to leave my people under the protection of a cross. I am able to say that it was a true monument. It is fifteen feet high; it is thoroughly painted and will resist the onslaught of the weather for a long time. I carried it on my own, accompanied by Brother Elie to the high point where out cemetery is situated. We certainly thought of Jesus carrying his cross helped by Simon the Cyrene <ref> Cf. Matt 27:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26. </ref> That is not all; we collected some large stones from a quarry that we had bought on the instructions of the Bishop. Our Brother shaped them as much as he was able with his carpenter’s and joiner’s tools. We two, accompanied by two children, went at night to load the stones into a canoe (the quarry is on the river’s edge). I did not wish to work during the day out of respect for my soutane and not wishing to be observed by a crowd of people. By moonlight we loaded our stones. One was very big and to carry it to its final destination we needed six men. God be praised. I am convinced that the first rock to be struck by a chisel in New Zealand was the stone of our pedestal. That reminds me of ''l’Electa digno stipite tam sancta membra tangere.''<ref> Two lines of the hymn ''Vexilla regis prodeunt: '' “the wood you have chosen deserves to touch such holy limbs”. </ref> The most touching circumstance is that I blessed that cross on the day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, a moment after it had been erected. We needed some cement. Seashells fired for a long time provided it. A speech was made before some Europeans and a good number of Maori. I explained to these latter how they should salute the cross and in what way it was, for all of us, an object of honour, gratitude, confidence and love. It dominates to perfection all the surroundings. It directly faces a chapel of the opposing Anglicans. I say: On one side there is Gerizim, on the other Zion. <ref>The opposition of Mount Gerizim, where the Samaritans had built a temple and Mount Zion, the place of the temple of the Jews (cf. John 4:20). </ref> Oh the beautiful sign of the cross. How my eyes longed to see it in this country, alas, still so deprived of religious monuments. Up till now I have celebrated the holy mysteries in a chapel made of rushes. I made up my mind to convert my house into a chapel and give it up to the King of Kings. I will stay in a little outhouse. Our Brother, having put the roof on his house, put a cross on it with little wrappings as in the French custom. You would not believe it but the natives have copied it perfectly; I have since seen amongst the natives, a new house with its little cross and wrappings of different colours.

	;[11]: Oh my Reverend Father, how moved we have been by the account that our colleagues have given us of the terrible flooding.<ref>In 1840 flooding for ten days transformed Lyon into a huge torrent; six hundred houses were destroyed in Vaise, in the Brotteaux and in la Guillotière (cf. Steyert, t. 4, p. 69-70). </ref> We were only consoled by the hope that this scourge, combined with so many others, will bring to their senses many people who have strayed and will bring back to the faith and piety of their fathers the hearts of so many children perverted by the unfortunate wisdom of the present. Above all I haven’t the words to express how much I have been distressed by the disaster that has happened to the reputation of the religion that inspires, that almost commands, with the terrible bankruptcy of Mr<ref> No doubt the bankruptcy of the Wright bank (cf. [[Girard0100\|doc. 100]], § 4 and n. 2). </ref> It seems to me that God cannot permit a greater trial for the people of the Christian community and I place this latest misfortune above the flood. I must here find space to humbly thank His Lordship the Archbishop of Lyon for the pictures which he presented to our New Zealand churches. I owe him particular thanks as he has left for me a beautiful picture representing the adoration of the three wise men. The Epiphany is held by the mission of Whangaroa and Manganui. I hope that we will soon be in a position to have a chapel in this particular spot. Twelve inhabitants have already promised 53 pounds sterling. What I am going to assure you of will seem impossible to you. On board one of our country’s ships, I met with a reproach. A young Frenchman who was also aboard, knowing that the mission owned a small piece of land in the bay, gift of the godly generosity of an Irishman and intended for the site of a chapel and school etc. chided me for having accepted it, saying that we priests always took the best of things. It was on the invitation of the captain that I was on board. Imagine my surprise — to hear these things from a compatriot, on board our ship, I who could truthfully say that I had never spent a night in that area of our mission and at that time relied on the charity of good Catholics. I am repeating all this so as to convince everyone that the most impressive works of our blessed religion have slanderers all over the world. I will astonish you even more, my dear Superior, if I add that this particular young man has benefited from our mission and that despite my hardship, I had given him the most generous hospitality possible in my own house in Whangaroa. After all the sacrifices that our religion imposes on us, there remains one last one to crown all the rest, that of enduring everything, excusing everything as much as possible, cherishing our enemies and thirsting for the salvation of their souls. Besides, My Reverend Father, it is amazing to see the respect and goodwill that the whole population surrounds us with, regardless of nationality or beliefs. I can say unhesitatingly, without fear of anyone denying this, that Bishop Pompallier delighted everyone. My Very Reverend Father, have pity on his Lordship. The weight of his responsibilities overwhelms him, the concerns consume him, but what disappoints him most of all is his powerlessness to support and nourish his flock because of the lack of priests and pastors. I wish that all those who have been sent could be sufficient to support, in New Zealand, for a certain length of time the terrible struggle <ref> The author has attached to the word “struggle” the following sentence, added in the margin: “There are ways of increasing our numbers and facing up to these adversaries by taking ourselves wherever there is a battlefield.” </ref> of good against evil. But these are heavily populated islands, full of hope for the future, islands that attract people and seem to open their doors and if we do not make haste we will unfortunately see them invaded by the devil and evil habits. It is easy to warn about this enemy, but once it has taken possession of a soul, a town, an empire, experience has proven that it is very difficult to dislodge. Mistakes set off so many unexpected repercussions. They disguise themselves in so many different forms that, even in Europe, in the heart of enlightenment, good people will sometimes be seduced; how can we conceive of the people of the islands of Oceania being able to protect themselves from the traps of such an enemy. It seems to me, my Reverend Father, that we have arrived at crisis point. Here is the question I ask, will the devil count amongst his empire, perhaps for many generations, these numerous islands of Oceania, or will the true ministers of the gospel be happy to embrace them under the banner of Jesus and Mary. We rush in our desire to seize these islands and save these innocent lambs from the hungry mouths of cruel wolves. We fear that we will not be able to save them in time. My dear and venerable Superior, please accept that I am offering you my very deepest thoughts. It seems that this mission ought not to follow the general rules, it seems that God is calling it to expand rapidly, as His work expands and his needs multiply and become more pressing every day. The European Catholic community must come to the aid of Oceania; when the danger has passed, the help will not be needed, which will be all in good time. Here everything is welcoming to clergymen and even pious lay people who would like to be associated with our great work for Christian civilisation. There is no need to fear for one’s health. Nothing is lacking in the Bay of Islands for those who do not wish to go further afield. They will find sustenance and in times of need remedies from clever doctors. There are all sorts of roles to fill and something to satisfy all tastes and all of one’s heart’s needs. It is neither too hot nor too cold. Some Protestants have come from distant islands to caste themselves at his Lordship’s feet, begging for some priests. They stay for six months at a time, waiting to be able to leave with some priests.<ref> In the notes that Petit-Jean will send to Colin a year after the current letter, he will speak of the “formal promise” of Pompallier to “lead an Englishman to the Ascension with some priests” ([[Girard0192\|doc. 192,]] § 24). This “Englishman” was probably the Scottish Presbyterian, James Hall, delegate for about eight Europeans from Ponape Island (Ascension) who sent him to the Bay of Islands to seek Catholic missionaries. He perhaps arrived there in February 1841 (according to this paragraph, six months before the current letter), certainly before 23 July 1841 when the vicar apostolic left for a visit which took him to Akaroa (cf. doc. [[Girard0104\|104]], § 1, n. 2; [[Girard0111\|111]], § 4; [[Girard0114\|114]], § 3; [[Girard0217\|217]], § 1; [[Girard0218\|218]], § 13) from where, having learned of the death of Chanel in November of the same year, he went directly to Wallis, accompanied by Viard (cf. [[Girard0136\|doc. 136]], § 15-16). The latter will return to the Bay of Islands with Chanel’s remains, then leave again for Wallis on 2 April 1842, accompanied this time by Hall, Servant and Roulleaux. According to Epalle, these last two should have gone to Ponape, but Pompallier kept them on Futuna. (cf. Wiltgen, p. 276-277, quoting the “note” sent by Epalle to Rome on 14 July 1843; see also doc. [[Girard0138\|138]], § 1; [[Girard0163\|163]], § 10, n. 3; [[~~Girard017~~\|172]], § 1, n. 1). The plan of Pompallier and the Marists to establish a mission on Ponape will not be followed up (cf. [[Girard0192\|doc. 192]], § 41). </ref> Mary is obviously watching over her mission, she protects the priests and the peoples in a striking manner, not one single sick person amongst us. So, it seems to me that I can hear a host of generous apostles crying out in Europe, in France and in Lyon: Depart for Oceania, let us go and join in the works of Bishop Pompallier. I still recall Mr Dubois, the Superior in Paris,<ref>Jean-Antoine Dubois, Superior of the seminary of foreign missions in Paris (cf. Rozier, ''Writings of Chanel'', p. 132, n. 5). </ref> saying to us: How happy you will be to work under Bishop Pompallier and he repeated again, Bishop Pompallier. After all, dear and venerable Superior, it is still to the father of our families that one must address oneself to acquire workers, ''rogate'' </ref> Cf. Matt 9:38 and Luke 10:2 </ref>		;[11]: Oh my Reverend Father, how moved we have been by the account that our colleagues have given us of the terrible flooding.<ref>In 1840 flooding for ten days transformed Lyon into a huge torrent; six hundred houses were destroyed in Vaise, in the Brotteaux and in la Guillotière (cf. Steyert, t. 4, p. 69-70). </ref> We were only consoled by the hope that this scourge, combined with so many others, will bring to their senses many people who have strayed and will bring back to the faith and piety of their fathers the hearts of so many children perverted by the unfortunate wisdom of the present. Above all I haven’t the words to express how much I have been distressed by the disaster that has happened to the reputation of the religion that inspires, that almost commands, with the terrible bankruptcy of Mr<ref> No doubt the bankruptcy of the Wright bank (cf. [[Girard0100\|doc. 100]], § 4 and n. 2). </ref> It seems to me that God cannot permit a greater trial for the people of the Christian community and I place this latest misfortune above the flood. I must here find space to humbly thank His Lordship the Archbishop of Lyon for the pictures which he presented to our New Zealand churches. I owe him particular thanks as he has left for me a beautiful picture representing the adoration of the three wise men. The Epiphany is held by the mission of Whangaroa and Manganui. I hope that we will soon be in a position to have a chapel in this particular spot. Twelve inhabitants have already promised 53 pounds sterling. What I am going to assure you of will seem impossible to you. On board one of our country’s ships, I met with a reproach. A young Frenchman who was also aboard, knowing that the mission owned a small piece of land in the bay, gift of the godly generosity of an Irishman and intended for the site of a chapel and school etc. chided me for having accepted it, saying that we priests always took the best of things. It was on the invitation of the captain that I was on board. Imagine my surprise — to hear these things from a compatriot, on board our ship, I who could truthfully say that I had never spent a night in that area of our mission and at that time relied on the charity of good Catholics. I am repeating all this so as to convince everyone that the most impressive works of our blessed religion have slanderers all over the world. I will astonish you even more, my dear Superior, if I add that this particular young man has benefited from our mission and that despite my hardship, I had given him the most generous hospitality possible in my own house in Whangaroa. After all the sacrifices that our religion imposes on us, there remains one last one to crown all the rest, that of enduring everything, excusing everything as much as possible, cherishing our enemies and thirsting for the salvation of their souls. Besides, My Reverend Father, it is amazing to see the respect and goodwill that the whole population surrounds us with, regardless of nationality or beliefs. I can say unhesitatingly, without fear of anyone denying this, that Bishop Pompallier delighted everyone. My Very Reverend Father, have pity on his Lordship. The weight of his responsibilities overwhelms him, the concerns consume him, but what disappoints him most of all is his powerlessness to support and nourish his flock because of the lack of priests and pastors. I wish that all those who have been sent could be sufficient to support, in New Zealand, for a certain length of time the terrible struggle <ref> The author has attached to the word “struggle” the following sentence, added in the margin: “There are ways of increasing our numbers and facing up to these adversaries by taking ourselves wherever there is a battlefield.” </ref> of good against evil. But these are heavily populated islands, full of hope for the future, islands that attract people and seem to open their doors and if we do not make haste we will unfortunately see them invaded by the devil and evil habits. It is easy to warn about this enemy, but once it has taken possession of a soul, a town, an empire, experience has proven that it is very difficult to dislodge. Mistakes set off so many unexpected repercussions. They disguise themselves in so many different forms that, even in Europe, in the heart of enlightenment, good people will sometimes be seduced; how can we conceive of the people of the islands of Oceania being able to protect themselves from the traps of such an enemy. It seems to me, my Reverend Father, that we have arrived at crisis point. Here is the question I ask, will the devil count amongst his empire, perhaps for many generations, these numerous islands of Oceania, or will the true ministers of the gospel be happy to embrace them under the banner of Jesus and Mary. We rush in our desire to seize these islands and save these innocent lambs from the hungry mouths of cruel wolves. We fear that we will not be able to save them in time. My dear and venerable Superior, please accept that I am offering you my very deepest thoughts. It seems that this mission ought not to follow the general rules, it seems that God is calling it to expand rapidly, as His work expands and his needs multiply and become more pressing every day. The European Catholic community must come to the aid of Oceania; when the danger has passed, the help will not be needed, which will be all in good time. Here everything is welcoming to clergymen and even pious lay people who would like to be associated with our great work for Christian civilisation. There is no need to fear for one’s health. Nothing is lacking in the Bay of Islands for those who do not wish to go further afield. They will find sustenance and in times of need remedies from clever doctors. There are all sorts of roles to fill and something to satisfy all tastes and all of one’s heart’s needs. It is neither too hot nor too cold. Some Protestants have come from distant islands to caste themselves at his Lordship’s feet, begging for some priests. They stay for six months at a time, waiting to be able to leave with some priests.<ref> In the notes that Petit-Jean will send to Colin a year after the current letter, he will speak of the “formal promise” of Pompallier to “lead an Englishman to the Ascension with some priests” ([[Girard0192\|doc. 192,]] § 24). This “Englishman” was probably the Scottish Presbyterian, James Hall, delegate for about eight Europeans from Ponape Island (Ascension) who sent him to the Bay of Islands to seek Catholic missionaries. He perhaps arrived there in February 1841 (according to this paragraph, six months before the current letter), certainly before 23 July 1841 when the vicar apostolic left for a visit which took him to Akaroa (cf. doc. [[Girard0104\|104]], § 1, n. 2; [[Girard0111\|111]], § 4; [[Girard0114\|114]], § 3; [[Girard0217\|217]], § 1; [[Girard0218\|218]], § 13) from where, having learned of the death of Chanel in November of the same year, he went directly to Wallis, accompanied by Viard (cf. [[Girard0136\|doc. 136]], § 15-16). The latter will return to the Bay of Islands with Chanel’s remains, then leave again for Wallis on 2 April 1842, accompanied this time by Hall, Servant and Roulleaux. According to Epalle, these last two should have gone to Ponape, but Pompallier kept them on Futuna. (cf. Wiltgen, p. 276-277, quoting the “note” sent by Epalle to Rome on 14 July 1843; see also doc. [[Girard0138\|138]], § 1; [[Girard0163\|163]], § 10, n. 3; [[Girard0172\|172]], § 1, n. 1). The plan of Pompallier and the Marists to establish a mission on Ponape will not be followed up (cf. [[Girard0192\|doc. 192]], § 41). </ref> Mary is obviously watching over her mission, she protects the priests and the peoples in a striking manner, not one single sick person amongst us. So, it seems to me that I can hear a host of generous apostles crying out in Europe, in France and in Lyon: Depart for Oceania, let us go and join in the works of Bishop Pompallier. I still recall Mr Dubois, the Superior in Paris,<ref>Jean-Antoine Dubois, Superior of the seminary of foreign missions in Paris (cf. Rozier, ''Writings of Chanel'', p. 132, n. 5). </ref> saying to us: How happy you will be to work under Bishop Pompallier and he repeated again, Bishop Pompallier. After all, dear and venerable Superior, it is still to the father of our families that one must address oneself to acquire workers, ''rogate'' </ref> Cf. Matt 9:38 and Luke 10:2 </ref>

	;[12]: I am, with the deepest respect, my Very Reverend Father, your very respectful and very obedient son in Jesus and Mary,		;[12]: I am, with the deepest respect, my Very Reverend Father, your very respectful and very obedient son in Jesus and Mary,

Merv at 00:09, 29 August 2022

2022-08-29T00:09:30Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:09, 29 August 2022
Line 51:		Line 51:
	=== Notes ===		=== Notes ===
	<references/>		<references/>


			{\|border=1; style="width:100%"
			\|+
			\|-bgcolor=lightblue
			\|align=center \|[[Girard0106\|'''Previous Letter''']]\|\| align=center \| [[Contents#1841\|'''List of 1841 Letters''']] \|\| align=center \| [[Girard0108\|'''Next letter''']]
			\|}

Merv at 01:25, 3 January 2021

2021-01-03T01:25:47Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:25, 3 January 2021
Line 1:		Line 1:
	==9 August 1841 — Father Jean-Baptiste Petit-Jean to Father Jean-Claude Colin, Bay of Islands==		==9 August 1841 — Father Jean-Baptiste Petit-Jean to Father Jean-Claude Colin, Bay of Islands==

	''Translated by Mary Williamson, November 2020''		''Translated by Mary Williamson, November 2020. See also [[Girard0107A\|extracts from this letter in a different translation.]]''

Merv at 01:23, 3 January 2021

2021-01-03T01:23:52Z

Show changes

Merv at 23:37, 24 February 2009

2009-02-24T23:37:50Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:37, 25 February 2009
Line 50:		Line 50:


	:This was another unique sign of the divine goodness that wants to save all men. I was at my residence when I learnt from some Maori, who had come to sell us supplies, that a baby in their tribe was sick. I did not hesitate to go on their boat to save this baby. I was of course well received. This tribe says our prayers enthusiastically, it is called Mata nehunehu. However these people might have adopted our prayers, but have not abandoned their own superstitions.		:This was another unique sign of the divine goodness that wants to save all men. I was at my residence when I learnt from some Maori, who had come to sell us supplies, that a baby in their tribe was sick. I did not hesitate to go on their boat to save this baby. I was of course well received. This tribe says our prayers enthusiastically, it is called ''Mata nehunehu''. However these people might have adopted our prayers, but have not abandoned their own superstitions.

Merv at 23:35, 24 February 2009

2009-02-24T23:35:24Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:35, 25 February 2009
Line 2:		Line 2:


	''Translated by [[User:~~Shelly~~\|Michelle Maxwell]], University of Waikato, 2008. Edited by William Jennings, University of Waikato.''		''Translated by [[User:SHELLY24\|Michelle Maxwell]], University of Waikato, 2008. Edited by William Jennings, University of Waikato.''

Merv: New page: ==Father Petit-Jean to Father Colin, 9 August 1841 [extracts] == ''Translated by Michelle Maxwell, University of Waikato, 2008. Edited by William Jennings, University of ...

2009-02-24T23:33:41Z

New page: ==Father Petit-Jean to Father Colin, 9 August 1841 [extracts] == ''Translated by Michelle Maxwell, University of Waikato, 2008. Edited by William Jennings, University of ...

New page

==Father Petit-Jean to Father Colin, 9 August 1841 [extracts] ==

''Translated by [[User:Shelly|Michelle Maxwell]], University of Waikato, 2008. Edited by William Jennings, University of Waikato.''

;[5]: If someone dies they come to ask me firstly for some beautiful cloth for a shroud, then some planks and some nails for the casket of the deceased, then they even request that our brother do the work. I am seldom able to supply these things. These people give great honours to the dead. Their love is big, they say. Once, I lent them tools to dig a grave; they did not want these instruments to be returned to profane or ordinary usage, but wanted them declared holy, tapu (pronounced tapou) and as such placed on the grave of the deceased to remain inviolable there for ever. You will easily understand that I did not refuse this proposition. In every burial to make a tool tapu by losing it such as a shovel or pickaxe, is impossible. In such cases, my Maori avoid a difficult situation and keep their tools, dig the grave with sticks and remove the earth with their hands. They like the graves to be displayed openly. Those who carry the dead to their burial site are tapu for some days; they do not work, etc. I saw a son bury his mother. Once the grave is dug, they fear particularly that it is deep enough before the coffin or casket is deposited there; so they leave a bunch of foliage or fern there so that no contact disturbs the earth where the body rests.

;[6]: We are slowly destroying the custom where Maori scratch themselves with shells to mourn the dead or even to prove their love to some friend or relative they have not seen for some time. Apart from this, which we can only approve of, is that the mourning of these people is particularly touching. From the time the sick person dies until he is buried, there he is always surrounded by mourners of both sexes weeping for him. That is at least what I saw one day when I was called to give the religious burial to a Maori. I have perhaps never been present at a more painful scene. In the middle the dead man was enclosed and covered in his nicest clothes; at some distance the casket was being made; farther still a group was busy digging him a grave. Around the dead man several women were singing with sadness in their voices, they formed a true concert among them. They were songs of love, wailings that I could not understand, but the view of these people, their sad accents accompanied with shouting and abundant tears were more than able of softening me up. My heart was strongly moved; if I did not mourn the dead man henceforth free from the miseries of this life and that I thought was happy in the other, at least I mourned the common miseries of this group and all vain glory and affliction of these poor people. These mourners inspired me and others. Without having understood the song as a whole, it seems to me that the dominant feature of a verse was
::::La la la za za la (A A A C C A)
:Or perhaps la sol la za la sol la (A G A C A G A) while other voices were in the C and even D above the others.

:However I noticed a man standing alone faced with the most natural expressions of pain, sometimes clasping his hands, sometimes spreading them, raising them and lowering them in turn; sometimes his hands remained turned towards the deceased while he looked away; he wept a torrent of tears and exhausted himself in sobbing. All these cries succeeded silence which was interrupted by moans which started gloomy singing again. In this song, I understood that it was about the parents of the deceased; they were speaking it seems, of his father and his mother. My heart was deeply moved and my shaken imagination transported me to the times and places where Jeremiah and other prophets sitting or standing on ruins mourned the ill-fated Jerusalem.

:Oh! That the customs of this people are interesting, but already the contact with the Europeans has greatly changed them. I am writing only facts that I witnessed. I do not know everything to give a whole description.

;[8]: In my tribe close to my residence three women entered into a very lively dispute, it was getting worse and I needed to get involved to stop it. None of the women listened to me, and there was one woman who was persistently fuelling the dispute so I took my hand bell and rang it to silence the voices, the others laughed and joked about this peculiar action which had succeeded splendidly.

:The New Zealanders’ greeting between people who have not seen each other for some time is in my opinion very interesting and I always enjoy seeing it. They shake hands but this is only the European way that has been introduced among New Zealanders. They call from a distance to the person they see arriving: ‘''Haeremai e koro’'', come young man (if it is not an old man). They often repeat this invitation. Nonetheless the hosts do not bother to get up and go to the front if they are sitting, and they remain in the same position. (A chief would not invite a slave to come to him and is approached only by those who are chiefs or from the chief’s family). The person who arrives bends down and the other person presents his face and they rub noses in a friendly silence.

:Sometimes it seems that they stand as if embracing, nose to nose, and they immediately start crying, or at least they sing a song of love. It is a concert with two parts and is performed by the two friends. When they have satisfied their friendship they part and wipe true tears. This greeting, which lasts for a quarter and even a half hour, is known as ''hongi'' because it is done with the nose and the act of smelling is called ''hongi'' in Maori, even though the nose in Maori is ''ihu''.

:One day I admired the way in which an 18-month-old child was being taught this greeting by everyone. Each of them said on their turn, ''haere mai'', come, and the child went around the circle rubbing noses with everyone in turn with a seriousness which amazed me and made me laugh with excitement. When New Zealanders give and receive this greeting it is done in silence and with a friendly manner. In one of my journeys my guide had hurt his foot. He didn’t fail to tell me that in the nearest village they would hasten to offer us food with special attentiveness. It seemed that they have special consideration for those who have hurt themselves while walking. I noted some small details as they occurred to me. I met a great chief to whom I spoke to about holy baptism. I indirectly mentioned to him the idea of baptism, to know his thoughts and his entire response was, “See, I have two wives”. ‘Be happy with one’, I said to him: ''Kia Kotahi'' it’s one or the other. Then showing me his finger which he held extremely curved he said: ‘when my back is like this, bowed by old age, then it will be time for baptism’. Alas, a poor sinner, the language of passion inspires the same language everywhere.

:The tribe where I live is all Christian; they have all received the holy baptism. However there is one woman who has resisted grace and holds firmly on to her old superstitious beliefs. Nonetheless I must tell you how she bore witness to the truth of our holy religion. Having seen a protestant family come to my house this woman came on her own accord, with all her children whom she introduced to the guests: ‘Here’, she said, ‘are my children’ and she said the name of each of them. Note well, she added, these are the Bishop’s names. These are the names of the take the tree, the church that is the tree.

:For more than a year I have had with me a young man who gives me solace. I christened him Boniface, in memory of the day when he came to my house. He has known the joy of first communion and since then he appears extremely happy. Sometimes he calls me and says: ''E hoane papita e toku ariki'', Jean Baptiste my priest, ''e hari tonu toku ngakau'', my heart is full of perpetual joy. But nothing equals the zeal of a Maori woman married to a European who is my closest neighbour. She has not missed a single mass. She is as punctual as a nun and goes to church when she hears the first sound of the bell. Her husband assured me that Catherine is not satisfied with ordinary prayers but in her own home she devotes herself with enthusiasm to reading all the same texts with abundant tears.

:There is a naïve Catholic European who wanted to marry a New Zealander. He sought me and asked if he could be married the English way, as he called it retaining the freedom to leave his wife according to the law of England, which allows divorce. I told him that I could marry him only in the Catholic way, if I can say such a thing, that is irrevocably and with ties that only death could destroy, in accordance with divine law, and that no human strength could work against it. He agreed and I arranged for him and his wife to receive the sacrament of marriage.

:Boniface converted his mother by his passionate prayers and by his respectful opinions, for he wrote a letter filled with feelings to encourage her to covert to baptism so she could live happy. The woman came to me asking to be baptised. I bestowed on her the sacrament of baptism and then she had a good conscience and felt the absolute pledge to die rather than soil the baptismal innocence. On returning to her family, Monique, the name she was baptised with, suffered some condemnation. She was even tempted into evil, but she responded with a noble assurance: ‘Leave me, I have received the holy baptism, I am full of the words of God – ''Ka nui te kupu ote atua ki rota i a hau''. She even preferred to spend the night outside the door of the house, to be more at peace.

:The Anglicans first inspired the people of New Zealand with an exaggerated idea of the holiness of Sunday. It seems that they claimed to prove in this way that theirs was the true church. Just recently I heard a Protestant woman show a more than Jewish respect for Sunday, ‘Oh sir’, she said to me, ‘if I could I would not cook on Sunday, but I would prepare all my food on Saturday for my family and me’. I have needed to broaden the conscience of a great number of our neophytes. One Sunday I was passing near a woman who was breaking a piece of wood to put on the fire. Suddenly recalling that it was Sunday she scolded herself for this action by saying ''Wareware'', I forgot.

:Many of the tribes who have turned to various separate communions eat potatoes without peeling them on Sunday. The food served on Sunday, being holy must not be served again on another day of the week (i.e. not served as leftovers). A Protestant, whose wife had recently died, invited me to bury her. He was almost certain that she was not Catholic. I was also certain that she had not been baptised. I said to him, ‘my friend, you think that my prayers will be of some assistance to your wife after death and yet you think that I could not do anything for her salvation while she lived. The duty of a minister of charity would have made me fly to her sickbed instantly. Now that she is gone I cannot offer the honour and the assistance of my ministry’. One can only consider the circumstances of the ignorance of some and the misfortune of others.

;[9]: The people of my mission considered me for a while as a miracle worker. One day while I was guided as if by the hand of God towards a sick man not only in danger, but who was dying. His forehead was already covered with sweat of death. I quickly bestowed on him the sacraments of the Church. He was Maori and aside from the obvious I knew he was already dying. The other Maori told me sadly: ‘You will not leave from here until our sick man has died.’ I had hardly finished the prayers of the sacraments when the sick man regained the use of his senses; furthermore he survived for another two days. In fact it surprised me and still impresses me when I think of it. The natives were so struck by it that they told everyone in the Bay of Islands that I had worked the miracle of resurrection of a dead man, which I denied, by explaining what had actually happened.

:This was another unique sign of the divine goodness that wants to save all men. I was at my residence when I learnt from some Maori, who had come to sell us supplies, that a baby in their tribe was sick. I did not hesitate to go on their boat to save this baby. I was of course well received. This tribe says our prayers enthusiastically, it is called Mata nehunehu. However these people might have adopted our prayers, but have not abandoned their own superstitions.

:I asked the father of this baby if I could baptise his daughter, he sent me away until the following day. At that moment I feared for the goodwill of the father, but the hope of seeing my request granted convinced me to stay. The next day the difficulty was much greater. This father claimed that his daughter, if baptised, would die the same day. He added that he would not be free to mourn for her after her death in the Maori way. I answered him with all the enthusiasm that could inspire me. I told him as gently as I could that he was not good towards his daughter, that the soul of this child, if it was not purified by the waters of baptism, would never be introduced to the home of the Holy Spirit where happiness is, that she would suffer forever and that he, the father, was the architect of his misfortune and was therefore very cruel towards his daughter. Nothing could shake this father. ‘Mourn for her as you wish’, I said to him, ‘I will leave you her body for you to do as you want, what I ask is that you let me save her soul’.

:My God, what worry, what anxiety! To have before one’s eyes a child who only has a few days to live, to have all the means of salvation for her and to be unable to do anything because of the blindness of this poor father. What should be done? I prayed, I asked in turn the holy angels, Saint François Xavier, to the holy leaders, to Saint Joseph and especially to Mary so that the soul of this baby would be given to me.

:They offered me food, they brought it to me and I refused it I cannot eat, I said to them: ‘my heart is sad and it is dark’, ''Ka nui pouri taku ngakau,'' my heart is in great darkness, because you will not let me baptise this child. The father moved, holding his child enveloped in his cloak. I followed him as a dog follows his master and sat down next to him. I was still hopeful, although I had no means of baptising this child in secret. The Virgin Mary to whom I dedicated this soul made it easy.

:It was morning. The sky was lightly overcast. A few drops of rain fell. At my feet was a leaf from a tree that had enough rain in it for the sacrament. I took it holding it up and I said to the father, ‘Baptism is not something to fear. It is almost nothing. If you let me baptise your child I would act in this way by saying these words’. I then allowed a few droplets of water to fall on the face of the child and I rapidly spoke the words of the sacrament of baptism. At the time I did not pronounce her name but I had thought a half minute earlier to call her Antoinette, a name which is very dear to me in French. The father noticed nothing and did not become annoyed. I obtained a full success for the glory of God and for the salvation of this baby Antoinette who now is in heaven, with her stainless dress prays for our mission, for the Church and for the dear associates the propagation of the faith. In fact this baby had been declared tapu by a great chief of New Zealand and this circumstance was a big obstacle to overcome.

:The Maori are very stubborn in their ways, so that heaven is intended only for foreigners and that they have a home after death inside the earth, all together with their fathers.