Merv at 02:49, 9 July 2011

2011-07-09T02:49:20Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:49, 9 July 2011
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	:Letter of Fr Verne, missionary of the Society of Mary,		:Letter of Fr Verne, missionary of the Society of Mary,
	:to Fr Giroust, Parish Priest of Reyrieux, Ain.		:to Fr Giroust, Parish Priest of Reyrieux, Ain.


	:Wallis, 29 November 1846		:Wallis, 29 November 1846


	:My very dear friend,		:My very dear friend,
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	;[7]: You see, dear friend, with what coldness we were received, at least in principle; but little by little our natives were tamed and they reached the point that some begged Marceau to go to them to buy coconut oil; a longer stay by the ''Arche d’Alliance'' who have collapsed the prejudices they held against us. On Our Lady’s birthday, one of our sailors who couldn’t swim, fell into the sea by himself and without help. One of the natives, who spotted him from the shore, came to snatch him from death, hauled him into his canoe and took him to his hut where he gave him all kinds of help. The poor sailor, seeing himself swallowed up under the waves never stopped recommending himself to the Holy Virgin whose medal and scapular he always wore. His trust was not in vain; you could say that the Holy Virgin saved him miraculously through the hands of a native; but what brings more honour to that worthy native is the fact that he never wanted to receive any reward. Yet forced to accept a pair of trousers, he received it only by giving us a small pig, five pineapples and some shellfish, alleging all the time that he had done nothing else but his duty by snatching from death our poor sailor.		;[7]: You see, dear friend, with what coldness we were received, at least in principle; but little by little our natives were tamed and they reached the point that some begged Marceau to go to them to buy coconut oil; a longer stay by the ''Arche d’Alliance'' who have collapsed the prejudices they held against us. On Our Lady’s birthday, one of our sailors who couldn’t swim, fell into the sea by himself and without help. One of the natives, who spotted him from the shore, came to snatch him from death, hauled him into his canoe and took him to his hut where he gave him all kinds of help. The poor sailor, seeing himself swallowed up under the waves never stopped recommending himself to the Holy Virgin whose medal and scapular he always wore. His trust was not in vain; you could say that the Holy Virgin saved him miraculously through the hands of a native; but what brings more honour to that worthy native is the fact that he never wanted to receive any reward. Yet forced to accept a pair of trousers, he received it only by giving us a small pig, five pineapples and some shellfish, alleging all the time that he had done nothing else but his duty by snatching from death our poor sailor.
	;[8]:If I judge the inhabitants of Tutuila and those of the other islands of the archipelago of the Navigators by what I have been able to see of them during the six weeks of our stay in that place, the Samoans would have a gentle nature, generous and hospitable; in the exchanges we could only applaud their almost scrupulous honesty. Right from the first day of our arrival at Tutuila, the main chief had us told not to be afraid in his island and that we would find there only friendly faces. As for their physique, the inhabitants are well built, being a little taller than the French; their skin is not more coppery than Europeans who are sun burnt; their hair is woolly and curly, which they dye red or white resembling real sheep fleece. Their clothing is most peculiar; it consists of a scarf of leaves or else a belt of grasses and nothing else for the men; in that way you would believe that you were seeing the river gods of the fable; the women add to the belt of leaves a long mat almost like a chasuble.		;[8]:If I judge the inhabitants of Tutuila and those of the other islands of the archipelago of the Navigators by what I have been able to see of them during the six weeks of our stay in that place, the Samoans would have a gentle nature, generous and hospitable; in the exchanges we could only applaud their almost scrupulous honesty. Right from the first day of our arrival at Tutuila, the main chief had us told not to be afraid in his island and that we would find there only friendly faces. As for their physique, the inhabitants are well built, being a little taller than the French; their skin is not more coppery than Europeans who are sun burnt; their hair is woolly and curly, which they dye red or white resembling real sheep fleece. Their clothing is most peculiar; it consists of a scarf of leaves or else a belt of grasses and nothing else for the men; in that way you would believe that you were seeing the river gods of the fable; the women add to the belt of leaves a long mat almost like a chasuble.
	;[9]; On 11 September we tried to leave the bay of Pagopago, a difficult operation because of contrary winds; but we but we struck the coral and we had to postpone our departure to another time. It was on the 15 October that we definitively weighed anchor to leave; the English consul, who was relieved by our departure, did not fail to send to the commander, according to the promise he had made, a dozen natives to help us get through the break in the coral reef. Those men were very friendly; for more than four hours, they heaved at the capstan, hauled up the ropes and carried out all the manoeuvres that they were assigned accompanying their indefatigable work with all patriotic songs which their heads were full of. At half past twelve they left and we sailed on the Pacific Ocean. There are still no Catholic missionaries in all the islands which we have seen up until now. May Our Lord and our good Mother answer our prayer we make or these worthy natives by sending them soon priests. Other than at Tutuila they told us they wanted to have some; should we forget that they are our children since they belong to the mission stations entrusted to the Marist Society? We left on those coasts medals of the Holy Virgin.		;[9]: On 11 September we tried to leave the bay of Pagopago, a difficult operation because of contrary winds; but we but we struck the coral and we had to postpone our departure to another time. It was on the 15 October that we definitively weighed anchor to leave; the English consul, who was relieved by our departure, did not fail to send to the commander, according to the promise he had made, a dozen natives to help us get through the break in the coral reef. Those men were very friendly; for more than four hours, they heaved at the capstan, hauled up the ropes and carried out all the manoeuvres that they were assigned accompanying their indefatigable work with all patriotic songs which their heads were full of. At half past twelve they left and we sailed on the Pacific Ocean. There are still no Catholic missionaries in all the islands which we have seen up until now. May Our Lord and our good Mother answer our prayer we make or these worthy natives by sending them soon priests. Other than at Tutuila they told us they wanted to have some; should we forget that they are our children since they belong to the mission stations entrusted to the Marist Society? We left on those coasts medals of the Holy Virgin.
	;[10]: On 16 September at six o’clock we were opposite Upolu, 30 leagues from Tutuila, that beautiful island 17 leagues long and its population is estimated as 40,000. I couldn’t do better than compare it to the banks of the Saône from Macon to Lyon; same mountains, same valleys, same countryside. By the beauty of its sites by its inconceivable fertility, it is at least the equal of Tahiti. A year ago, one of our colleagues, Father Roudaire got established on this island at the port of Apia and the ''Arche d’Alliance'' had hardly moored when that worthy priest was on board and embraced us all crying with joy. Companions had come to share his joy and his labours. Being the only Catholic missionary he had to struggle against ten Protestant missionaries; but Our Lady of Victories, patroness of the mission stations of his archipelago had taken in hand its defence and he could take pleasure at seeing the fruits of salvations which the protection of Mary had already produced and especially the great expectations that the mission station offered for the future.		;[10]: On 16 September at six o’clock we were opposite Upolu, 30 leagues from Tutuila, that beautiful island 17 leagues long and its population is estimated as 40,000. I couldn’t do better than compare it to the banks of the Saône from Macon to Lyon; same mountains, same valleys, same countryside. By the beauty of its sites by its inconceivable fertility, it is at least the equal of Tahiti. A year ago, one of our colleagues, Father Roudaire got established on this island at the port of Apia and the ''Arche d’Alliance'' had hardly moored when that worthy priest was on board and embraced us all crying with joy. Companions had come to share his joy and his labours. Being the only Catholic missionary he had to struggle against ten Protestant missionaries; but Our Lady of Victories, patroness of the mission stations of his archipelago had taken in hand its defence and he could take pleasure at seeing the fruits of salvations which the protection of Mary had already produced and especially the great expectations that the mission station offered for the future.
	;[11]: Before telling you of the welcome which we were given, I should tell you news had come some time before from Tahiti to Apia that there would soon be at Upolu the arrival of a French ship loaded with missionaries.. Now the ''Anonyme'', which the commander had detached to buy some oil had had arrived a day before us, and on its arrival the Protestants celebrated the disappointment which the friends of Father Roudaire felt, and they mocked them in innumerable ways. The following day, when the ''Arche d’Alliance'' appeared, the roles changed. There was great joy at Mulinu’u where Father Roudaire lives and his opponents were reduced to silence. In vain they tried to prevent the natives visiting us; hardly had the ''Arche d’Alliance'' moored than already the Islanders besieged us on all sides; there were more than twenty canoes in a line. Those worthy natives shook our hands with the most spirited affection and did nothing more urgently than to inform us, while making the sign of the cross that they prayed for the Catholic missionary. Then they really wanted to know how many there were of us, whether we would stay with hem, what our names were, and a host of other questions of that kind. Most wore around their necks a rosary, cross and medal of the Holy Virgin. Among them was a young instructor from Wallis and one of the chiefs, They followed the priest out of affection and to help him in the apostolic work. Among the visitors on board the ''Arche d’Alliance'' were also several chiefs of Upolu who were most insistent on coming and asking for missionaries; they filled the mess, the poop, the forecastle; everything stimulated their awe. When I went into my cabin, I found one of them stretched out on the bed; we did not have to be afraid that they would touch anything or that if they touched something there they would immediately put it back in the same place. At night time they said goodbye, then they leapt into their canoes and returned home, singing songs in our honour throughout the journey.		;[11]: Before telling you of the welcome which we were given, I should tell you news had come some time before from Tahiti to Apia that there would soon be at Upolu the arrival of a French ship loaded with missionaries.. Now the ''Anonyme'', which the commander had detached to buy some oil had had arrived a day before us, and on its arrival the Protestants celebrated the disappointment which the friends of Father Roudaire felt, and they mocked them in innumerable ways. The following day, when the ''Arche d’Alliance'' appeared, the roles changed. There was great joy at Mulinu’u where Father Roudaire lives and his opponents were reduced to silence. In vain they tried to prevent the natives visiting us; hardly had the ''Arche d’Alliance'' moored than already the Islanders besieged us on all sides; there were more than twenty canoes in a line. Those worthy natives shook our hands with the most spirited affection and did nothing more urgently than to inform us, while making the sign of the cross that they prayed for the Catholic missionary. Then they really wanted to know how many there were of us, whether we would stay with hem, what our names were, and a host of other questions of that kind. Most wore around their necks a rosary, cross and medal of the Holy Virgin. Among them was a young instructor from Wallis and one of the chiefs, They followed the priest out of affection and to help him in the apostolic work. Among the visitors on board the ''Arche d’Alliance'' were also several chiefs of Upolu who were most insistent on coming and asking for missionaries; they filled the mess, the poop, the forecastle; everything stimulated their awe. When I went into my cabin, I found one of them stretched out on the bed; we did not have to be afraid that they would touch anything or that if they touched something there they would immediately put it back in the same place. At night time they said goodbye, then they leapt into their canoes and returned home, singing songs in our honour throughout the journey.

Merv: Created page with "==29 November 1846 — Father Pierre Verne to Father Giroust (Parish Priest), Wallis== ''Translated by Peter McConnell, October 2010'' ;[p. 1]: :Letter of Fr Verne, missionary..."

2011-07-09T02:48:10Z

Created page with "==29 November 1846 — Father Pierre Verne to Father Giroust (Parish Priest), Wallis== ''Translated by Peter McConnell, October 2010'' ;[p. 1]: :Letter of Fr Verne, missionary..."

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Girard0572 - Revision history

Merv at 02:49, 9 July 2011

Merv: Created page with "==29 November 1846 — Father Pierre Verne to Father Giroust (Parish Priest), Wallis== ''Translated by Peter McConnell, October 2010'' ;[p. 1]: :Letter of Fr Verne, missionary..."