THE CHURCH IN NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 15, 15 April 1909, Page 570

THE CHURCH IN NEW ZEALAND

MEMOIRS OF THE EARLY DAYS

(Contributed.)

AUCKLAND.

Among the zealous band of priests in Auckland . with Bishop Croke in the early seventies (says an old resident) was leather Norris, whose useful -career 'was unfortunately for tlie diocese cut short by death at an early age. Writing to., the mother hoiise in Ireland on" June 7, 1874, the Sisters of Mercy stated among other particulars regarding ~ the progress of the mission — ' We have lost a fine young priest of great '"promise, a Father -Norris. He went " through his course in Carlow.- He went up to the Thames convent, and was so kind and- thoughtful. He was a fine preacher. Unfortunately he ov«r-exerted himself. He got a bad fever, and God called Him to Himself to receive the reward of his zeal. . Nothing could exceed the sorrow of the people; such a funeral was never seen in Auckland.' ' So far as I am able to learn Father Norris was the first " priest whose remains-*, were interred in New Zealand. Writ- " ing at a much_earlier date, July 18, 1851, the Sisters of ' Mercy, who by the way seem to lave kept most authentic records of current missionary events, and to whom,- indeed', lam indebted for many historical facts, stated : ' The Rev. " Father O'Rourke is laboring among the Natives, knows the ■ Maori language well, and is the first Irishman who has exercised the sacred ministry in the Maori tongue.' "

The Opotikl Affair.

From correspondence kindly sent by an earnest and interested reader of these 'Memoirs,' some additional'particulars are gleaned of the tragic happening at Opotiki, in which Father Grange and Rer.'Mr. Volknor "were concerned, and in which the latter lost his life at the hands, of the fanatical -Hauhaus. • ''-I 'had the true account (writes my correspondent) 'of the whole affair from Father Grange's faithful servant, a woman named Aria, whose care of the good priest deserves to be remembered. She- told me of his trial at Wkakatane, and that on the next day he was to have been: put to death, and would, hare been but for her exertions in asembling secretly about fifty faithful members of his Maori flock, who had placed themselves in an inner circle around him, Kereopa, Petara, and their followers forming an outer one. When the time came for the putting of the good Father to death, and as the executioner was brandishing his 'taiaha/ preparatory to slaying the intended viotim, the friendly Natives sprang to their feet, threw off the blankets with -which they were enveloped, and, shouldering then- muskets, presented arms, declaring that they' would have first to be put to death before their beloved pastor. Aria subsequently, at great personal risk, conducted him to a place of safety, whence he proceeded next day to Tauranga; where he labored for . some years after. As showing how an accidental occur- . rence precipitated the fate of the Rev. Mr. Volkner and, frustrated the charitable .efforts of his fellow-laborer in averting the calamity, the following particulars are interesting:—While the Rev. Mr. Volkner was on his way to Opotiki, _ the schooner on which he was being conveyed thither* intended to call at Maketu, a bar harbor some twenty miles from Tauranga. Father Grange, hearing of this, wrote to him a warning of the - fate likely to meet him. at his. destination, but unfortunately a strong gale was blowing from the land and' ''the vessel, after vain efforts to enter Maketu, had to proceed to Opotiki, and thus he failed to receive the letter which would have saved him from a-violent death. '

An Echo of the Maori Wars.

Considerable diversity of opinion was oxpressed in leading English journals concerning the rights and wrongs of the Maori War in the late sixties, especially with reference to the massacres by fanatical tribes on the east coast of the North Island, the causes which brought these about, and the methods adopted by the government of the day in suppressing the insurrection.- In conection with these Native troubles, some of oxir Catholic missionaries have' been placed in a wrong light by Protestant writers, whose statements have been disproved in the course of these ' Memoirs.' ' Happening upon an. old volume of the London. Tablet, I extract the - following from a letter written by Sir Charles Clifford to that journal in January, 1869, the opinions therein being endorsed HBy another letter in the following issue, from. Sir Frederick Weld, a former -Premier of the Colony : — ' To show the justice and the necessity of the operations against the fanatical Natives by the Government, I may state that Father Lampila, a French missionary, who had devoted twenty years of his life to the Natives, and lived among them, urged on the Government

the severest" measures in an admirably reasoned letter, a copy- of which I sent to the - Tablet about Wo years ago,in answer to some, such remarks as have now appeared. When the Government under Mr. Weld sent an expeditionagainst these fanatics public prayer for its success was ordered by the Catholic Bishop, who had himself been an eminent missionary many- years resident among the Maoris. The exertions and good ',will of the Catholic missionaries were not confined to prayers; they accompanied their flocks (the friendly Natives) to the fight, and were seen in the foremost ranks, administering religious consolation to Native and .European, alike. At" the .fight at Moutoa the lay Brother Euloge was killed whilst assisting a dying Maori. The enclosed slip from a New Zealand paper (which I should be obliged by your inserting)will show what a Protestant soldier thought %f the conduct of Father Rolland, who was with the colonial forces when they were so disastrously caught in an ambuscade. [This refers to Major Von Tempsky's tribute previously embodied in these ' Memoirs.'] At Opotiki, the Protestant missionary, Mr. Volkner, was brutally murdered with attendant circumstances too dreadful and horrible to detail, and Father Grange barely escaped in a most providential manner. . .' , -

An ,01d-time Pastor. The following extract with reference to father Pezant is from an old paper, the Wanganui Times, and copied 'by tlie London Tablet on January 9, 1869: — 'Many of our readers will regret to hear that this old and highly esteemed clergyman, after a residence of sixteen years in Wanganui, .has received instructions to proceed to Blenheim, and take the spiritual charge of that town and surrounding districts. Men of all denominations in Wanganui will regret this. In all weathers, summer and winter, day and night, Father Pezant appeared to be constantly on foot, silently travelling from house to 'house on messages of mercy. During the " campaigns- conducted by Generals Cameron and Chute, he was amongst his flock in the field, and the wounded, sick, and. dying had his constant care. Yet, as if übiquitous, he zealously attended to his large charge at Wanganui. Although our religious opinions run counter to those of Father Pezant, yet, in common with men of all denominations in this community, we admire the integrity, zeal, and sclf-devotedness of the man. Such men as he will assuredly have their reward. He takes nothing with him, and is £25 in debt for his chapel. Will the people of Wanganui allow him to leave with this debt hanging over him? He has lived pooi-ly, worked hard; to give him money for his own comforts was useless. All he got went to the poor, although very few lived- more poorly than himself. Would that there were many more clergymen like him in that and many more respects.' Father Pezant, generously aided by the Catholics of .the district during the time he was in charge of Wanganui, erected a presbytery, a church of which, he was justly proud, a house for the use of the Natives when in town, and finally a school. By his devoted, genial disposition, the good Father won for himself the affection of the people of Wanganui, particularly endearing himself to the soldiets engaged on campaign in > the vicinity. CTo be continued.)

WANGANUI.