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A Brief History of the Marists in New Zealand The history of the Marists in New Zealand is woven through mainstream New Zealand history like a thread though a tapestry. The Society of Mary (Marists) was founded by Father Jean Claude Colin in France in 1836 and Pope Gregory XV1 Commissioned them to bring Catholicism to the Western Pacific. This was the first Catholic Religious Order and the first Catholic Missionaries to arrive in New Zealand. The Order consists of ordained priests and professed brothers. It is not to be confused with the Marist teaching brothers founded by Marcellin Champagnat who are a separate group who arrived later to teach in primary and secondary schools throughout New Zealand. The first group left France under Bishop Pompallier in 1836 and after a long voyage arrived in the Hokianga in January 1838 where they established a Mission, which was later moved to the Bay of Islands. Maori missions were established throughout the North Island and South Islands. The Marist presence in New Zealand was initially as a mission to Maori. It was only later when European settlers and soldiers (many of whom were Irish Catholics) came to New Zealand that the priests started to minister to the spiritual needs of Europeans. Most of the early French Marists spoke fluent Maori and closely shared in the daily lives of their people. Many were keen observers of Maori life and customs and wrote detailed reports of their findings. Early Marists were heavily involved in the establishment of many parishes and over the years have literally built several hundred churches throughout the country. In 1850 a group of Marists landed in Gisborne where they planted vines and stayed for 6 months. Then they moved South to Pakowhai in Hawkes Bay and later to Meeanee 5 miles nearer Napier, where they established the Mission Vineyards and Winery. In 1890 , the Marist Seminary for training students for the priesthood was transferred from Wellington to Meeanee and in 1890 the Seminary and the Community transferred to the hills overlooking Greenmeadows where the present Mission Winery and cellars are still located. The Mission Winery is the oldest continually operating winery in Hawkes Bay and indeed New Zealand. Many Marists who passed through the Seminary have gone on to distinguished careers as academics, teachers and parish priests. There have been 5 Marist Bishops to date, Bishops Viard, Redwood, O’Shea, Grimes and Mariu (New Zealands first Maori Catholic Bishop) and several more in the Pacific Island Missions. Fr. David Kennedy wrote a textbook called ‘Natural Philosophy for Junior Students,’ which became a standard text throughout the British Empire. From the proceeds of this book he established an astronomical observatory in Hawkes Bay , bought several telescopes and his students took the worlds first photograph of Halley’s Comet in 1910. From 1905 to 1909, he operated a Meterological Station at Meeanee and he trained the Reverend Daniel Bates, the New Zealand Governments first Meterologist. The Marists have played a major role in the education of young Catholics in New Zealand , and the 8 colleges they established and have been heavily involved with include: St Patrick’s College Wellington, St Patrick’s College Silverstream, St Bede’s College Christchurch, Pompallier College Whangarei, Hato Paora College Feilding, Roncalli College Timaru, St Augustines College Wanganui , and St John’s College Hastings. The Seminaries which have existed in Wellington, Meeanee, Greenmeadows and from 1992 in Auckland and the Novitiate at Highden have produced large numbers of priests and brothers who have served in parishes and schools throughout New Zealand. This has had the effect of ripples in a pond with these Religious influencing the academic and spiritual lives of tens of thousands of New Zealanders. Although initially a French order and the early Marist all being French, the next phase from the late nineteenth century there was an influx of Irish and English Marists which was then followed from the early twentieth century by New Zealand born Marists. A number of these Marists have worked in the Missions in the Pacific Islands including the Solomons, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga in and in the 10 other countries and in other parts of the world where Marists live and work. Other aspects of New Zealand history which have had a Marist involvement include ; Support for Mother Mary Aubert during her early years in Hawkes Bay from the Marists was vital in her setting up her Order of the Daughters of Our Lady of Compassionwith their mission to Maori on the Whanganui River, the Homes of compassion and the pioneering work in developing medicines using native herbs and plants. The Marist Order was badly affected by the Hawkes Bay Earthquake in 1931 with the deaths of 2 priests, 7 students and 1 woman visitor, plus the destruction of a number of their buildings. Another little known link between the Marists and New Zealand history is in the field of literature. Fr. Frank MacKay was a personal friend of James K. Baxter and wrote his biography. Fr. John Weir was also a friend of Baxter and edited his Collected Poems.There are also literary papers in the Archives of Eileen Duggan (the poet),Pat Lawlor, Patricia Burns and the Catholic Writers Movement. |
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