Jean-Baptiste François Pompallier

Jean-Baptiste François Pompallier (1801-1871)

Vicar Apostolic of the Vicariate Apostolic of Western Oceania 1836–1848^[1]

Vicar Apostolic of the Diocese of Auckland^[2] 1848–1860

Bishop of the Diocese of Auckland^[3] 1860–1869

Jean-Baptiste Pompallier had expressed an interest in joining the Marists but was appointed Vicar Apostolic of Western Oceania in 1836. Under Church law he was not allowed then to take vows in the Society. However, Colin appointed Pompallier as the religious superior of the first mission band which departed Le Havre in December 1836. In his letter to the departing missionaries, Colin stated that Pompallier was their ecclesiastical superior and their religious superior, “Obey Bishop Pompallier as your Bishop and your superior … or whoever he will appoint will be your superior."^[4]

As it happened Pompallier's missionary endeavours in Oceania brought him into a lot of friction with Colin which resulted in a gradual re-organization and division of the Vicariate of Western Oceania and his becoming Vicar Apostolic of the Diocese of Auckland in 1848 with the Marists leaving his diocese. The ill-feeling generated at that time took several decades to dissipate.

Since he was never a Marist, and because biographies^[5] has been published elsewhere,^[6] his story is not told here. Suffice it to say that he was a significant player in the evangelization of the Pacific and the turmoil between him and Colin certainly gave a direction to the Mission which it might not otherwise have had.

Notes

↑ Some sources make mention of Pompallier being Vicar Apostolic of New Zealand from 1842 when the Vicariate Apostolic of Central Oceania was erected. This is incorrect; there was no name change when Western Oceania lost territory to Central Oceania nor was there another vicariate erected. The prayer book, Ko te ako me te karakia o te Hahi Katorika Romana, printed in New Zealand in 1847 includes "AD USUM VICARIATUS APOSTOLICI OCEANIAE OCCIDENTALIS".
↑ 20 June 1848 to 3 July 1860
↑ 3 July 1860 until his resignation on 23 March 1869
↑ CS1 Doc.4 [9;13] 18361013 Colin to departing missionaries
↑ Lillian Keys, The Life and Times of Bishop Pompallier, Christchurch: The Pegasus Press, 1957; E.R. Simmons, Prince of Bishops, Auckland: CPC Publishing, 1984
↑ Other references: E. R. Simmons. 'Pompallier, Jean Baptiste François', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1990, updated November 2010. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, [1] (accessed 12 August 2025).


Pompallier is the first	Delegated Religious Superiors 1836-1898	Garin

Letters

1836

1837

1838

1839

1840

1841

1842

1843

[1] Some sources make mention of Pompallier being Vicar Apostolic of New Zealand from 1842 when the Vicariate Apostolic of Central Oceania was erected. This is incorrect; there was no name change when Western Oceania lost territory to Central Oceania nor was there another vicariate erected. The prayer book, Ko te ako me te karakia o te Hahi Katorika Romana, printed in New Zealand in 1847 includes "AD USUM VICARIATUS APOSTOLICI OCEANIAE OCCIDENTALIS".

[2] 20 June 1848 to 3 July 1860

[3] 3 July 1860 until his resignation on 23 March 1869

[4] CS1 Doc.4 [9;13] 18361013 Colin to departing missionaries

[5] Lillian Keys, The Life and Times of Bishop Pompallier, Christchurch: The Pegasus Press, 1957; E.R. Simmons, Prince of Bishops, Auckland: CPC Publishing, 1984

[6] Other references: E. R. Simmons. 'Pompallier, Jean Baptiste François', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1990, updated November 2010. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, [1] (accessed 12 August 2025).

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Jean-Baptiste François Pompallier

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