HD2:028

Fr Antoine Seon to Fr Jeremiah O'Reily, Wellington, 16 Aug 1865

Translated by Miss M Lindsay 1986

Biography and letters of Antoine Séon

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Wellington, August 16, 1865

To Reverend Father O’Reily

My Reverend Father

You will please allow us to use your chapel so as to receive there, the body of a Catholic Maori woman who died three days ago in your vicinity. It is now at the Maori pa, Te Aro. In order to spare them the trouble of coming all the way to the Cathedral, I have assigned your chapel to the Maoris as the place for the ceremony. From there we will climb to the cemetery. They will endeavour to arrive towards four o’clock this afternoon or a little before. You will please see to it that the chapel is left open, and from there we will climb to the cemetery. One of the deceased’s relatives will deliver this note to you. I did not know until now that the Maoris fixed this day on which to bury the dead woman.

I have the honour of being, my Reverend Father,

Your very humble and obedient servant,

Seon

A de profundis for the deceased, please. Father Petitjean left for Otaki this morning.