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30 May 1843 - Bishop Pompallier to Father Épalle, Bay of Islands

Summary

He finds the irregularity of arrival of letters, both to and from France, and the fact that letters seem to go unanswered, a major cross to bear. He claims to have received letters from some Marists in Europe that show a bias against him. Progress in conversion is being made, both in NZ and in the Pacific. Heresy is losing its attraction, he believes.

He describes successful efforts to bring peace to two warring tribes.

He lists the sites of stations he would like to set up as soon as possible.


Sheet of four written pages, bearing at the top of the first page the annotation by Poupinel. A copy of the present letter (without the postscript, § 13), written by Yvert except for the salutation and signature in autograph, is in the same file.

Translated by Merv Duffy, January 2025.

Text of the Letter

[p. 1] [In Poupinel's handwriting]
New Zealand 1843 ¤ Mgr. Pompallier


Jesus, Mary, Joseph
Station of St. Peter and St. Paul, Bay of Islands, May 30, 1843.
(No. 4)
To the Reverend Father Épalle, provicar of the mission of Western Oceania, in Lyon.


My Reverend and very dear Father,
[1]
You can imagine how eagerly I await your news and to establish a regular and frequent correspondence with you. I believe you must have arrived in Lyon by January of this year at the latest, that is, more than four and a half months ago. I am expecting a letter from you any day now. Since my return from the tropics, I have written to you three times: 1st on September 3, 1842, 2nd on October 19, 1842, and 3rd on November 7, 1842.[1]
I have also written twice to the Very Reverend Superior General: 1st on November 8, 1842, and 2nd on April 10, 1843.[2] Additionally, I wrote to the Very Reverend Father Maîtrepierre on November 6, 1842, and May 27, 1843;[3] the latter letter is enclosed here. My letters to the Propagation of the Faith in Lyon, to which I have yet to receive responses, are dated: 1st on November 16, 1841, 2nd on November 6, 1842,[4] 3rd on February 14, 1843, and 4th on May 12, 1843.
My greatest concern is not writing letters, even though you know I only have the nights to write them. My concern is the uncertainty of whether my letters reach their destination and whether I am understood. In the past, I have received replies from some members of the Society that revealed great misunderstanding on their part, attributing to me expressions and sentiments far removed from my thoughts. May God be blessed in all things! But in all these misunderstandings, the souls of this mission have suffered, and this has been the cross of my crosses.
Nevertheless, I give thanks to the Lord. Our missions in New Zealand are far from failing. The people, though superficially cultivated due to their dispersion and our small numbers compared to their multitude, remain steadfast in the catechumenate, advance in the knowledge of religion, eagerly learn the catechism I created for them, and are full of hope for the day when more numerous Catholic missionaries will come to instruct them more diligently.
[2]
The missions in the tropics continue to bring much consolation, according to the latest news I received in November 1842.
[3]
Heresy in New Zealand continues to lose ground in the minds of the natives. A war broke out between two tribes of missionaries[5] near Oraru, slightly beyond Mongonui.[6] Three battles took place, resulting in about twenty deaths and forty wounded. All the dead were missionaries. Catholic tribes in the area rushed to try to restore peace, but they were unable to prevent the three battles from being fought.
A number of our catechumens and a few neophytes participated in the fighting to defend their relatives or allies. They showed great courage; none of them perished on the battlefield. I only heard of one injury among our neophytes: Amato of Wangaroa was wounded in the hand by a bullet, but he was not permanently disabled.
About thirty catechumens from the station at Whangaroa, served by Father Rozet, were baptized just before heading into battle. This occurred by the bank of a nearby river, where several of them held rifles in their hands as the sanctifying water flowed over their foreheads. Immediately after being baptized, they left Father Rozet, the minister of peace, and fearlessly rushed into the fight. This behavior reflects the character of our New Zealanders well.
Although the cause of the war stemmed from disputes over land between two tribes of missionaries—who were the main parties involved in the hostilities—I did my best to bring peace by writing to the two principal opposing chiefs, Panakareao[7] and Ware. Both kept my letters with respect. I then sent Father Baty and Father Bernard[8] to assist Father Rozet in caring for the flock at his station during these troubling circumstances.
The charity, prudence, and zeal they demonstrated—by providing remedies to the wounded, tending to them as best they could, visiting both enemy camps with neutrality and devotion, and striving to make peace—made a deep impression on all the peoples involved, especially the Protestant natives. These actions left very favourable impressions of the Catholic religion.
The European Protestant missionaries, and even the Protestant bishop, were not warmly received by their own people. According to reliable reports, the Protestant bishop was violently rebuffed by the principal chief opposed to Ware and departed more quickly than he had planned.
Now, thanks to God, and with the help of Papahia and other great Catholic chiefs, peace has been restored since Holy Week.[9]
[4]
Before this war, I visited all the tribes of Hokianga, Whangape, and Ahipara. I worked among them for about a month and a half. All these peoples showed me heartfelt affection and trust, even more warmly than when I typically worked among them. During my visit, my little booklet had just been printed; I distributed about two hundred copies, and it was eagerly received everywhere.
I administered holy baptism to around 150 people, performed even more confirmations, celebrated about forty first communions, and heard a great number of confessions. Finally, there were two or three recantations from European Protestants.
[5]
On May 8th, the feast of the Apparition of Saint Michael, I had the great consolation of finally laying and blessing the cornerstone of the Catholic church in Kororareka, on the site I had previously designated—specifically, on the land purchased from Monsieur de Sentis. This church will eventually form part of the structure in the shape of a cross. The current portion measures 45 feet long by 25 feet wide. It is dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul.
The tribes of the Bay of Islands have also made great progress. They are learning the catechism everywhere, praying, and many catechumens are being baptized. The older neophytes are making their first communions, and nearly all the little children are being baptized as well.
[6]
As I finish printing a second booklet, I am preparing to once again go to Hokianga and then visit all the southern stations. Despite our great poverty, I will try to undertake all these journeys and tasks. Whatever happens will be as the Lord wills, given our condition. The Gospel must be preached, as the Lord Jesus has entrusted it to me. Ah! How greatly we feel the need for a ship in this poor mission! There is no one among us today who does not understand its necessity. When will I be able to purchase a new one?
Please convey to the Very Reverend Superior General that I will no longer draw drafts on him until I have received a response regarding those I have already drawn. These drafts amount to a total of 2,300 or 2,400 pounds sterling. I already mentioned this in my letter of October 19th,[10] and since that time, no further drafts have been drawn on Lyon.
I have learned from the Annals that our allocation for 1842 amounts to 125,000 francs. Please express my deep gratitude to the gentlemen of the Propagation of the Faith. This increase in allocations, along with the three members of the Society I have just received from Lyon, has renewed our hope for this mission. I am pleased to see that the funds for the drafts in Lyon will not face difficulties.
I still strongly wish for the plans I proposed for transferring our funds to be carried out. Between you and us, how many expenses and losses we have incurred so far in obtaining our allocations from the Propagation of the Faith here in the mission field! It is truly heartbreaking!
[7]
I was pleased to receive your letters and notes from Valparaiso, but the funds you borrowed and that Monsieur Perret worked to send to us have not yet arrived. I believe there is a demon—or perhaps several demons—positioned all around the world to cut off our communications, so vital to our temporal needs, and to snatch whatever they can. Pray earnestly to Our Lady of Fourvière that she may drive them away.
[8]
I have not yet received any positive news about the Sancta Maria, our dear schooner, which I sent to the coasts of Chile to be sold.
[9]
Please keep me well-informed, my dear friend, about everything that might concern the mission in Europe. I still do not see the necessity for you to handle our commissions in Rome. Never let three months pass without sending me some letter from you; tell me about hopes as well as realities concerning aid and personnel. Try to establish a good Catholic correspondent in London for our communications. Send your letters to him with English addresses, e.g., To His Lordship Dr. Pompallier, Roman Catholic Bishop and Apostolic Vicar for Western Oceania, Bay of Islands, via Sydney, New Zealand. Then enclose my letters under a cover addressed in French to this correspondent in London, so that when he removes the outer envelope, they will be ready to post and reach me via the English postal service.
[10]
Always work to dispel the mistrust and hostility toward me, which have been more damaging to this mission than the attacks of heresy and infidelity. The least harm caused by this situation is the hesitation it creates among collaborators, preventing them from cooperating effectively and abundantly. It also makes them employ half-measures where full, double, or even triple measures are needed.
[11]
I am sending you the personnel distribution chart for the mission. Several of our members are alone and stationed at short distances from one another. This measure is deemed necessary by everyone here to preserve the mission in New Zealand. Without it, it would be impossible to keep our tribes in the catechumenate and baptize them. You can see from this chart how much we lack personnel.
Here are the stations that need to be established:
1. Kaipara
2. Ahipara
3. Oraru or Mongonui
4. Waikato
5. Hauraki
6. Taranaki
7. Rotorua
8. Whakatane
9. East Cape
10. Mahia
11. Taupo
12. Port Nicholson, where I have just received an Irish priest,[11] though another five or six from that nation are still greatly needed
13. Several other stations between Port Nicholson and Taupo
14. Port Nelson
15. Akaroa, abandoned by Father Comte and Father Tripe
16. Otago
17. Maketu,[12] from where it was a mistake, during my absence in the tropics, to withdraw Father Borjon.
Ah! Once a foothold has been established somewhere, it is so important not to withdraw. That was not my intention. Since Father Borjon was removed from there, deadly wars have broken out in those regions; though the battles are not yet fully fought.
Furthermore, poor Father Borjon, while traveling to Port Nicholson where you sent him, was engulfed by the sea along with dear Brother Déodat. The ship transporting them was lost near East Cape, with lives and goods, or so everyone believes. Alas, cross upon cross! Such a painful loss—let us pray for these dear members of the mission and of the Society! They are in heaven, I hope. Still, let us always pray!
[12]
In your position, dear Father Épalle, focus not so much on the general welfare of the mission as on the intentions of your bishop, and God will bless your cooperation and assistance even more. Always have courage and fearlessness, confidence in God and Mary. Entirely yours in their holy hearts,
Jean-Baptiste François, Bishop, Apostolic Vicar
[13] Postscript
All my rings are either broken or have lost their stones. I ask you to inform some wealthy and charitable souls of this, or to arrange for the purchase of two new ones: one for Sunday ceremonies and the other for everyday use. Since my rings here tend to perish because their stones come loose from their settings, please ensure, when buying others, that the stones are securely fastened. Next to this letter, you will see the inner measurement of a ring that fits me.
François


Notes

  1. For the first and third letters mentioned here, see documents 193 and 219. Pompallier wrote two other letters to Épalle in 1843 before the present one (see documents 240 and 248). Since all three letters (from February, March, and May 1843) bear "(No. 4)" at the top of the first page, it is possible that the author did not note the sending of his letters from February and March. The letter of October 19, 1842, never left New Zealand, as Pompallier himself states in his letter of March 27, 1843 (see document 248, §1).
  2. For the first of these two letters, see document 220. The second letter, which accompanied Pompallier's "power of attorney," is dated April 12, 1843, but the "12" seems to be a correction by the author of "10," which he may have initially written (see document 250). Furthermore, between August 26, 1842 (the date of his return from the tropics), and May 30, 1843 (the date of the present letter), Pompallier sent Colin several shorter letters asking him to pay a loan (see documents 195, 197, 198, 199, 200, 203, 206, 207, 210, 211, 213, and 226).
  3. See documents 218 and 257.
  4. See document 217; the three other letters mentioned here are not preserved in the APM.
  5. By "missionaries," we should generally understand "Protestant missionaries." The "missionary tribes" are those converted to Protestantism.
  6. Read: Oruru and Mangonui.
  7. Pana-kareao, an important chief of the Te Patu hapu (sub-tribe or clan) of Te Rarawa: he was known as Noble or Nopera by the Europeans and was sometimes called Tuwhare by his own people. From 1832, he had interactions with missionaries from the Church Mission Society and was eventually baptized in their church along with his wife in November 1836. In 1840, he sold land extending over 35 miles in Muriwhenua. However, especially in 1841, members of the Te Aupouri tribe claimed that he had no right to sell this land, which they considered their own. Shortly after, still regarding land rights, Pana-kareao entered into conflict with the Nga Puhi tribe and their chief, Pororua; battles ensued in 1843. Although the war ceased, the dispute with Pororua continued and was unresolved when Pana-kareao died in 1856. (Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, vol. 1, pp. 327–328).
  8. Jean-Simon Bernard, one of the three Marist priests who arrived in the Bay of Islands on February 18, 1843 (see document 257, §1, n. 1); see the letter where Bernard speaks of this war and his stay with Father Rozet (document 272, §1–2).
  9. In 1843, Palm Sunday fell on April 9, and Easter on April 16.
  10. See above, §1, note 1.
  11. Capuchin Father O’Reily, who arrived in Wellington (Port Nicholson) on January 31, 1843 (see documents 140, §9, n. 5; 205, §8, n. 6).
  12. Waikato, Hauraki, Rotorua, Whakatane, and Maketu are among the tribes that Pompallier says he visited in a letter to Colin in May 1840 (see document 58, §3, and n. 3).



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