Girard0700

Father Petit-Jean to Bishop George Augustus Selwyn, Bay of Islands, 11 May 1848

D’après l’ébauche autographe, APM Z 208 [English is the original language]

My Lord

[1]

I feel it is my duty to write to your Lordship in favor of two young children, Elisabeth and Jane Farley who are at present at the Waimatea with their mother Riperata Maumau, the relict of Matthew Farley, and since married to the miller of te Waimate.

[2]

I must state to your Lordship that those two children have been baptised in the Roman Catholic Church, that their father [p. 2] died a Roman Catholic, the mother also remaining a Catholic. Now I regret to say that the same children, contrary to the will of their parents are trained up by the Reverend M(iste)r Borus in the principles and practices of the Church of England. They take advantage of their attending school to make them to pray in a church which is not their own; even are lead to protestant chapel on Sunday. I have already addressed in a letter to the reverend M(iste)r Borus, my humble but just representations on the subject, but it has been in vain, as I did not get any answer from that gentleman. Therefore, being the pastor of those young pupils, I am compelled to have recourse to your Lordship and in the name of the father who before his death protested that his children should be brought up in the Roman Catholic Church, and for the mother also who made me the most painful communications concerning the religious education of her children.

[3]

I beg from your Lordship that through your kind interference with the reverend M(iste)r [p. 3] Borus and the school master at te Waimate, they should respect entirely the faith of their pupils and they would receive at their hands only a secular education.

[4]

I have the honour to be with the most profound r[es]pect, My Lord,

your most humble and obedient servant,

J(ean) Bap(tiste) Petit-Jean

Catholic clergyman

to

his Lordship

D(octo)r Selwyn.

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