Pilgrimage to The Hokianga

List News

01/02/2023 - New Zealand

MARIST SISTERS PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOKIANGA IN JANUARY

The Hokianga is often referred to as the “cradle of Catholic Church in Aotearoa-New Zealand” – but it could also considered “the cradle” of the Marist Sisters in Aotearoa-New Zealand.

In early January, Srs Jane Frances Catherine and Lorraine made a pilgrimage marking the closure of 94 years of Marist Sisters mission in the north of Aotearoa New Zealand - giving thanks to God for the wonderful gift of this missionary outreach of our Congregation; for each Sister involved and indeed for all those our Sisters served over this time; for the service given to the Church and to God’s mission.

They set off from Aukland and made their way North with a stop in Kaiwaka for Italian coffee and refreshments! It was raining and windy most of the way as they drove through the remains of a cyclone.

They stopped off at MOREWA and were met by Ane who lives next to the Church. She opened up the Church for us. At each stop they sang “Mo Maria” and prayed for the Sisters who have ministered there.

It was here in 1973 that Srs Florence Mary and Marie Therese began a Motor Mission in the area covering Moerewa, Kaikohe, Kawakawa, Okaihau, Rawene and Paihia pus 8 other smaller areas but less frequently.

Still heading north, they spent some time in KERIKERI. The Sisters were there from 1991. From 2004 this became, with Waitaruke, South Hokianga and Kaikohe, part of the “Mid-North Pastoral Area.”

They prayed for and remembered the Sisters who had worked in these areas.

After collecting the key to the “old Convent” in WAITARUKE from the parish priest, the group set off to spend two nights in the place of the founding community in the North just out of the small town to Kaeo. The Sisters ministered in the primary Maori boarding School and community from 1928 to 2014!

Sisters not only from Aotearoa-NZ but from other countries in the Congregation were part of this mission over these years – Sisters came from Australia, France, Ireland, Fiji, England…

The first three Sisters to go there in 1928 were Mother Bernadine: Agnes Cashin, an English woman who came from Fulham, Sr Francesca: Elizabeth Tegethoff, a German sister who came from Montanay and Sr Philibert: an Australian sister who came from Sydney. They were accompanied for the journey by Mother Bernard: Mary Gorman, from County Sligo, Ireland! Over the years many, many Sisters spent time in this mission.

Aloysia : Catherine Carey an Australian sister, replaced Sr Philibert in 1931, she remained there for 40+ years until she died in 1972. Our Maori Sisters began their religious life on this site in 1936 as “Sisters of Mary” - Kare Peterson (Sr Dorothy) Makerata Gilbert (Sr Basil) and Rose Harris (Sr Euphrasia). They formally joined us as Marist Sisters in 1953. All three are buried in the North.

Unfortunately the weather meant that the pilgrims could not visit the graves of St Kare in Waimahana or Sr Makareta in Waihou but intend to return at a later date.

Fr Anthony, the parish priest of the area, celebrated Mass for them with a small group of local people. Sr Kathleen joined them from Kaikohe for Mass and the gathering.

They left Waitaruke the next morning and made our way to KAIKOHE to pick up Kathleenm then on to RAWENE where Sr Rose had lived for some time. She died in the Residential Care Home there in 2021. These pilgrims crossed by ferry from Rane to Motukaraka to visit Sr Rose’s grave where she is buried among her own people. Mass was celebrated to recall the first Mass said by Bishop Pompallier in 1838. Sr Rose is buried in front of the church there. Mass was followed by lunch on the marae.

After the lunch, Bishop Steve went to Kaikohe and had a discussion with Srs Kathleen and Catherine about how to re-evangelise the North, given their experience. Srs Jane and Lorraine to Kaikohe and stayed the night in a motel.

The next morning, they picked Catherine and farewelled Kaikohe and they drove home to Auckland. At WHANGAREI they stopped off at Pompallier College to pray and remember those sisters who ministered there from 1977 to 1989.

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