Exploring “what has been done and what continues to be done” was the theme discussed by attendees at Practices of Compassion: Then and Now, which over two days reflected, through visits to historic locations, how the approach to helping the most vulnerable in Wellington has changed over time.

The event was a collaboration between Manatu Taonga Ministry of Culture and Heritage, Our Lady’s Home of Compassion, and the Compassion Soup Kitchen as part of the Wellington Heritage Festival. Attendees first had the opportunity to visit and learn about the old Crèche, established in 1914 by Meri Hohepa Suzanne Aubert as the first of its kind in Aotearoa New Zealand. The Crèche functioned as a day-care centre for the children of workers until 1973.

Afterwards, attendees visited the Compassion Soup Kitchen, where they learned about the origins of the Soup Kitchen and how this initiative of Meri Hohepa Suzanne Aubert has endured for 123 years through to the present day, providing two daily meals and other services to the most vulnerable in Wellington.

This event invites us to reflect on both the historical legacy and the timeless quality of compassion – as relevant yesterday as it will be tomorrow.