Over a hundred people with links to Hiruhārama joined the celebrations. The day began with a Pōhiri on to Patiarero Marae, followed by formal speeches and welcome on the Hiruhārama grounds. Bishop John Adams of Palmerston North conducted a blessing of the convent and church and led the Mass at the restored St Jospeh’s Church.
Representing the Sisters of Compassion, Sister Margaret-Anne Mills and ‘Alisi Tu’ipulotu planted a tree in honour of the legacy of Venerable Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert.
Reflecting on the special day, Sister Margaret Anne said ,“This is the place that inspired Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert to build a community of women, Sisters of Compassion, to share in the call to live the Gospel. Today so many of you have embraced the call to share in the spirituality and example of Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert. She is smiling upon us.”
Ron Hough of Ngāti Hau, and a Trustee of the Sisters of Compassion Group, wove together the shared histories of his tūpuna and Mother Aubert in his whaikōrero, grounded in manaakitanga. His words affirmed a legacy of care and service, carried on by his mokopuna and wider whānau through their stewardship of the Old Convent and Church, where mīha continues and the spirit of Pūaroha Compassion lives on at Hiruhārama.
Hiruhārama officially reopens to the public next month, taking bookings from 1 April.
Hiruhārama and the Legacy of Suzanne Aubert
Hiruhārama was named after the Biblical Jerusalem. In the 1840s it was one of the largest settlements on the Whanganui River, home to several hundred Ngāti Hau of Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
A Roman Catholic mission was established there in 1854, and the community grew into a centre of faith, culture, and service. The current church replaced the original building, which was destroyed by fire in 1888.
In 1883, Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert travelled to Jerusalem with two Sisters of St Joseph of Nazareth at the invitation of local Māori, seeking to revitalise the Catholic mission.
In May 1892, Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert founded the Daughters of Our Lady of Compassion at Hiruhārama, establishing what would become one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most respected and enduring charitable orders. Fluent in Te Reo Māori, Suzanne Aubert built deep relationships with Māori communities.
In 1899 she expanded her mission to Wellington, where she established St Joseph’s Home for Incurables and Our Lady’s Home of Compassion in Island Bay. The Compassion Soup Kitchen she started in Wellington in 1901 endures to this day, celebrating 125 years of service this year.
By her death in 1926, Mother Aubert was revered across the motu. Her funeral was reported as the largest ever held for a woman in Aotearoa New Zealand. In 2016, she was declared Venerable by Pope Francis. The Cause to have Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert recognised as a saint continues in Rome.
