News Archive 2004

On Sunday evening, in the Home of Compassion Chapel, Island Bay, Wellington, at 7.00 pm 18 April, 2004, Thomas Cardinal Williams, with Archbishop Patrick Coveney, Apostolic Delegate, Bishop John Dew and other priests, concelebrated a Mass for the inauguration of the Cause of Suzanne Aubert.
A specially appointed Diocesan Inquiry Board consisting of two canon lawyers, one representing the Cardinal and the other acting as the Promoter of Justice together with three notaries to record the proceedings, met each day to interview people who come to give their testimonies. Everything was recorded, and all the paper work is completed, the findings will be sent to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints for the next stage in the investigation. It is just a year since approval was received to start this work – 16 April, 2003.

Background to the Diocesan Inquiry
To help the process of Beatification and Canonization along, the local Church was given the authority to begin proceedings. If it is done carefully and accurately at this level, it helps the process to move more swiftly when it arrives in Rome.

The mandate given by the Cardinal to the duly appointed diocesan Postulator was to help to “Conduct thoroughly the investigations into the life of Suzanne Aubert in order to establish her reputation of sanctity and the importance of the cause for the Church”. [Norm 3b]

After an authentic biography of Suzanne Aubert was written by Jessie Munro in 1996, the New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ Conference agreed to support the first part of the process, which is called “The Introduction of the Cause of Suzanne Aubert”. The Postulator prepared the groundwork, and was able to explain the reason why a Petition had not been made to Rome before 2003, as the norm would be five years after the death of person. It is now seventy-eight years since Mother’s death!

Officers of the board for the Diocesan Inquiry were appointed, as well as theological censors to examine the writings of Suzanne Aubert, and a historical commission to make reports on their findings.

All the material gathered has now been sifted through, and relevant papers will be sent to Rome. A Medical Commission will also examine the Cures or Favours received over the years, through the prayerful intercession of the Servant of God, Suzanne Aubert.