News Archive 2007

At the end of September 2006 Sisters Margaret Anne Mills and Josephine Gorman, travelled to Rome to meet with people from the Congregation of Saints to help promote the cause for beatification of the Servant of God Suzanne Aubert. When Suzanne Aubert died on 1 October 1926, many people were already acclaiming her a saint. Her goodness and holiness were acknowledged by people from all walks of life and the Sisters of Compassion were encouraged to collect all relevant information about her life and virtues.
Since 1926 a number of incidents intervened to delay the process: the depression, two world wars, the death of a person appointed to promote the cause, and concern that there be no premature cult. In 1976 at the time of the fiftieth anniversary of her death, interest was again aroused, and many people contributed in building up a dossier of recollections about Mother Aubert.

When the up-to-date legislation for the Causes of Saints was drawn up in 1983 and published in 1988, greater emphasis was on what happens in the local Church. A biography of Suzanne Aubert, The Story of Suzanne Aubert, was written by Jessie Munro, and published in 1996. During the New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ Conference in 1997, the bishops all agreed to support the first part of the process – the Introduction of the Cause of Suzanne Aubert.

All relevant material accumulated since the time of Suzanne Aubert was sorted and a brief summary of this was sent to Cardinal Williams. A petition was included with the summary asking that he initiate the proceedings of the cause for Canonization of Suzanne Aubert.

On the 16 April 2003, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints gave its approval and a month later permission was given to proceed with a Diocesan Inquiry. An historical commission was set up to examine her life, works and unpublished writings in the context of her time and write a report. Theologians were also appointed to examine published writings in the context of her time and state that these were in accord with the Christian faith.

A Diocesan Inquiry announced by Cardinal Williams, was held at the Home of Compassion, Island Bay, from 19-23 April 2004. During the inquiry a number of people testified to the holiness of Suzanne Aubert. Reports were written, and presented to the two canon lawyers appointed by the Cardinal.

After the closing session all the information was signed and sealed and sent to the Congregation of Saints in Rome for examination and an eventual decision on Suzanne Aubert’s sanctity. During May of this year the documentation sent to the Congregation at the time of the Diocesan Inquiry was validated. Everything was now in place for the Roman proceedings.

At this stage the Sisters of Compassion were advised to visit Rome and meet people responsible for the cause of saints. Letters were written to the people concerned and appointments made. The bishops in the dioceses where the Sisters of Compassion work wrote letters of support. His Excellency Archbishop Balvo, the Apostolic Nuncio, arranged for us to meet Cardinal Dias head of the Congregation for the Evangelization of people and Cardinal Lavada in charge of the Congregation of Doctrine and Faith. Cardinal Dias prayed with us and stressed the importance of religious being faithful to the spirit of the founder. He told us that God will work out how to make the light shine bright. We also met Cardinal Saraiva Martins in charge of the Congregation of Saints.

While in Rome we had several meetings with our director who explained what we needed to do in relation to the cause of Suzanne Aubert. We were given a lot of information from different people, some of it conflicting. During one hour we tried to absorb what it would take to learn if you were to attend one of the courses given on canonization.

We were fortunate in being able to stay with the Sisters of St Joseph of the Apparition, the Marist Fathers and the Sisters of the Mission. They were all very hospitable and we felt very much at home.

On the evening of our arrival we attended Mass at St Peter’s Basilica and to our great surprise parts of the Mass were being sung in Maori. We later learnt that the choir was the Villa Maria Girls choir from Christchurch. It was a joy for us after Mass meeting other New Zealanders living in Rome.

One evening we tried to visit Mother Teresa’s Sisters and after some difficulty and perseverance we managed to meet the Sister in Charge who was very nice, and freely gave of her time. The Sisters have a soup kitchen accommodating up to sixty men. They also provide short term accommodation for seventy-four women.

Archbishop John Dew had arranged for us to be given tickets to attend the Wednesday public audience given by the Pope. The tickets were for a position with all the important dignitaries, and because Sister Margaret was representing Sister Rae our Superior General, she was placed in the front row and I was immediately behind her. After the prayers and addresses given by the pope in about six languages, he met with the bishops and then proceeded to walk along shaking hands with the people in the section where we were. We both shook his hand and Margaret spoke to him in Maori while at the same time giving him one of Kilian’s books on her reflections on Suzanne Aubert.

During our stay we learnt a lot of useful hints on what to do and what not do to in Rome. One useful piece of information was how to cross the road when you have a steady stream of traffic coming at you from all directions. The best thing to do is to cross with a nun because all traffic stops for nuns! If there are no religious about, you just step out onto the road and weave your way through the traffic. It is quite stressful until you get used to it. Another thing we learnt was never to go out on Sundays because while we were there the buses on Sunday afternoons were non existent; they seemed to get diverted because of the religious processions.

It was a wonderful experience visiting churches where Suzanne Aubert prayed and wrote directions for the Sisters of Compassion. We met people who have had a close association with the Sisters of Compassion, and others who were willing to help us in any way they can. One of the highlights was meeting Archbishop Balvo who had been instrumental in arranging meetings for us with a number of important people.

Back in New Zealand, we now have to write a factual history on the life of Suzanne Aubert supported by documentation. It will be a long process but a privilege, and as someone we met in Rome said, “After all, Rome is the eternal city”.