Home of Compassion Centenary and Reunion

Ladies and Gentlemen, I greet you in the languages of the realm of New Zealand - English, Maori, Cook Island Maori, Niuean, Tokelauan and sign language.

Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni and sign.

In particular may I recognise you, Sister Rae Berry, Congregational Leader of the Daughters of Our Lady of Compassion; Sisters of Compassion otherwise; Ladies and Gentlemen.

Welcome to Government House. I am honoured with my wife Susan to be hosts for this evening's reunion for former residents of the Home of Compassion in IslandBay.

As part of Governor General Inc, Susan and I are frequently invited to be part of celebrations, festivals, openings and other gatherings for a wide range of groups.

Indeed, about eight weeks ago I was invited to officially open Compassion House in Wellington an excellent initiative by the Sisters of Compassion to help a variety of community organisations, both Catholic and otherwise, serve the people of central Wellington who are most in need Prisoners Aid, Benefit Rights Parent Help and so on.

It is pleasing to have another reason for connection with the Sisters of Compassion again so soon.

These events are an important part of the Governor General role and are ones that constantly reaffirms the pride and affection that the community can display.

Tonight's reunion will, no doubt, give rise to great memories and emotion even. I understand that this will be the first time many of you will have seen people with whom you shared formative years.

Some of you may not meet people who were here at the same time as you. Even so, today is an opportunity to meet with others who shared a similar journey. An opportunity to share your successes, to heal memories and to rejoice.

During this weekend, the Home of Compassion will celebrate 100 years since it was first opened by Mother Aubert in 1907.

Mother Mary Joseph Aubert, who arrived in New Zealand as a missionary in 1860, is widely recognised as a determined and extraordinarily compassionate woman. A brief quotation from the New Zealand Dictionary of Biography seems apposite:-

"In 1899, in response to requests from medical men, Mother Aubert brought three sisters to Wellington to undertake sick visiting in the slums. By support from many quarters they were able to feed the needy by gifts, mostly in kind, for Wellington took them immediately to its heart. In 1900 they began to take in the most neglected, bedridden cases. Like all her works, this was gratuitous and undenominational. From this time, however, she relied only on benefactions inspired by Providence. "It is my bank and it has never failed me yet." she said later. (Previously she and her helpers had had some Government aid or had sold produce or medicines.) A soup kitchen for unemployed men was opened, and in 1902 a day nursery, the first in Wellington. In 1907, with about 14 children from Jerusalem, she began at IslandBay a children's home and a residential nursery."

It is in part thanks to her vision that more than 7,000 infants, children and young people were cared for in their early years by the Sisters of Compassion.

In preparing for today, I read that many thousands of New Zealanders attended her funeral in Wellington in 1926. It is gratifying that she was recognised then - and even more so that her legacy remains with us today.

New Zealand today is, of course, a very different place than the one Mother Aubert would have known. Most notably, the way we care for our young people in need has changed.

You will all know that from the 1970s, viewpoints about institutionalised care changed and this ultimately resulted in the closure of the Home of Compassion for residential children.

However, the Home of Compassion has continued to serve the community in ways that are consistent with the principles of care on which it was founded.

This is a tribute to the Sisters of Compassion, and to Mother Aubert.

I am pleased (with Susan) to be sharing this reunion with you. I wish you all the best in reconnecting with old friends, in meeting new ones and in reflecting on the time you spent at the Home of Compassion.

I began speaking in all the New Zealand realm languages.  May I close by speaking in Maori issuing greetings and wishing you good health and fortitude in your endeavours.

No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tena koutou katoa.