Danny Karatea-Goddard appointed Sisters of Compassion Co-Chief Executive
NZ Catholic Bishops Conference adviser Deacon Danny Karatea-Goddard has been appointed Co-Chief Executive Māori-Tumu Whakarae of the Sisters of Compassion Group, the religious order founded by Meri Hōhepa Mother Suzanne Aubert.
He joins Dr Chris Gallavin (appointed in March 2021) as Co-Chief Executive-Tumu Whakarae of the group.
Deacon Karatea-Goddard comes to the Sisters of Compassion from roles including Māori Adviser with the NZ Catholic Bishops Conference and Vicar for Māori with the Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington.
Sister Margaret Anne Mills of the Sisters of Compassion says the appointment builds on Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert’s bicultural work with Māori especially at Jerusalem on the Whanganui River in the 1880s: “Our multicultural reality is only made real and will only be successful if we understand our bicultural foundation. We hold that the work of Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert is of pivotal importance in our journey toward true partnership in Aotearoa New Zealand. It is an expression of our commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.”
Deacon Karatea-Goddard says his appointment is particularly personal: “A number of my aunties, my children and I have been recipients of the mission of Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert. To be able to serve the Sisters of Compassion whānau is a privilege, and I am excited to join them as we explore deepening our commitment to biculturalism as we move into a new future in these uncertain times.”
A pōwhiri for Deacon Karatea-Goddard will be held at Our Lady’s Home of Compassion in Island Bay on Monday 23 May 2022 at 10am, followed later by a pōwhiri in Hiruhārama Jerusalem, where Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert is recognised for her work with Māori communities.
The Venerable Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert (1835-1926) founded the Daughters of Our Lady of Compassion (the Sisters of Compassion) in 1892. She was a friend and advocate for Māori, children, the poor and the sick, with the Sisters continuing her work to this day. Among her many achievements, she founded the Compassion Soup Kitchen in Wellington which is still run by the Sisters.
The Sisters are at present considering their next step in Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert’s path to sainthood, which has been delayed by a Vatican committee ruling a possible miracle attributed to her could be explained by medical science.
Photo: Deacon Danny Karatea-Goddard reading a message and blessing from Pope Francis in Napier in 2017. Courtesy NZME.
Kua tohua a Rīkona Danny Karatea-Goddard hei Tumu Whakarae Takirua mō te Piringa o Ngā Whāea Tapu Pūaroha
Kua tohua a Rīkona Danny Karatea-Goddard hei Tumu Whakarae Takirua Māori mō te Piringa o Ngā Whāea Tapu Pūaroha, te Rōpū Whakapono i whakaūngia e te Whāea Tapu, e Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert.
Ko rāua ko Tākuta Chris Gallavin (i tohua i te mārama o Poutū-te-Rangi 2021) ka noho hei Tumu Whakarae Takirua mō te piringa. He mea whiwhi a Rīkona Danny Karatea-Goddard e Ngā Whāea Pūaroha i runga i ngā tātai tūranga mahi kua nōhia e ia, arā he kaitohutohu kaupapa Māori mō te Huinga Pīhopa Katorika o Aotearoa, he Kaihautū Māori mō te Rohe Pīhopa o te Papaioea me te Rohe Pīhopa Matua Katorika o Te Ūpoko o te Ika.
E mea ana a Whāea Tapu Margaret Anne Mills o Ngā Whāea Tapu Pūaroha he āpitihanga te huranga mai o te tūranga nei ki ngā mahitahitanga a Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert me te iwi Māori i Hiruhārama, i te Awa o Whanganui i ngā tau 1800: “Ko te mōhio ki te whakapapa o te mahitahi ki te iwi Māori te tūāpapa e whai māramatanga ai tātou me pēwhea te mahitahi ki ngā iwi katoa. E ū tonu ana mātou ki te whakaaro, ko ngā mahi a Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert he mea hiranga nui i runga tonu i tō tātou hiahia kia ngātahi te noho me te iwi Māori i Aotearoa. Koia nei tēnei, te whakatinanatanga o tō tātou herenga ki Te Tiriti o Waitangi”.
E mea ana a Danny Karatea-Goddard he mea matawhaiaro tēnei tūnga ki ā ia, “He mea atawhai ētehi o ōku ake whāea, he kaiwhiwhi mātou ko āku tamariki ki ngā mahi manaaki a Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert. I tēnei wā o te pōhauhau he hōnore nui tēnei mahi te manaaki i te tangata. He mea manahau te hono atu ki te whānau o Ngā Whāea Pūaroha i a rātou e ruku ana i ngā kaupapa tikanga rua, na, i a tātou e eketahi ana i te waka eke noa ki Pae Matarehu.
Ka tū tētehi pōwhiri mō Rīkona Danny Karatea-Goddard ki te Kāinga o Pūraoha o tō Tātou Kahurangi, ki Tapu-te-Ranga hei te 23 o Haratua 2022, hei te takiwā o te 10 i te ata.
Nā wai rā ka pōwhiringia ki Hiruhrama, te kainga i hau ai ngā rongo a Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert mō āna mahi i roto i ngā hapori Māori.
Nā Suzanne Aubert (1835 – 1926) Ngā Pononga Tamāhine o Tō Tātou Kahurangi Pūaroha (Ngā Whāea Tapu o Pūaroha) i whakakaupapa i te tau 1892. Koia tērā he hoa pūmau, he kaitaunaki mō te iwi Māori, mō ngā taitamariki, mō te rawakore me te hunga tūroro, kua kawea tonutia ēnei mahi e ngā Whāea Tapu tae noa ki tēnei rā. Hui katoa ngā hua nui i puta i a ia, ko tētehi hua nui rawa ko te Kihini Hupa Puaroha ki Pōneke e whakahaerehia tonuhia ana e ngā Whaea Tapu.
Kei te wānanga tonu ngā Whāea Tapu i te ara whakamua me te huarahi ōkawa kia tohua ai a Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert he Hāto, nā runga i te mea kua tinakuhia te hīkoi hātotanga a Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert e ngā whakatau o tētehi kaunihera Watikana e whakapae ana, ko te merekara i ā ia, kei ngā tātai kōrero pūtaiao kē ōna whakamāramatanga.