Important Announcement
POPE FRANCIS' NEW ENCYCLICAL PAVES THE WAY FOR VATICAN APOLOGY TO MAORI FOR THE DOCTRINE OF DISCOVERY AS WELL AS THE RE-LEGALISATION OF CANNABIS, WHICH WAS COMMERCIALLY CULTIVATED BY THE FIRST SAINT OF AOTEAROA, SUZANNE AUBERT.
Pope Francis released his new Encyclical Fratelli Tutti on the Official Celebration Day of the First Saint of Aotearoa - Pioneer Herbalist Suzanne Aubert - October 4, 2020. [1]
At the same time, the new Auxiliary Bishop of Auckland confirmed in his Celebration Day video presentation [2] that a Miracle was under official investigation by the Vatican [3], which would complete the Beatification process of Suzanne Aubert, who was the first known person to cultivate Cannabis in Aotearoa to create a successful International Social Enterprise from Rongoa Medicine Production in order to fund the many orphanages, schools and social support networks she established. [4]
In her role as Missionary for the Catholic Church, Suzanne Aubert gifted the Cannabis plant to Maori as a Rongoa Taonga, and while the Catholic Church has been hesitant to acknowledge her work in this area [5], many people from all walks of life - both secular and non-secular - feel it would be in the Spirit of Fratelli Tutti if they would lead the way and set an example for the other churches by removing the stigma associated with this sacred Rongoa herb, which was outlawed just 2 years after her death.
Suzanne Aubert was "posthumously awarded the New Zealand Biotechnology Association Heritage Award in 1999 in recognition for having 'manufactured and commercially sold a range of remedies made from New Zealand native plants'. In 1892, the Evening Post called Aubert's remedies 'The chief proprietary medicine of New Zealand' with 4,000 bottles sold per month." [6]
New Zealand Science Monthly reports she was the first to:
successfully combine Maori and Western medicines into products
commercially extract New Zealand native plants
launch a commercial processed biotechnology product from New Zealand that was successfully marketed and sold overseas [6]
KIINGITANGA INVITES POPE FRANCIS TO AOTEAROA & ENDORSES THE BEATIFICATION OF OUR FIRST SAINT
In their recent article about the death of the 4th Maori King Te Rata Mahuta Taawhiao Pootatau Te Wherowhero on October 1st (which became commemorated as a sacred day of ceremonial sacrifice, and was also the same day his contemporary Mother Suzanne Aubert died), the Kiingitanga confirmed via their social media comments that His Majesty Kiingi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero told Pope Francis that he endorsed the Veneration and Beatification of our First Saint when they met at the Vatican last May. [7]
The Radio New Zealand article at the time confirmed that "Pope Francis has been invited to visit New Zealand by the Māori King, who attended a private audience with the Pope in the Vatican . . . The discussion focused on social and political issues facing Māori and indigenous communities, including employment, health and education, and the need for cultural and interfaith unity." [8]
NEW ENCYCLICAL PAVES THE WAY TOWARDS APOLOGY TO MAORI FOR THE DOCTRINE OF DISCOVERY
The release of the new Encyclical is significant as it's call for inter-faith and inter-cultural respect echoes the message of the Kiingitanga to the Pope, and potentially sets the stage for the Vatican to issue the Apology for the Doctrine Of Discovery, as requested last October by the New Zealand Māori Council in solidarity with Indigenous and First Nations Peoples from around the world. Executive director Matthew Tukaki said he has written to Pope Francis asking for a meeting to discuss the Apology - "What we are seeking is pretty clear - a repudiation of the doctrine and an apology from the Vatican, from the Pope. Sorry is an easy enough word to say but for us that will have immense meaning." [9]
NEW ENCYCLICAL MARKS AN END TO COLONISATION
As the first Muslim presenting a papal encyclical at the Vatican, Islamic scholar Abdel Salam noted the significance of the new document for promoting inter-religious dialogue. He praised the Pope’s “ability to express the themes of human fraternity to the whole world" and affirmed the new Encyclical, along with the 2019 Document on Human Fraternity co-signed with the Grand Imam of al-Azhar Mosque, signals a new beginning - a hope to move beyond painful histories “rooted in unreasonableness, injustice, pride and colonial violence.” [10]
RESPECT FOR THE EARTH IS RESPECT FOR RONGOA
The release of the new Encyclical on the cusp of New Zealand's Cannabis Legalisation Referendum is also significant, as the Vice-President of New Zealand’s Catholic Bishops Conference says the Pope’s message touches on the very survival of our contemporary world: “It is that serious. It is that compelling. It is that demanding.” Fratelli Tutti, urges Cardinal Dew, “is an invitation for everyone . . . to view every single person on the planet, and yes, THE PLANET ITSELF, as brother and sister.” [11]
It's time that the Catholic Church acknowledged this ancient plant was indeed a commonly used medicine that our First Saint was skilled in cultivating before the referendum this Saturday, so the whole country can finally celebrate the life of this Wahine Toa who came to serve Maori, and learn their Rongoa in order to share it with the world. [12]
RESPECT FOR INDIGENOUS WISDOM
Reading between the lines of the new Encyclical, with it's heartfelt plea for genuine solidarity between all the cultures of our human species, and with all of Nature, it seems inevitable that if Pope Francis accepts the invitation from the Kiingtanga to visit Aotearoa, that an Apology to Maori would be given once here.
RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY
Diverse communities across Aotearoa are united in their respect and inspiration of the life of Suzanne Aubert. There has never been a time in history when the celebration of her Sainthood would be more welcome than now, as ideological division presents as an increasing threat to our national peace.
NEWS COVERAGE
There has been no coverage of Pope Francis' new Encyclical in the New Zealand media, despite international news quoting our Bishops' plea to honour the natural world and diversity of cultural practice right on the cusp of our national election. This is a call out for media and anyone else who cares to share this significant news in the hope of balancing out the flood of negative stories that have been unfairly dominating the religious discourse of our country and our morality.
For more information about the Cause of Saint Suzanne Aubert and the process of her Beatification and Canonisation, please seehttps://www.miraclesofmotheraubert.com/
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1910/S00389/suzanne-aubert-moves-one-step-further-to-sainthood.htm
https://www.facebook.com/.../a.67586.../3399401290147901/...
Suzanne Aubert
Suzanne Aubert (1835–1926) was a Lyonnaise Catholic nun renowned for her pioneering work with the Māori and for her synthesis of indigenous and European herbal medicines. She established the Daughters of Our Lady of Compassion in Whanganui in 1892—a Marian religious order formally recognised by Pope Benedict XV. Her botanical remedies became famous throughout New Zealand, and upon her death in 1926 she was mourned across the country. She is currently in the process of becoming New Zealand’s first saint.
This purpose of this site is to:
provide information on Mother Aubert’s life and work
clarify the process of sanctification
raise awareness of her miracles.
The Sisters of Compassion
In 1892, Mother Aubert founded a Marian religious order at Hiruharama-Jerusalem on the Whanganui River. It consisted of a nunnery, an orphanage, farmlands, and of course a church. She ministered to Māori, Pākehā, Catholics, and non-Catholics alike, without compromising her beliefs.
Mother Aubert’s Remedies
Mother Aubert’s remedies were based on a synthesis of European herbalism and Maori rongoa, employing both native and non-native botanicals. Aubert was influenced by European traditions of folk herbalism, which were still active in her native France in the mid-nineteenth century. Upon her arrival in New Zealand, she integrated native Māori herbal practices, which she learned directly from women of mana.
Cause for Beatification
and Canonisation
The official process of becoming a saint (beatification and canonisation) follows a strict protocol regulated by the Catholic Church. It begins with the initiation of the “Cause for Beatification”, in which the life of the potential saint is rigorously examined to determine their virtue. Because saints were believed to have attained the beatific vision of god, they were believed to have the power to intercede in miracles. For this reason, the recognition of miracles is the most crucial aspect in the process of sanctification. Having passed through the earlier phases of the process, Mother Aubert is presently awaiting the recognition of her miracles.