Why Is Pompallier Significant?

Pompallier celebrated the first (Traditional Latin) Mass in New Zealand at Totara Point on 13 January 1838. He immediately set about establishing Catholic mission stations.

Why is Bishop Pompallier important?

Bishop Pompallier was born in Lyons, France, in 1801. He was consecrated Bishop with responsibility for Western Oceania (including New Zealand) in 1836. He arrived in New Zealand in 1838, and by the mid-1840s had established a number of Catholic missions. By 1843 the French missions claimed about 45,000 Maori converts.

What did Bishop Pompallier do in the Treaty of Waitangi?

THE PUBLIC role played by Bishop Jean-Baptiste Francois Pompallier in the drama of 5- 6 February 1840 is well known: this French Catholic must receive some of the credit for the proclamation of religious tolerance issued by Hobson just before the Treaty of Waitangi was first signed.