Father Pierre Lepetre (left) of the Society of Mary was ordained a priest at Lyons, France, in 1884, and came to New Zealand in the same year. He was first stationed at Jerusalem near Whanganui, where he learned the Māori language, and was later in charge of the Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa Māori districts. He built the Māori church at Te Ore Ore, near Masterton, and came to Wairoa as its first resident parish priest in 1894. With Lepetre is a Mr Morrell (also spelt Morel, Maurel and, in Māori, Morera), the son of a French whaler and Erihapeti Kino, who had been baptised by Bishop Pompallier. This photograph was taken at Wairoa, probably around the beginning of the 20th century.
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Society of Mary Archives
Reference:
PSC 1971
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