Philippe Viard
Encyclopedia
Philippe Joseph Viard was the first Roman Catholic Bishop of Wellington
, New Zealand
.
Born to Claude and Pierette Charlotte (née Rolland), he attended the parish school of Saint-Nizier
and then entered the minor seminary at Argentière
about 1827, proceeding to the major seminary of Saint-Irénée
at Lyon in 1831. He was ordained priest
in Lyon Cathedral on 20 December 1834 by Archbishop de Pins. He was a curate
in the diocese of Lyon until 1839.
Bishop Viard College
in Porirua
to the north of Wellington
is named in memory of Bishop Viard's contribution to the Catholic Church and Catholic education in New Zealand.
. After a short novitiate
Viard was professed on 19 May, leaving the following day with a group of Marists for New Zealand.
The missionaries sailed from London
on the Australasian Packet on 14 June 1839. They arrived in Sydney
on 23 October, and sailed for New Zealand on the Martha, arriving on 8 December. Bishop Pompallier
sent Viard in May 1840 to set up a mission station at Tauranga
with the help of a Maori catechist, Romano.
in November that news was received of Fr Peter Chanel
's murder on Futuna Island
in April. With Viard, Pompallier set out for Wallis
and Futuna islands on his schooner, accompanied by the French corvette L'Allier. Pompallier remained at Wallis while Viard brought Chanel's remains back to the Bay of Islands
in February 1842. Viard returned to Wallis in April with provisions and was placed in charge of the Pacific Islands.
On 23 May 1847, Viard ordained Jean-Georges Collomb (SM; born 1816 – died 1848) in Kororoareka on Pentecost Sunday. Collomb was named Vicar Apostolic of the newly created vicariate of Melanesia and Micronesia. Collomb died of fever in 1848 on Rooke Island, Papua New Guinea. On 15 February 1849, Viard received news from Rome that two dioceses had been created in New Zealand. Pompallier was to retain control of the northern diocese centred on Auckland. Viard was to be Vicar Apostolic of the Southern diocese, headquartered in Wellington, which was apparently Rome's attempt to solve the Pompallier—Marist quarrels, i.e. sending the Marists south of Taupo with Viard as their leader. he set sail from Auckland in April 1850 aboard the Clara and arrived on 2 May 1850.
and the Hutt Valley. In Thorndon (now Hill Street) the Marist lay brothers began building a clergy house and a convent for the sisters. A foundation stone was laid for the cathedral. Viard had a vast diocese and few clergy but was able to open missions or parishes in the Hutt Valley, Hawke's Bay and Nelson. The Akaroa
mission was reopened for a time but troubles with the Canterbury Association
caused its priests to leave. In 1852 the Wanganui
parish and mission were opened and after that there was virtually no Marist help given to Viard until 1859.
In 1860 Viard was appointed first bishop of Wellington. Practical questions continued to tax him during the next decade. In 1861, noting the diminishing number of sisters in the Wellington convent, he invited Auckland Sisters of Mercy to come to Wellington. He also brought French sisters from the Institute of Our Lady of the Missions to Napier
, Christchurch
and Nelson
. With the arrival of new groups of Marists he was able to establish priests in New Plymouth
and Christchurch in 1860, and in Marlborough
in 1864. During these years he remained keenly disappointed that he did not have the resources to support adequately the Maori missions. The Taranaki wars also interfered for a time with the expansion of Maori work.
A new phase of activity was precipitated by the gold rushes in Otago and Westland. From 1861 Viard kept a Marist at Dunedin permanently, and during the 1860s was able to send more priests to Invercargill and the Otago
diggings. The miners of the Otago and West Coast diggings helped Viard build up his depleted finances. He visited Otago and Canterbury in 1864 and the northern part of the South Island and Westland in 1866.
In Westland, Irish priests followed the thousands of Irish miners and their families to the diggings, and parishes were established at Greymouth
, Hokitika
, Kumara
, Ngahere
, Charleston
, Ross
, Westport
and Reefton
. Viard was greatly embarrassed when it was revealed that several Irish priests were active Fenian
supporters, and he spoke out against their activities in 1868.
. On 8 July 1868 he left for Europe. From 1869-70 he attended the First Vatican Council
in Rome, presided over by Pope Pius IX
. In his absence Dunedin
(Otago and Southland) was created a separate diocese under Bishop Patrick Moran
. The affection Wellington people had for Viard was evidenced by the crowd which welcomed him back to New Zealand on 19 March 1871. His health had suffered. By 1872 it was evident death was near. He died on 2 June 1872, aged 62, and was buried in the Catholic Cathedral in Wellington. He was succeeded by Francis Redwood
SM.
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington
The Latin Rite Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington is the Metropolitan Archdiocese of New Zealand. Catholics number about 83,214 . Parishes number 47 parishes and the archdiocese extends over central New Zealand between Levin and Masterton in the north to Kaikoura to Westport in the...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Born to Claude and Pierette Charlotte (née Rolland), he attended the parish school of Saint-Nizier
Saint-Nizier (Lyon)
The Church of Saint-Nizier is a church of the city of Lyon, France, located in the Presqu'île, in the 2nd arrondissement of Lyon. Its address is rue de Brest and it is between the Place des Terreaux and the Place des Jacobins...
and then entered the minor seminary at Argentière
Argentière
Argentière is a picturesque skiing, alpine walking and mountaineering village in the French Alps, part of the commune of Chamonix Mont Blanc. Altitude: 1252m .-Geography:...
about 1827, proceeding to the major seminary of Saint-Irénée
Saint-Irénée
Saint-Irénée may refer to;*Saint-Irenée, New Brunswick*Saint-Irénée, Quebec...
at Lyon in 1831. He was ordained priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
in Lyon Cathedral on 20 December 1834 by Archbishop de Pins. He was a curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
in the diocese of Lyon until 1839.
Bishop Viard College
Bishop Viard College
Bishop Viard College, Also known as Viard College or BVC is a coeducational secondary school located in Porirua, New Zealand...
in Porirua
Porirua
Porirua is a city in the Wellington Region of New Zealand, immediately north of the city of Wellington, with their central business districts 20 km apart. A large proportion of the population commutes to Wellington, so it may be considered a satellite city. It almost completely surrounds...
to the north of Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
is named in memory of Bishop Viard's contribution to the Catholic Church and Catholic education in New Zealand.
Marist Missionary
On 1 January 1839 he joined the recently formed Society of Mary (Marists)Society of Mary (Marists)
The Society of Mary , is a Roman Catholic religious congregation or order, founded by Father Jean-Claude Colin and a group of other seminarians in France in 1816...
. After a short novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
Viard was professed on 19 May, leaving the following day with a group of Marists for New Zealand.
The missionaries sailed from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on the Australasian Packet on 14 June 1839. They arrived in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
on 23 October, and sailed for New Zealand on the Martha, arriving on 8 December. Bishop Pompallier
Jean Baptiste Pompallier
Jean Baptiste François Pompallier was the first vicar apostolic to visit New Zealand. He was born in Lyon, France. He became the first Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland.-Appointment and voyage:...
sent Viard in May 1840 to set up a mission station at Tauranga
Tauranga
Tauranga is the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region, in the North Island of New Zealand.It was settled by Europeans in the early 19th century and was constituted as a city in 1963...
with the help of a Maori catechist, Romano.
Vicar General in Auckland
On 4 June 1841 Pompallier made Viard his vicar general or second in charge, and recalled him to Kororareka. Viard accompanied him on his voyages around New Zealand on the mission schooner Sancta Maria. It was at AkaroaAkaroa
Akaroa is a village on Banks Peninsula in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand, situated within a harbour of the same name—the name Akaroa is Kāi Tahu Māori for 'Long Harbour'.- Overview :...
in November that news was received of Fr Peter Chanel
Peter Chanel
Pierre Louis Marie Chanel, known in English as Saint Peter Chanel was a Catholic priest, missionary, and martyr.-Early years:Chanel was born in La Potière near Cuet in the area of Belley, Ain département, France....
's murder on Futuna Island
Futuna Island, Wallis and Futuna
Futuna is an island in the Pacific Ocean belonging to the French overseas collectivity of Wallis and Futuna. It is one of the Hoorn Islands or Îles Horne, nearby Alofi being the other...
in April. With Viard, Pompallier set out for Wallis
Wallis Island
Wallis is an island in the Pacific Ocean belonging to the French overseas collectivity of Wallis and Futuna....
and Futuna islands on his schooner, accompanied by the French corvette L'Allier. Pompallier remained at Wallis while Viard brought Chanel's remains back to the Bay of Islands
Bay of Islands
The Bay of Islands is an area in the Northland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Located 60 km north-west of Whangarei, it is close to the northern tip of the country....
in February 1842. Viard returned to Wallis in April with provisions and was placed in charge of the Pacific Islands.
Assistant Bishop in Auckland
Viard was summoned back to New Zealand by Pompallier in September 1845 learning by letter that he had been appointed bishop of Orthosia and coadjutor bishop to Pompallier. Arriving at Sydney en route for the Bay of Islands in October, Viard was consecrated bishop by Archbishop Polding on 4 January 1846. A few months later Pompallier went to Rome and Viard was left in charge.On 23 May 1847, Viard ordained Jean-Georges Collomb (SM; born 1816 – died 1848) in Kororoareka on Pentecost Sunday. Collomb was named Vicar Apostolic of the newly created vicariate of Melanesia and Micronesia. Collomb died of fever in 1848 on Rooke Island, Papua New Guinea. On 15 February 1849, Viard received news from Rome that two dioceses had been created in New Zealand. Pompallier was to retain control of the northern diocese centred on Auckland. Viard was to be Vicar Apostolic of the Southern diocese, headquartered in Wellington, which was apparently Rome's attempt to solve the Pompallier—Marist quarrels, i.e. sending the Marists south of Taupo with Viard as their leader. he set sail from Auckland in April 1850 aboard the Clara and arrived on 2 May 1850.
Bishop of Wellington
Viard purchased land in ThorndonThorndon
Thorndon is an inner suburb of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It combines residential accommodation and the home of government, and is located at the northern end of the Central Business District...
and the Hutt Valley. In Thorndon (now Hill Street) the Marist lay brothers began building a clergy house and a convent for the sisters. A foundation stone was laid for the cathedral. Viard had a vast diocese and few clergy but was able to open missions or parishes in the Hutt Valley, Hawke's Bay and Nelson. The Akaroa
Akaroa
Akaroa is a village on Banks Peninsula in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand, situated within a harbour of the same name—the name Akaroa is Kāi Tahu Māori for 'Long Harbour'.- Overview :...
mission was reopened for a time but troubles with the Canterbury Association
Canterbury Association
The Canterbury Association was formed in order to establish a colony in what is now the Canterbury Region in the South Island of New Zealand.- Formation of the Association :...
caused its priests to leave. In 1852 the Wanganui
Wanganui
Whanganui , also spelled Wanganui, is an urban area and district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Manawatu-Wanganui region....
parish and mission were opened and after that there was virtually no Marist help given to Viard until 1859.
In 1860 Viard was appointed first bishop of Wellington. Practical questions continued to tax him during the next decade. In 1861, noting the diminishing number of sisters in the Wellington convent, he invited Auckland Sisters of Mercy to come to Wellington. He also brought French sisters from the Institute of Our Lady of the Missions to Napier
Napier, New Zealand
Napier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities"...
, Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
and Nelson
Nelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
. With the arrival of new groups of Marists he was able to establish priests in New Plymouth
New Plymouth
New Plymouth is the major city of the Taranaki Region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after Plymouth, Devon, England, from where the first English settlers migrated....
and Christchurch in 1860, and in Marlborough
Marlborough, New Zealand
Marlborough is one of the regions of New Zealand, located in the northeast of the South Island. Marlborough is a unitary authority, both a region and a district, and its council is located at Blenheim. Marlborough is known for its dry climate, the picturesque Marlborough Sounds, and sauvignon blanc...
in 1864. During these years he remained keenly disappointed that he did not have the resources to support adequately the Maori missions. The Taranaki wars also interfered for a time with the expansion of Maori work.
A new phase of activity was precipitated by the gold rushes in Otago and Westland. From 1861 Viard kept a Marist at Dunedin permanently, and during the 1860s was able to send more priests to Invercargill and the Otago
Otago
Otago is a region of New Zealand in the south of the South Island. The region covers an area of approximately making it the country's second largest region. The population of Otago is...
diggings. The miners of the Otago and West Coast diggings helped Viard build up his depleted finances. He visited Otago and Canterbury in 1864 and the northern part of the South Island and Westland in 1866.
In Westland, Irish priests followed the thousands of Irish miners and their families to the diggings, and parishes were established at Greymouth
Greymouth
Greymouth is the largest town in the West Coast region in the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the Grey District Council. The population of the whole Grey District is , which accounts for % of the West Coast's inhabitants...
, Hokitika
Hokitika, New Zealand
Hokitika is a township in the West Coast Region of New Zealand's South Island, south of Greymouth, and close to the mouth of the Hokitika River. According to the 2006 census, the usually resident population of the Hokitika urban area was 3,078, a decrease of 12 people since 2001. A further 828...
, Kumara
Kumara, New Zealand
Kumara is a town on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is located 30 kilometres south of Greymouth, close to the western end of State Highway 73, which leads across Arthur's Pass to Christchurch...
, Ngahere
Ngahere
Ngahere is a locality in the Grey District of the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. The 2006 New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings gave the population of Ngahere and its surrounding area as 345, an increase of 9.5% or 30 people since the 2001 census.Ngahere is located on the south...
, Charleston
Charleston, New Zealand
Charleston is a village in the South Island of New Zealand located 30 km south of Westport. It was founded as a goldmining town after a major goldrush in 1867, and is now an adventure tourist village noted for its extensive limestone caves and caving experiences.- History :Charleston’s origins...
, Ross
Ross, New Zealand
Ross is a small town located on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island.It lies 27 kilometres south-west of Hokitika and 46 kilometres north-east of Harihari...
, Westport
Westport, New Zealand
-Economy:Economic activity is based around fishing, coal mining and dairy farming. Historically, gold mining was a major industry, and coal mining was much more extensive than today . However, the region still is home to New Zealand's largest opencast mining operation in Stockton...
and Reefton
Reefton, New Zealand
Reefton is a small town on New Zealand's West Coast region, some 80 km northeast of Greymouth, in the valley of the Inangahua River. State Highway 7 passes through the southern part of the town, and State Highway 69 runs north to connect to State Highway 6...
. Viard was greatly embarrassed when it was revealed that several Irish priests were active Fenian
Fenian
The Fenians , both the Fenian Brotherhood and Irish Republican Brotherhood , were fraternal organisations dedicated to the establishment of an independent Irish Republic in the 19th and early 20th century. The name "Fenians" was first applied by John O'Mahony to the members of the Irish republican...
supporters, and he spoke out against their activities in 1868.
Final years and death
Since his appointment as Bishop of Wellington several requests had been made for Viard to visit RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. On 8 July 1868 he left for Europe. From 1869-70 he attended the First Vatican Council
First Vatican Council
The First Vatican Council was convoked by Pope Pius IX on 29 June 1868, after a period of planning and preparation that began on 6 December 1864. This twentieth ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church, held three centuries after the Council of Trent, opened on 8 December 1869 and adjourned...
in Rome, presided over by Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
. In his absence Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
(Otago and Southland) was created a separate diocese under Bishop Patrick Moran
Patrick Moran (bishop)
Patrick Moran was Vicar Apostolic of Eastern Province of Cape Colony in South Africa and the first Bishop of Dunedin, New Zealand .-Early life:...
. The affection Wellington people had for Viard was evidenced by the crowd which welcomed him back to New Zealand on 19 March 1871. His health had suffered. By 1872 it was evident death was near. He died on 2 June 1872, aged 62, and was buried in the Catholic Cathedral in Wellington. He was succeeded by Francis Redwood
Francis Redwood
Francis William Mary Redwood SM , was the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Wellington, Metropolitan of New Zealand.Redwood was born on 8 April 1839 on the Tixall estate, Staffordshire, England. In 1842 he sailed to New Zealand with his parents on the George Fyfe...
SM.
Sources
- Lillian G. Keys, Philip Viard, Bishop of Wellington, Pegasus Press, Christchurch, 1968.
- Ernest Richard Simmons, Brief history of the Catholic Church in New Zealand, Catholic Publications Centre, Auckland, 1978.
- Michael KingMichael KingMichael King, OBE was a New Zealand popular historian, author and biographer. He wrote or edited over 30 books on New Zealand topics, including The Penguin History of New Zealand, which was the most popular New Zealand book of 2004.-Life:King was born in Wellington to Eleanor and Commander Lewis...
, God's farthest outpost: a history of Catholics in New Zealand, Viking, Auckland, 1997. - Michael O'Meeghan S.M., Steadfast in hope : the story of the Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington 1850-2000, Dunmore Press, Palmerston North, 2003.
External links
- Bishop Philippe-Joseph Viard SM, Catholic Hierarchy website (retrieved 12 February 2011)