Suzanne Aubert

Arriving in Auckland in December 1860, Suzanne Aubert learned Māori and taught young girls. She co-founded the Congregation of the Holy Family in 1862. In Meeanee (1871-1883), she worked as a nurse and studied traditional Māori medicine (rongoā) with Peata Hoki. In 1883, she moved to Hiruhārama (Jerusalem) where she founded the Daughters of Our Lady of Compassion in 1892. There, she created herbal remedies to fund her works. In Wellington from 1899, she opened St Joseph's Home for Incurables, a soup kitchen, and a crèche. In 1917, she obtained the decree of praise for her congregation from Pope Benedict XV.

The cause for the beatification of Suzanne Aubert was introduced in 1997 with the support of the bishops of New Zealand. Following the diocesan inquiry in 2004 and the acceptance of the Positio in 2013, Pope Francis authorized on December 1, 2016, the promulgation of the decree recognizing the heroic nature of her virtues, thereby conferring upon her the title of Venerable.

For her beatification, a miracle is required. In 2019, a file concerning an unexplained healing was submitted to the Vatican. However, in April 2022, the medical board of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints concluded that the healing could be explained scientifically. The cause remains active while awaiting the recognition of a miracle.

Suzanne Aubert's spirituality is based on an active compassion, defined by the act of "suffering with others." She demonstrated a deep respect for human dignity and Maori culture. Her legacy continues through the Sisters of Compassion and the Wellington soup kitchen. In May 2025, her chapel and burial site in Island Bay were classified as a Category 1 historic site by Heritage New Zealand.