The Sisters of Compassion are grateful that the National Day celebrating the spirituality and good works of Meri Hohēpa Suzanne Aubert, has become part of the National Liturgy Calendar. In 2022 Celebration Sunday will be held on 2 October.
Celebration Sunday enables Catholic Parishes to introduce more people to the wonderful works of this great woman. It is a great opportunity for people to learn about the importance of intercessory prayer and why we are praying for her beatification.
The theme, He wahine whakapono nui, A woman of great faith, is reflected in the Gospel Reading of the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C.
What can we learn from Meri Hohepa Suzanne Aubert’s example? The Church has already recognised Suzanne as a holy woman of God with the title “Venerable”. She was a saintly woman who can teach us so much about being a follower of Jesus in today’s world.
We know her story and how it inspires us. Her spirit in our lives and her powerful intercession for us does not depend on an officially approved miracle. We know that her prayers on our behalf continue to be answered.
The Sisters archives contain a vast number of letters recording this. I’m sure she would tell us our task is to walk in her footsteps in a Compassion way, sharing her faith and values in our daily lives as followers of Jesus.
When the time is right, Meri Hohepa Suzanne Aubert’s beatification and canonisation will be another wonderful blessing, alongside those we already receive in such abundance through her intercession.
Now we are in God’s time, a time to continue praying that God’s will may be done for the good and encouragement of our local Church and people “of all religions and none” in Aotearoa-New Zealand, the Pacific, Australia and our world.
Pa Maurice Carmody
Postulator for the Cause of Ven Meri-Hohepa Suzanne Aubert