Hato Pāora College, the Catholic Māori boarding school for boys north of Feilding, celebrated its 75th Jubilee over Labour Weekend.

Several hundred Old Boys, past and present staff, whānau, friends and supporters arrived from all around New Zealand, Australia and beyond to reminisce, reconnect and look to the future of the kura with great hope and vision. 

Founded by the Society of Mary in 1947, Hato Pāora is one of only four Māori boarding schools in Aotearoa to survive and continue to be operational. It is the only Catholic Māori Boys boarding school in New Zealand and the world. 

From some of the early students of the 1950s and 1960s, now in their 70s and 80s, to recent and present students, the weekend was about whanaungatanga (connections), getting together, camaraderie and reminiscing across the generations. 

Throughout the weekend Old Boys connected through the Catholic and Māori values and behaviours instilled and expected of them during their time at Hato Pāora and beyond, and as the place that made them into the men they are today – ‘Whāia te tika – to always do what is right’.

Whāia Te Tika ‘to always do what is right’

This is an abridged version of Cardinal John Dew’s homily at the special Mass for the 75th Jubilee of Hato Pāora College, Sunday 23 October 2022.

+ John A Cardinal Dew 
Archbishop of Wellington Archdiocese
Apostolic Administrator of Palmerston North Diocese

Tīhei mauriora!
Ka poua te Pou tuatahi
Ko te Ao me ona mea katoa;
Ka poua te Pou tuarua
Ko te Tangata hei kaitiaki mo te Ao;
Ka poua te Pou tuatoru
Ko Tama-nui o te Ao katoa;
He Atua! He Tangata!
Whano, whano! 
Tu mai te Ripeka!
Haumi e! Hui e! Taiki e!

This mihi [greeting] contains great wisdom, it’s what our human life is about, what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about, what Hato Pāora has been about for 75 years. 

‘Life has three signposts: 
the world and all living things; 
the people, guardians of the world; 
the divine and human Son, the Saviour. Come let us go to the cross standing before us.’

There are probably not many people here who were here in 1947 when Hato Pāora was blessed and opened. Almost 40 years later the first Pope ever to come to Aotearoa arrived in Auckland. The day he arrived he spoke about how young the Church in Aotearoa was – it still is.

‘A rich culture already existed in your country before the arrival of the Church or the many immigrants: the culture of the Māori people. This culture has in turn been strengthened and enriched by the uplifting and purifying power of the Gospel.’

In today’s Gospel we heard about the man whose humble prayer for mercy was heard by God. Hato Pāora has worked hard ‘to take good boys and grow them into good men’, to help them to be humble men who rely on God and God’s mercy. 

The strengths of Māori culture are often the very values which modern society is in danger of losing.

St John Paul II

Hato Pāora has been and is about ‘The uplifting and purifying power of the Gospel’. The Gospel enables us to live better lives, shows us what life is all about and that it is only fulfilled in Christ. 

‘Whāia te Tika’ – ‘to always do what is right’. The motto of the College comes from today’s second reading. Hato Pāora [St Paul] encouraged Timoteo [Timothy] to be dedicated to God, filled with faith and love, to be saintly and religious, to fight the good fight of faith, to always do what is right. That hasn’t always been easy, there have been difficult and sad times, incidents we would rather forget, sadly – that’s human life! 

In 1986 Pope John Paul said: ‘the strengths of Māori culture are often the very values which modern society is in danger of losing: an acknowledgement of the spiritual dimension in every aspect of life; a profound reverence for nature and the environment; loyalty to family and a great willingness to share; an acceptance of death as part of life and the capacity to grieve and mourn the dead in a human way.’ 

Today, we have acknowledged and given thanks for the dead as we have observed a Kawe Mate. You have placed photographs of your family members, of those who were the founders of Hato Pāora, those who have been staunch and faithful supporters of this kura [school]. We honour those who supported Hato Pāora, who created an environment where boys could grow into young men with strong Reo and Tikanga Māori, a profound reverence for life, loyalty to whānau, and a willingness to share.

St John Paul II said, ‘As you rightly treasure your culture, let the Gospel of Christ continue to penetrate and permeate it, confirming your sense of identity as a unique part of God’s household. It is as Māori that the Lord calls you; it is as Māori that you belong to the Church, the one Body of Christ.’

We give thanks for all people – the guardians of the world, we thank all those people who have been guardians of the young men and the values of Hato Pāora.

Above all, we look at that third signpost, Jesus the Son, the Saviour. Pāora pointed the way to Jesus and wrote ‘the only knowledge I claimed to have, was about Jesus, and only about him as the crucified Christ’. (1 Corinthians 2:2)

When we look to the crucified Christ, we also see the Risen Christ. That vision enables us to do as Pope Francis says: ‘Let’s go in hope and let’s sing as we go!’

Whāia Te Tika – Hato Pāora College
Celebrating 75 Years of Quality Education: 1947 – 2022

Ta Mātou Kaupapa – Mission:
‘Taking good boys and growing them into great young men.’

Located on farmlands in Cheltenham north of Feilding, Hato Pāora College was opened 1947 by the Society of Mary under the leadership of Marist priest, Fr Issac Gupwell. Pā ‘Ike’ remained at the school until 1964. He died in 1999 and was laid to rest at Pukekaraka.

Built on a former sheep farm, Pā Ike’s vision was to create an environment for boys to grow into young men with strong te reo and tikanga Māori, to promote Catholic and Māori values, to provide a solid education and to encourage achievement and success. 

Now one of just four Māori boarding schools in Aotearoa to survive and continue to be operational Hato Pāora is the only Catholic Māori Boys boarding school in New Zealand – and the world. 

It’s been great to have so many Old Boys and whānau spending time together, renewing connections and back on the whenua. No one wanted it to finish. The boys here have felt the significance and we’re looking forward to the 100th.

Dr Nathan Matthews, Tumuaki

As times have changed and no priests remain, the school has worked to keep its special character alive through whānau links. Some staff are former students and some students are the third generation of their family to attend the college.

Chair of the jubilee organising committee, Tata Lawton, also a former pupil, says the college has survived 75 years because of the support of many Māori communities in Aotearoa. 

‘Hato Pāora has been fortunate in that its very existence is due to Māori communities, particularly Ngāti Kauwhata, Whanganui, Manawatū, Taranaki, Horowhenua and Hawke’s Bay whānau. They have remained staunch supporters of the kura and what it stands for along with the legacy of those early Catholic priests and brothers.’

Tumuaki (principal) Dr Nathan Matthews, says Māori boarding schools have played an important role in Aotearoa in the development of Māori society and leadership, particularly through the 20th century. He says the school still has an important place today and it is unique with all the boys living on site. ‘The students attend from all tribal regions throughout the country.’

Nathan, who is writing a book about the school, was a student in the 1990s when there were seven priests living on site. The last priest left Hato Pāora in 1997. ‘They did everything. They coached rugby, taught in class, drove the bus.

‘A highlight for me was regularly being exposed to te reo and tikanga Māori, formally and informally. Above all else, was the camaraderie amongst the students and the development of lifelong friendships – greatly in evidence at this jubilee weekend.’

Hato Paora is the only Catholic Māori boys’ boarding school in the world – that is a taonga for us as Māori, but it should be an even bigger taonga for the Catholic Church.

Tata Lawton

Also in evidence were the numerous Hato Pāora Old Boys now or formerly in highly influential positions of leadership impacting lives for the better for many in Aotearoa New Zealand. From sporting greats to civic, government and Māori society leaders, from Church mission, teachers and other professionals, to large and small business operators and many more, Hato Pāora Old Boys in all walks of life, remain humble, staunch supporters of the school, strong in te reo and tikanga Māori, and continue to embody the school values with ‘a profound reverence for life and loyalty to whānau’.

The celebrations included pōwhiri, kapa haka, group photos, an archive exhibition, a jubilee book preview, ‘future proofing the kura’ discussions, taonga pūoro (traditional Māori musical instruments), waiata, a formal banquet dinner, karakia and a special Mass celebrated by Cardinal John Dew, and cutting the 75th birthday cake by one of the earliest Hato Pāora students.

Words and photos: Annette Scullion/WelCom

It’s been good to celebrate our 75th Jubilee weekend with the Old Boys and just getting amongst it all. 

Emery McGill, Head Boy

This weekend has been a whole range of positive emotions – the calmness, camaraderie and humbleness of everyone here and the meeting of old and new, forever brings us together as one.

Dempsey Broad

A lot of the good things that happen in Māori All Blacks, which have spread to the Ferns and other teams, have come from Hato Pāora values. The journey here is about taking boys to men. When I look back to when that happened for me – it happened here.

Luke Crawford