Ross Wilson was a staunch supporter of the Catholic Māori Community in Wellington. In the late 1970s he was involved in the establishment of the first Catholic Māori Centre and marae, named Te Kainga, in Boulcott Street behind the St Mary of the Angels presbytery.
When Te Kainga moved to 99 Webb Street, nextdoor to Holy Family Church, Ross was there and again in the move to 33 Mahora Street, Kilbirnie, its present location.
On the 17 July, two weeks before he died, Ross was honoured at Mass at Te Kainga marae and presented with a taonga in recognition of his work and commitment to the Catholic Māori Community in Te Whanganui-a-Tara: Wellington.
It was right and fitting that he should lie in state at Te Kainga before he was taken to his final resting place at Te Waka Iti marae in Featherston, another marae he helped to establish in the 1980s.
No reira,
Haere e te koro ki to tatou Matua nui ki te rangiHaere ki nga tipunaKa nui to aroha mo to wehe nga atu ia matou.
Te Reo Māori is said every Sunday at 11 am at Te Kainga, 33 Mahora Street, Kilbirnie.