The first Catholic Mass in Aotearoa New Zealand was held on 13 January, 1838 at Tōtara Point in Hokianga in Northland. It was there that the newly-arrived Jean-Baptiste François Pompallier dedicated the country to Mary as “Our Lady Assumed into Heaven” (Maria Assunta).
The Pompallier Hokianga Trust was formed in the year 2000, and preserves and promotes the memory and mission of Pompallier. You can learn more at their website.
Image: Jean-Baptiste François Pompallier