Jean-Baptiste Pompallier

The Most Reverend

Jean-Baptiste Pompallier
The Most Reverend; Jean-Baptiste Pompallier
Bishop of Auckland
Church	Roman Catholic Church
Diocese	Auckland
See	Auckland
Appointed	3 July 1848
Installed	3 July 1848
Term ended	23 March 1869
Predecessor	Himself; as Vicar Apostolic of New Zealand
Successor	Thomas Croke
Other post(s)	Titular Bishop of Maronea (1836)
Orders
Ordination	13 June 1829; by Jean-Gaston de Pins
Consecration	30 June 1836
Personal details
Born	Jean-Baptiste François Pompallier; 11 December 1801; Lyons, France
Died	21 December 1871 (aged 70); Puteaux, Paris, France
Buried	St Mary's, Motuti, Hokianga Harbour, New Zealand
Previous post(s)	Vicar Apostolic of Western Oceania (1836); Vicar Apostolic of New Zealand (1842)

Jean-Baptiste François Pompallier (11 December 1801 – 21 December 1871) was the first Roman Catholic bishop in New Zealand and, with priests and brothers of the Marist order, he organised the Roman Catholic Church throughout the country. He was born in Lyon, France. He arrived in New Zealand in 1838 as Vicar Apostolic of Western Oceania, but made New Zealand the Headquarters of His Catholic Mission.

In 1848, he became the first Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland. He returned to France in 1868 and died in Puteaux, near Paris, on 21 December 1871, aged 70. His exhumed remains were returned to New Zealand in 2001 and they were re-interred under the altar at St Mary's, Motuti, in 2002. People can visit his remains.