Church has links to James K Baxter

POPULAR SPOT: Tourists Philip Thornton and Heather Roycroft visited St Joseph's Church at Jerusalem last summer. PHOTO/ FILE A-291214WCSMRIVER1

St Joseph's Church at Jerusalem on the Whanganui River is remarkable for its links to Suzanne Aubert and James K.Baxter, writer Linda Burgess says.

It is among the 60-plus early New Zealand churches in her latest book, Historic Churches, published by Random House and to be released on September 1.

St Joseph's was built in 1892, using funds raised by Sister Aubert and her fellow nuns who walked long distances around New Zealand asking for donations.

Sister Aubert had been sent to Jerusalem,also known as Hiruharama, in the early 1880s.

Originally from Lyons in France, she had been in New Zealand since 1860 and was already fluent in te reo Maori.

She was a determined, resourceful and talented woman, Burgess says. At Jerusalemshe set up a home and school for children - initially only Maori childrenbut later any child.

She also had a small factory at Jerusalem making Maori herbal medicines. Four types of medicine were sold, to fund the mission and school.

Sister Aubert founded New Zealand's first religious order during her time at Jerusalem - The Daughters of Our Lady of Compassion. She was there for 16 years.

It may been the connection with her that attracted poet James K.Baxter, "a committed Catholic with a strong interest in Maoritanga" to Jerusalem in 1969. He founded a commune and wrote some of his best poetry while there.

After he died in 1972 he was buried in the village, after a full Maori tangi.

The Sisters of Compassion still have a house at Jerusalem. St Joseph's Church, and the convent/school the sisters set up, were renovated in the mid-2000s. The convent is quite often open for visitor accommodation. The church is a Category 1 Historic Place. It is 64km from Wanganui on the Whanganui River Rd. That road is open again as far as Jerusalem.