Life of Mother Aubert quilted in all its glory

Merrilyn George with one of her quilts, The Land Of Taihoa. Photo/Supplied

The life of Suzanne Aubert will be vividly illustrated in an exhibition of quilts at St Mary's Catholic Church beginning next weekend.

The exhibition, Set Apart, will be made up of more than 20 quilts by Ohakune quilter Merrilyn George - all of them about Suzanne Aubert, known as Mother Mary Aubert.

Mother Aubert [1835-1926] was a French nun who spent much of her life in New Zealand. She spent 16 years living and working in Wanganui and Jerusalem. The Catholic Church is going through the process of declaring her a saint or holy person.

The exhibition will be opened by the Bishop of Palmerston North, Charles Drennan, on July 12, at 11am. At 3pm an archivist with the Sisters of Companion, Sister Jo Gorman from Wellington, will give a lecture about the significance of the Wanganui region in Mother Aubert's life. Both events are free and open to the public.

The quilt exhibition will remain open 10am to 4pm every day until July 18. At 2.30pm every day, Ms George will give a guided tour.

Ms George teaches technology textiles and Maori at Ruapehu College. She discovered Mother Aubert while researching a book about the history of Ohakune. She later became inspired to express the life of Mother Aubert in quilting during a visit to New Zealand of an icon that had been dear to Mother Aubert.

Ms George said the purpose of the exhibition was to promote awareness about Mother Aubert.

"When Suzanne Aubert is finally declared a saint, Wanganui and Jerusalem will most certainly become a pilgrims' destination," she said.