Mō Maria

"Mō Maria" ("For Mary") is a Christian hymn written by Jean-Baptiste Pompallier in 1842. After Pompallier had landed in New Zealand in January 1838, he sought to build a relationship with the Maori people of New Zealand. Bishop Pompallier wrote a hymn in Māori. "Mō Maria" continues to be sung throughout New Zealand in many Catholic churches.

Text
The original text of the hymn was written by Bishop Pompallier after he landed in New Zealand. Wanting Māori to join the Catholic Church, he wrote a hymn in Māori honouring Mary so that it could be understood and sung among the Māori people and their tribes.

"Mō Maria" originally contained 14 verses. However, they are not always sung.

Tune
It is unknown whether the tune of "Mō Maria" was composed by Bishop Pompallier or if it was adapted from an existing Māori tune.

Lyrics
These are four verses along with their English translation.