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Year of Prayer for Marist Vocations in Asia-Pacific
 

Seeking new entrants to Marist enquiry, accompaniment and formation programs throughout Asia-Pacific

This page: Be on the MAP     Celebration evenings

Other pages: Updates for 2010           Vocations novena to St Peter Chanel           The Saturday prayer in your language
'Be on the MAP' -- and the Year of Prayer

As the Society fo Mary (Marist Fathers) faces the challenges of our changing world in the countries of the Pacific rim, four Marist regions have combined to invite young men to be part of the 'MAP' -- Marist Asia-Pacific.

Those who know and love the Marists in Australia are joining the growing family of prayer supporters to bring new entrants to Marist enquiry, accompaniment.and formation programs throughout Asia-Pacific.A Year of Prayer for Marist Vocations in Asia-Pacific -- exciting times.

Join in the Year of Prayer
Email the 'Year of Prayer' coordinator to find out how you can be involved in this important project -- through prayer, events and hands-on assistance.

Pray the Saturday prayer
A minimum commitment in the 'Year of Prayer' is to pray the Saturday prayer. Join the family of Marist friends by praying the Saturday prayer for Marist vocations in Asia-Pacific.   The Saturday prayer in your language

Celebration evenings
There are four of these, focusing on important Marist anniversaries:

  • April: The feast of St Peter Chanel, one of Australia's patrons and first martyr of the Pacific and Saint of the Society of Mary
  • July: The Fourviere Pledge, when twelve young men at the shrine of Our Lady in Lyons, France, promised to form the family of Marists
  • September: The feast of the Holy Name of Mary, the main feast of the Society of Mary
  • November: The anniversary of the death of Marist founder, Fr Jean-Claude Colin SM

Dates for your planner:

  • Saturday, Sep 18
  • Saturday, November 13

How to get to there: directions
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Celebration evenings:      April     July

Fourviere celebration evening, July, Sat 24, 2010:

The second celebration evening was held on Jul 24, remembering the call of Our Blessed Mother at Le Puy, France, to form the Society of Mary, and the promise to make this happen by twelve Marist aspirants at the shrine of Our Lady at Fourviere, Lyons, France, on Jul 23, 1816.

        
      
Participants listening to lay Marists, Kevin & Trish McGrory (Brisbane)
sharing how they involve their family members in the 'Year of Prayer'.

                      
Left: Burmese refugee youth, Eh Gay Htoo and Soe Reh Neh, at the sausage sizzle
Right: Images of Le Puy (the call to form the Society of Mary) and Fourviere (the promise to make it happen).

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St Peter Chanel celebration evening, April, Sat 24, 2010:

The first of four 'celebration evenings' was held on Apr 24 at Villa Maria, Hunters Hill, NSW.

        
After the parish vigil Mass a simple barbecue was staffed by a team of Asia-Pacific young people.

   
Left: Young Burmese Karen refugees entertained the 'Year of Prayer' friends during the evening.   
Right: MC, Mark Bennett, with the World Youth Day banner of St Peter Chanel.

          
A PowerPoint presentation gave insights into St Peter Chanel's life and times, supported by the personal sharings of Fr Chris Hifo SM (Tonga) and Br John Votaia SM (Solomon Islands) on 'What St Peter Chanel means to me'. A 'take-home' table featured the Saturday Prayer in twenty-two languages, leaflets on the 'Life of St Peter Chanel', various images of the Saint and reminders of coming events in the 'Year of Prayer'.

               
From left: 1. Entrance to the 'Green Room' of the Colin Library.   
2. Brother and sister combo, Clement and Gladys Cheung, part of the team of Asia-Pacific young adults helping for the evening.    3. Br John Votaia SM.   4. Fr Christopher Hifo SM.
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