August Euroinfo: new web site for European Marists

August's issue of the Marist European province newsletter announces the new-look web site of the Eurpean Marist province to be launched on the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary, Sep 12: www.maristeurope.eu (Be sure to revisit the site on Sep 12 !)

The newsletter also reports on Marist participation in the recent World Youth Day in Brazil.

For August Euroinfo click here

Anniversary pilgrimage to Marist Places

Australian Lay Marist couple, François and Josiane Espinosa, are celebrating 40 years of marriage with a pilgrimage to the places of Marist origins in France. Leaving soon for eight weeks in Europe, a special highlight will be a week in Loire and Rhone-Alpes regions of France, birthplace of the Society of Mary.

The Espinosas will be amongst the first Marist pilgrims to use the newly-produced resource from Fr Craig Larkin SM, 'Pilgrimage:a guide-book to the places of Marist origins', downloadable from the Jean-Claude Colin web site.

Successful retreat at Tutu

Provincial of Oceania Marist Province, Fr Ben McKenna SM, reports on a very successful retreat at Tutu, Taveuni, Fiji, led by fellow-Australian, Fr Paul Glynn SM.

The main theme was the call to Prayer and the Spiritual Life, with sub-themes of Faith, Healing, and the Holy Spirit - in Marist Life and Ministry.

Sr Jane Frances with former superior-general, Sr Margaret Purcell, at Marian House, Woolwich, NSW  /  Sr Jane at Woolwich

Welcome, Sr Jane Frances

Superior-General of the Marist Sisters, Kiwi Sr Jane Frances O'Carroll SM, is visiting communities of the Sisters' Australian sector during Sep/Oct.

Sr Jane arrived on Aug 12 and will visit the sector's communities at Barcaldine and St George (Qld) and Haberfield, Marrickville, Woolwich, Rosemeadow and Blacktown (NSW).

Before returning to Rome on Sep 07 Sr Jane will meet with Australian sector and Asia-Pacific regional leaders.

Suva talks summarised

Fr Gerard Hall's recent input to the assembly of Religious Superiors of the Pacific has been summarised and is available here.

Left: Tthe group in the grounds of Pacific Regional Seminary, Suva, Fiji. Fr Gerry is at the far right.

Two Pacific retreats

Australian Marist and international author, Fr Paul Glynn SM, left on Aug 09 for two weeks and two retreats in Fiji.

At Tutu on the island of Taveuni Fr Paul will present the annual retreat for Fiji-based Marist priests and brothers before his second retreat - for the Marist Missionary Sisters in Suva.

His themes will highlight the universal call to holiness of all people in the church and the primacy of sustained daily prayer. Fr Paul will also reflect on the contemplative dimension of the Rosary devotion.

One theologate for Oceania

Above: Marist College, Bomana, PNG  /  Marist College, Suva, Fiji.   Below: views of Marist College, Suva, with PRS chapel.

The Marist Province of Oceania has announced that Marist College Bomana, Papua New Guinea, will be closed at the end of the scholastic year 2014.

Bomana has been one of the two theologate formation houses in Oceania. The decision, recently approved by the Superior General, has come after a thorough exploration with all concerned in formation in Oceania, including an external evaluation of theological formation within the province, and in light of recommendations of the recent Provincial Chapter, as well as the province's formators and provincial council.

Marist College was founded in 1969. It has formed part of the consortium of theological colleges, the Catholic Theological Institute of Bomana. Over the years many students from the various regions of the province have studied and been formed there, as well as a number of Marists from around the world have been formators in Marist College and taught at CTI.

'Mission and the New Evangelisation' for CEPAC assembly

Australian Marist, Fr Gerard Hall SM, will join Suva's new Archbishop, Peter Loy Chong, in co-presenting the 'Mission and the New Evangelisatuion' theme to CEPAC's forthcoming 3-day assembly of Major Religious Superiors.

The assembly will be held at Pacific Regional Seminary, Suva, Fiji, Aug 06-08. The CEPAC (Episcopal Conference of the Pacific) assembly brings together religious leaders from fourteen diocese of Oceania.

Fr Paul Cooney (right) welcomed by superior of the General House community, fellow countryman, Fr Tony Corcoran.

New Bursar-General in Rome

From Rome, 'SM Bulletin' reports:

Fr Paul Cooney SM, the former provincial of the province of Australia who has been appointed by the superior general as the next general bursar, has arrived in Rome.

He will spend the next few months at the side of current general bursar, Fr Kevin Mowbray, to become familiarised with his task and with the life at the General House.

Both confreres will be present at the Council of the Society in Dublin in October and towards the end of the year the official handover will take place. Meantime Fr Paul will follow an Italian language course..

August anniversaries on JPIC diary

The Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation calendar for August is now uploaded.

Dates include the birth of Jean-Claude Colin (7th), St Mary Killop feast (8th), atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki (6th and 9th), Refugee & Migrant Sunday (25th) and the 'Tampa' event (26th).

Go to: JPIC diary

'Ten Steps towards being a peacemaker'

From the 'Ten Steps' series of the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council.

Go to JPIC page

July statistics

A daily average of 440 visits from 103 countries were registered last month on the statistics page of maristfathers.org.au.

Each visitor opened an average of 9 separate pages. 9,500 files were opened each day and a total of 350,000 'hits' counted in the month. Daily visits peaked at 685 on Jul 30.

After Australia, top country visitors included New Zealand, Japan, Thailand, Fiji, Italy, Germany and Brazil.