ARC ends

This year's Annual Review Consultation of Marist leaders has come to a close in Rome with a Mass led by Superior-General, Fr John Hannan, and celebratory dinner at 'Monteverde', General House of the Society of Mary.

One of the final sessions featured the distribution of the latest Australian-made resources supporting the Cause of Fr Colin.

[Sep 29]

Japanese Madonna installed in Rome

Following on from 'Our Lady journeys to Rome' (see below) the statue of Mary and the boy Jesus has been given a prominent place in one of the main corridors of 'Monteverde', General House of the Society of Mary, Rome.

The statue is a replica of that in the Catholic church of Takada, Japan, and acknowledges the ministry of Marists in Nara prefecture.

The simple placement by community superior, Fr Tony Corcoran, was made during the ARC gathering and in the presence of Australian provincial, Fr Bob Barber, ARC members and visiting Marists.

[Sep 28]

Retreat at Kincumber

Twelve brothers and priests of the Australian Province are enjoying the first of two retreats to be led by retired Kiwi bishop, Peter Cullinane.

The first retreat (Sep 25-30) is being held at the historic and picturesque retreat haven of St Joseph's, Kincumber, NSW. The second retreat, beginning on Oct 02, will be at Maryvale/Montbel, Hunters Hill.

Let us pray for our retreatants and Bishop Peter during these days of quiet.                [Sep 27]

Hayden Kennedy (right) and the Marist stall at the Ignite conference

'Marist face' at Ignite

Resources from the Marist Fathers were amongst the wide range of promotional literature at Brisbane's Ignite conference, Sep 22-25, at Rothwell's Mueller Performing Arts Centre.

Described as a 'dynamic & contemporary Catholic conference for young people', Ignite each year draws over a thousand young adults, teenagers, children, youth ministers, teachers, priests and religious from around SAustralia.

From the conference Marist aspirant, Hayden Kennedy, commented, 'It was wonderful to have a face for the Marists at the event with so many other orders around.'

[Sep 26]

ARC continues

The Society fo Mary's 'Annual Review Consutation' continues with sessions at the General House of the Marist Fathers in Rome.

Social media abounds in images. Here are some, including Aussies and Oceanians at ARC...

[Sep 24]

The steps of La Capucinière chapel on which the first Marists knelt on Sep 24, 1836  /  .... their signatures, amongst which are those of Jean-Claude Colin, Marcellin Champagnat and Peter Chanel.

Marists, 180 years on

On Sep 24 the Society of Mary marks one hundred and eighty years since the religious profession of the first Marists in 1836.

The event, taking place in the chapel of La Capucinière, Belley, France, followed the approval of the priests' branch of the Society of Mary by the mission-minded Pope Gregory XVI. On the same day a reluctant Jean-Claude Colin was elected superior-general.

[Sep 24]

ACRATH newsletter and report

Australian Catholic Religious against trafficking in humans (ACRATR) rpeorts on its 2016 Visit to Federal Parliament:

'The latest issue of ACRATH News provides a report on ACRATH's recent visit to Federal Parliament. Over a four day period ACRATH met with 51 Members of Parliament, including 4 meetings with Ministers and Ministerial advisors. The MPs were from the Government, the Opposition and the Crossbench; they were from both the House of Representatives and the Senate...'

Full report, click here

[Sep 23]

Fr Hoppy in Paraguay

The Misioneros Maristas team, led by Australian, Fr John ('Hoppy') Hopkinson SM, has represented Bolivian Basic Christian Communities at ten anniversary convention in Luque, Paraguay.

For Fr Hoppy's report: click here

[Sep 22]

Above: Asia-Pacific Marists at ARC, from left: Frs Pat Devlin (Asia District), Ben McKenna (Oceania), Bob Barber (Australia), David Kennerley (NZ) and Lote Raiwalui (Rome) / Opening of ARC 2017. Below: Aussies, Frs Bob Barber, Tony Corcoran and Ben McKenna.

ARC begins

Marist provincials and district superiors have begun their Annual Review Consultation in Rome with the General Council of the Society of Mary.

Australia is represented by Fr Bob Barber with fellow-Australians, Frs Ben McKenna (Oceania) and Tony Corcoran (Secretary-General).

Participants: click here

[Sep 21]

Marist Mission newsletter

Click here for Spring issue.

[Sep 17]

Provincial leaves for Rome

Fr Bob Barber has left for the Annual Review Consultation (ARC) meeting of Marist leaders in Rome.

Provincial and District Superiors will gather from Africa, Asia, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Europe, Mexico, New Zealand, Oceania, Peru and USA. They will meet for two weeks with the General Council of the Society of Mary.

Fr Bob is carrying a consignment of Marist travel resources and the annual 'Colin calendar' for his fellow-leaders.

[Sep 16]

Ex-students at the Traralgon celebrations, from left, Peter Mitchell, Jo Crisp, Paul Apostoleros, Br Bill Dillon and Fr Paul Sullivan, who represented the Marist Fathers.
Paul Apostoleros still writes regularly to former St Paul's teacher, Fr John Hill SM.

Traralgon 60th anniversary

On Sep 09 Sale's Bishop Patrick O' Regan celebrated a sixtieth anniversary Mass for Lavalla Catholic College, Traralgon, Victoria.  

The event acknowledged the role of four religious congregations in the formation of the college: the Presentation Sisters, Marist Fathers, Brigidine Sisters and the Marist Brothers.  

The original college (St Paul's) was established by the Marist Fathers in 1956 with Fr Harry Davis as the first rector, followed by Fr Steve Maloney. Lavalla now has over 1200 students.

[Sep 15]

Parish feast day Mass

Under brilliant spring sunshine and blue skies, families of Holy Name of Mary parish (Hunters Hill/Woolwich) gathered on Sep 11 for their patronal feast day Eucharist.

Frs Kevin Bates and Willy Melteras concelebrated the Mass in the grounds of Villa Maria monastery, Hunters Hill, remembering the promise 200 years ago to form the Society of Mary and anticipating the actual feast day, Sep 12.

[Sep 11]

Oceania's feature photos

Worth checking... the 'feature photo' of the Oceania Marist Province web site each week.

Click here.

[Sep 10]

'If you want peace, seek justice'

Marist Laity Australia and St Patrick's Church Hill now have details of the Marist-to-Marist Philippines immersion experience planned for January 2017.

An information session will be held on Sat, Sep 10, at 11 am in the crypt of St Patrick's for keen and interested persons.

Click here

[Sep 07]

With Monteverde community members, Superior-General, Fr John Hannan, accepts the statue from Kyoko-san, who brought the gift from Japan

Our Lady journeys to Rome

A second replica statue of Our Lady of the Journey has been presented to the Marist Fathers.

The gift was blessed by Australian, Fr Tony Corcoran, community superior of 'Montverde', General House of the Society of Mary in Rome.

An initiative of Maria Sachiko Yamoto (pictured below with her grand-daughter during their recent Sydney visit - see story in 'August news') the two replicas of the original statue in Takada, Japan, symbolise the gratitude of the Catholics of Nara prefecture for the ministry of Marists across the years.

[Sep 06]

Congratulations, James!

Good news from Thailand and Burmese Kachin student, James Brangnu, graduate of the Marist-sponsored Bridge Program (2013) and Australian Catholic University's Thai-Burma border online course (2014-15).

21 yr old James is the latest 'BP-er' to be granted a university scholarship. Bangkok's UTCC (University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce) has offered James a place in their four-year program in business administration.

Congratulations, James!

[Sep 05]

Top award for Fr Gerry

Australia's peak body for Catholic health care has awarded Fr Gerald Arbuckle SM its highest annual award.

The Maria Cunningham Lifetime Contribution Award was presented on Aug 30 to Fr Gerry at the annual conference of Catholic Health Australia in Sydney acknowledging his 'lifetime’s dedication to Catholic health and aged care in Australia and North America'.

CHA co-ordinates the largest Australian network of hospitals and aged care facilities. Congratulations, Fr Gerry!

[Sep 01]

Spring has sprung...

... in the grounds of Villa Maria monastery.

'All you plants of the earth, all your birds in the sky, O bless the Lord'.

[Sep 01]

News from Europe

Latest 'Euroinfo' from the Marist European province.

Click here

[Sep 01]

Go to JPIC diary

[Sep 01]