October 2009 News

Japanese confirmations           Davao centre           Parish priests 2010          Montbel opening soon           Chapter experience


Japanese confirmations

Fr Paul Glynn SM administers the Sacrament of Confirmation to two members of Sydney's Japanese Catholic community at Holy Name of Mary church, Hunters Hill, NSW, Oct 25.

         

           
Japanese Catholics with their families gather regularly with Fr Paul

TOP

Davao centre blessed

The Marist Mission District of the Philippines has a new residence and centre opened and blessed this month in Davao city. The centre, to be known as 'Colin House', features accommodation for all district members during their periodic gatherings and a free standing chapel.

Marists have been ministering to the people of Mindanao in the southern Philippines for twenty-eight years.


    
TOP
     
From left: Frs Ray Chapman, Tony Kennedy
and Paul Mahony.

Parish priests for 2010

Marist parishes in three states will have new parish priests in January 2010.

Fr Ray Chapman SM will lead the team of St Patrick's city shrine in downtown Sydney after completing post-graduate studies in Brisbane.

Fr Tony Kennedy SM will move from his post as rector of the Marist formation community in Auckland, NZ, to become parish priest of Burnie-Wynyard, in Tasmania's north-west.

Fr Paul Mahony SM, presently parish priest of Walgett NSW, will move to Gladstone parish in Central Queensland.

TOP

Montbel opening soon

Construction of the Marist retirement facility, 'Montbel', Hunters Hill, is nearing completion. A blessing and opening ceremony is planned for Nov 15.

   

                    

                   
(Photos: late September)

TOP

Provincial's Chapter experience

Australian Marist Provincial, Fr Paul Cooney SM, recently back from Rome and the General Chapter of the Society of Mary shares his experience of the event...

Having never been to a General Chapter before, I was unsure what to expect. Now, after the event, several impressions remain with me.

  • The great camaraderie among all the confreres and others assisting who were present was a joy to be part of.
  • The intensity of the experience in being in the Salesianum in Rome and working hard together for four weeks on a very important task was both taxing and rewarding.
  • The many levels of belonging and identity one brings to the Chapter (in my case: ‘Australian’, ‘Marist’, ‘Provincial’, ‘member of Marist Asia Pacific’, ‘interested in finance’, ‘background in parishes’, ‘experience in Ireland and New Zealand’) all contributed to the event, but were also challenged by the encounter with the broader Marist experience.
  • The outcomes that were agreed on seem to me to be a faithful reflection of a joyful, intense, multi-faceted and graced Chapter.

 
         
TOP