Jubiliarians honoured
Fr Gerry Hall proposes a toast
to the jubilarians.
Fr Jim Harding responds.
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Jubilee celebrations of Marist priesthood and religious life are being celebrated at a Mass and dinner at Villa Maria, Hunters Hill, NSW, on Oct 29.
Thirteen Australian Marists and a visiting Kiwi are being honoured for their round-figure commitments totalling six hundred and seventy years of priestly and Marist life.
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Four New Zealand Marists were present at the jubilarians' Mass and dinner.
From left: Frs Rod Milne, Frank Twiss (jubilarian), Carl Telford and Br Ray Kelleher. |
Ongoing formation planning
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Members of the Formation Committee met on Oct 29 to review a province-wide survey on ongoing formation needs.
Marist Fathers and Brothers of the Australian Province were recently invited to identify personal and community needs in ongoing formation. One likely outcome will be a 2011 workshop for local superiors.
Formation Committee members, from left: Frs Bob Barber, Tony Kennedy and Kevin Redmond. (Not pictured: Fr Gerard Hall.) |
Bishop Walker leads
Marist retreat
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The annual retreat for the province of Australia is being led by Bishop David Walker of Broken Bay diocese.
Thirty Marists are drawing from the bishop's extensive experience in spiritual leadership and scriptural studies.
The retreat is being held at Villa Maria monastery, Hunters Hill, NSW, with daily sessions in the historic Chapter Hall of Holy Name of Mary church.
Four New`Zealand Marists are amongst the retreatants as part of trans-Tasman exchanges and collaboration encouraged in recent years. |
Fr Paul in the west
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Marist author and spiritual director, Fr Paul Glynn SM, has returned from Western Australia and several weeks of conducting retreats in several centres.
Fr Paul is a favourite with patrons of 'God's Farm', 40 Km south of Busselton in Western Australia's south-west. He has given a weekend retreat there this month for the people of the Margaret River area as well as Perth residents.
In Perth Fr Paul has been engaged to facilitate other weekend retreats as well as a series of home-based mini-retreats, including amongst the Chinese Catholic community of Perth..
Visitors to this web site will recall the award received by Fr Paul from Southern Cross University for his work in ongoing peace and reconciliation between Australia and Japan. See 'May 2010 News': 'Award for Fr Paul Glynn'. |
Australian Marists join MacKillop thanksgiving Mass and walk
Top: The bishops of Australia join Cardinal George Pell at the concelebrated Mass of thanksgiving at St Paul's outside the walls, Rome. Lower: Priests from all over Australia concelebrate / Cardinal Pell preaching the homily. |
Four members of the Australian Province were present at the Mass of Thanksgiving in Rome following the canonisation of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop.
On Mon, Oct 18, the day after the canonisation, thousands of Australian pilgrims packed the giant basilica of St Paul's outside the walls as Sydney's Cardinal George Pell presided in the company of the bishops of Australia and one hundred and fifty priests.
Marists present were Fr Tony Corcoran SM (Secretary-General, Rome), Br Visesio SM (General House, Rome), Fr Michael Carroll SM, Fr Andrew Nee SM and Fr Ron Nissen SM.
Also in attendance was a delegation from the Australian Government, including Ambassador to the Holy See, Tim Fischer, Foreign Minister, Kevin Rudd, opposition deputy, Julie Bishop and Senator Barnaby Joyce.
After the Mass groups of pilgrims walked the streets of Rome tracing the footsteps of Mary MacKillop in her visits of 1873 and 1874 to gain approval for her fledgling institute of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart.
Each group was led by a Josephite Sister, including several who had come from their retirement communities in Ireland, amongst the seven hundred Irish women recruited by Mary MacKillop and her successors. |
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Left: Tim Fischer, Kevin Rudd and Cardinal George Pell after the Mass / Australian youth with Cardinal Pell.
Right: Thousands took part in the pilgrim walk throughout Rome / Sr Johann O'Sullivan RSJ (Limerick, Ireland) at the site of the Quirinale visited by Mary MacKillop in 1873.
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Local celebration for
St Mary of the Cross
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Over five hundred members of Holy Name of Mary parish, Hunters hill, NSW, gathered at an afternoon Eucharist on Oct 17 to celebrate the canonisation of Mother Mary of the Cross MacKillop.
Parish priest, Fr Kevin Bates SM, was joined by local Marists in a 4.30 pm liturgy, close to the actual time of the canonisation at St Peter's, Rome. An introduction by John Kenneally set the mood for a moving liturgy with homily by Fr Kevin and singing from Villa Maria primary school students.
The Mass took place in the grounds of Villa Maria monastery and was followed a pageant from nearby Riverview and St Joseph's College students and barbecue-and-gelato. Many parishioners stayed on for several hours celebrating their new saint.
Fr Kevin Bates SM presides at the liturgy assisted by local Marists
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Water, scripture and candles were amongst symbols presented at the beginning of the Mass. |
Canonisation of Mary MacKillop
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Members of all branches of the Marist family were in Rome for the canonisation of Australia's first Saint, Mary MacKillop.
Australian ambassador to the Holy See, Tim Fischer, welcomed eight thousand pilgrims, mostly from Australia and NZ, to a vigil presentation on the eve of the canonisation depicting the life and spirit of Mary MacKillop.
On Oct 17 in the piazza of st Peter's, His Holiness, Benedict XVI officially declared Mary MacKillop as a Saint of the Catholic Church, along with five others from Itaiy, Canada and Spain.
St Mary MacKillop (second from right) with the five other new saints.
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Scenes from the vigil presentation and the canonisation ceremony
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Left: Sr Jane Frances SM (Superior-General), Sr Margaret Vaney SM (NZ) and Sr July Brand SM (Pacific leader) with family members / Pilgrims in St Peter's square. Right: Br Tony Boyd FMS, Fr Andrew Nee SM and senior students from St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill.
/ Marist Superiors General, Sr Jane Frances SM and Sr Georganne SMSM with Australian 'Harvest' pilgrims.
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At a dinner in Rome on the evening of the canonisation managing director of Harvest Pilgrimages, Philip Ryall, acknowledges links between the 'Harvest' magazine published by the Australian Marist province years and his faith journey initiatives. Six hundred and fifty Australians attended the dinner to celebrate their new saint.
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Marists at early
MacKillop event
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Acknowledgng the close links between Mary MacKillop and the Marist Fathers in Australia, local Marists joined with Bishop Geoffrey Robinson at an early celebration anticipaing the canonisation of the Josephite foundress.
On Oct 07 at their Hunter’s Hill facility the Sisters of St. Joseph Aged Care Services hosted an event to mark the up-coming canonisation.
Bishop Robertson praised Mother Mary’s service to the Church, especially her dedication to the poor and needy who had no access to education and little exposure to the Faith.
The Mass, concelebrated in St. Joseph’s Chapel by Marists who regularly tend to the spiritual needs of the Aged Care residents and Sisters, was relayed by CCTV to nearby St. Anne’s Njursing Home and locations within the grounds.
The event was attended by staff, supporters of St. Joseph’s, friends and residents alike as well as Superior General of the Sisters of St. Joseph, Sr. Anne Derwin RSJ.
Significantly the celebration was held at the house Mother Mary bought at Hunter’s Hill in the late 1800’s which is still in use today. |
Overflow crowds watch the celebration through CCTV.
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Children dance to entertain residents and guests.
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Tongan Marist teacher in Australia
Fr Kelelolio Misiloi SM is visiting from Tonga enjoying a break from Apifo'on College where he been a staff member since 2000.
Celebrating his forty-sixth birthday on Oct 05, Fr Kelelolio joined Marist confreres for a 'birthday bash' luncheon on Labour Day at the Hunters Hill Club followed by a visit to the church of St. Peter Chanel, Woolwich, and briefing on the history of pioneer Marists in Australia.
Left: Fr Kekelolio with Fr Frank Callanan and Br Charlie Randle SM. |
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Fr Richard at Villa Maria
Holy Name of Mary parish, Hunters Hill, NSW, has the presence of Washington-based, Fr Richard De Liliio, OSFS, for the next three months.
A priest fo the Oblates of St Francis de Sales, Fr Richard has taken a semester's sabbatical leasve from the Cathiliuc University of Washingtonm DC, USA, to live at Villa Maria presbyery and conduct adult education programs in the parirsih.
Fr Richard will assist with regular parish Masses and expects to return to the USA soon after Christmas. He is pictured, left, with parish priest, Fr Kevin Bates SM. |
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Br Mondo's long service
Staff member of the Khrist Jyoti Ashram, Nadi, Fiji, Br Eremodo Eliseo SM is spending three-month long service break in Australia.
Fijian, Br Mondo, has already visited compatriot, Fr Mikaele Cilicewa SM, at the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry, Macksville NSW, and spent a week's retreat at Villa Maria monastery, Hunters Hill. |
Major superiors' progress
Major superiors from the MAP (Marist Asia-Pacific) region: Frs Paul Cooney (Australia), Larry Sabud (Philippines), Brian Cummings (NZ) and Paul Donoghue (Oceania).
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Mid-way through the meeting of Marist major superiors in Rome, Italy, Australian provincial, Fr Paul Cooney SM, reports good progress at the gathering.
Superior-General, Fr John Hannan SM, has called for worldwide Marst support in prayer for this first annual meeting of major superiros with the general administration, following a decree of the 2009 General Chapter. The meeting concludes on Oct 04. |
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