Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation

This page: 2021      Ranong report     |     Marists and sustainability     |     New Year contemplation

2020:  Dadirri - the deep spring    |     World, Church & Marists     |     Ranong graduations     |     Māori dialogue     |     Border update     |     Oceania legacy     |     Laudato Si in action in action     |     Fr Olivier's dialogue with Islam     |     Ecological education at Toulon     |     Marist ecology at Tutu     |     Caring for the Cooks     |     Sin is in the air     |     Peace through inter-religious encounter     |     Street boys' pandemic studies     |     A second creation     |     Pandemic in Bolivia     |     Marist education, 'a new creation'     |     Respect for the planet's resources     |     Season of Creation     |     Hope, facing no hope     |     Australia's dodos     |     COVID initiatives in Africa     |     Give it a go     |     This Fragile Globe     |     From Hope Cathedral     |     Tutu's tradition     |     Black lives matter: Australia-Pacific     |     Senegal's street kids     |     Saturday sandwiches     |     Refugee Week     |     Home ecology      |     Rosemary's Way     |     Prison and COVID     |     Reconciliation, AUS-USA, a common need     |     Laudato Si and the 8-year plan     |     Reconciliation Week, 2020     |     Global Prayer at noon     |     A story I don't want to tell     |     Practical ideas for Laudato Si week     |     Laudato Si week     |     Faith bigger than fear     |     Post-COVID, a new normal?     |     A hunger pandemic     |     Earth Day's 50th anniversary     |     Pope's pandemic commission     |     Border Triduum     |     Street kids' response     |     Pope Francis prays for the world     |     Jaime's rooftop garden     |     Corona and climate     |     Pandemic - poems and prayers     |     Lenten carbon fast     |     Coronavirus - a faith response     |     JPICC meets     |     Down Under under attack     |      Br Paul's letter from Thailand     |     After the fires     |     Beloved Amazon     |     BP20 under way     |     WIHW     |     Caring for the green mountain     |     Fr Luigi's well     |     Unusual kindness     |     Laudato Si and the Marist Family     |     Timo's story 

 Recommended
web links:

Click for:

 'Caring for our planet' 

Sustainability Covenant

Ranong report

From Ranong, southern Thailand, Fr Frank Bird SM sends the annual report of the Marist Asia Foundation. Its thirty pages offer a comprehensive summary of a challenging year spent among Burmese migrant workers and their families during the pandemic. Fr Frank gratefully notes the presence of Australian Marist, Fr Kevin Redmond, (pictured below surrounded by Ranong students and with Fr Frank) whose extended stay will shortly end as he returns to Australia for the start of the new mission venture at Marayong, NSW. 

For the MAF report: click here.                            [Jan 15)

Marists and Sustainability 

Superior-General, Fr John Larsen's first reflection for 2021 focuses on practical issues of sustainability. Speaking of 'ecological conversion' it is accompanied by a 'Sustainability Covenant' developed by the Marist Ecological Commission and adopted by the General Council of the Society of Mary as a model for Marist communities worldwide.

Click for:   Superior-General's reflection     |     Sustainability Covenant      For other languages (Spanish, Italian and French), go to the JPIC Blog: click here.

For earlier reflections by Fr John Larsen, go to the Superior-General's page: click here.                            [Jan 09]

New Year contemplation

From Rome Fr Ben McKenna introduces this week's JPIC Blog: 'Our blog this week is an invitation to begin our Journey into 2021 with a contemplative heart, one with God, to play our part in healing our wounded world.' Go to the Blog: click here.                               [Jan 05]

Dadirri - the deep spring

This week's JPIC Blog comes from Australian indigenous woman, Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann, who offers a listening experience for Christmas.  Go to the Blog: click here.                              [Dec 22]

World, Church and Marists

This week's JPIC Blog follows a recent gathering in Rome of a Laudato Si circle.  Fr Ben McKenna was there. Go to the Blog: click here.                               [Dec 14]

Ranong graduations

This week's JPIC Blog features the recent ACU graduation of immigrant youth at the Marist mission, Ranong, Thailand. Go to the Blog: click here.                       [Dec 07]

Māori dialogue

In this week's JPIC Blog Fr Phil Cody SM reflects on years of dialogue with the Māori people of Aotearea/New Zealand. Go to the Blog: click here                                   [Nov 30]

Border update

This week's JPIC Blog comes from Brownsville, Texas, where Fr Tony O'Connor SM gives an update, 'Which soul of the nation?',  on life, ministry and COVID-19 on the Mexican border. Go to the Blog: click here.                                 [Nov 23]

Oceania legacy

From Rome, Assistant-General, Fr Ben NcKenna SM, sends the weekly JPIC Blog with this comment: 'The blog is going up on 15^th November: the anniversary of Françoise Perreton, a pioneer of the Missionary Sisters of the Society of Mary (SMSM) leaving France for Oceania in 1845. Thirty years later, on 15^th November 1875, Jean-Claude Colin, Marist Founder, went to his eternal reward. Their legacy lives on...' Go to the Blog: click here                                    [Nov 16]

Laudato Si in action

This week's JPIC Blog is from Fr Jim Duffy SM who reports on the initiatives of Our Lady of the Assumption parish, Atlanta, USA. Go to the Blog: click here.                                   [Nov 09]

Fr Olivier's dialogue with Islam

This week's JPIC Blog comes again from Toulon, France, where Fr Paddy O'Hare reports on the work of Fr Olivier Laurent with Christian-Islamic dialogue. Go the Blog: click here.                                [Nov 03]

Ecological education at Toulon

This week’s JPIC Blog comes from Fr Paul Walsh SM, Toulon, France, about the crucial role of education of young people in ecological awareness and practices. Go to the Blog: click here.                              [Oct 27]

Marist ecology at Tutu

Fr Petero Matairatu SM is the director of the Marist Training Centre, Tutu, Taveuni, Fiji, In this week's JPIC Blog he describes the ecologically-sensitive developments amongst the young farfmers and failies of Tutu. Go the the Blog: click here.                                [Oct 19]

Caring for the Cooks

This week's JPIC Blog comes from Bishop Paul Donogbue SM, Rarotonga, Cook Is, about the people's response to Laudato Si.  Go to the Blog: click here.                           [Oct 12]

Sin is in the air

Fr Kevin Bates' weekly reflection for Holy Name of Mary parish is a perceptive look at modern world trends, corporate and human behaviour. Click here.                             [Oct 10]

Peace through inter-religious encounter

From Rome Fr Kevin Medilo SM shares his experience of inter-religious dialogue in this week's JPIC Blog.  Go to the Blog: click here.                                  [Oct 06]

A second creation

This week's JPIC Blog is educationalist Fr 'Aisake Vaisima's reflection on Marist education as a 'second creation', according to the mind of Marist Founder, Jean-Claude Colin. Go to the Blog: click here                                [Sep 21] 

Pandemic in Bolivia

This week's JPIC Blog comes from Fr John Hopkison's 75th birthday letter reflecting on living through the pandemic in Bolivia. Go to the Blog: click here.                        [Sep 15]

Marist education , 'a new creation'

This week's JPIC Blog features the insights of Fr Cyr Avaligbe SM, former manager of the Institution Mariste Jean-Claude Colin de Ndiakhirate, Dakar, Senegal. Go to the Blog: click here.                             [Sep 07]

Respect for the planet's resources

In a short but moving video, Pope Francis forcefully speaks out against acts of “looting” against God’s creation and calls on all people to take action to protect God’s gifts “today, not tomorrow, today.”  For the video, click here                              [Sep 04]

Season of Creation

In the spirit of Pope Francis' Laudato Si and from the Global Catholic Climate Movement, program manager for Asia Pacific, Cheryl Dugan, encourages worldwide participation in the five-week Season of Creation commencing today. Download the handy guide: click here.                               [Sep 01]

Hope facing no hope

This week's JPIC Blog, from Fr Tony O'Connor SM, Brownsville, Texas, is the moving story of asylum seeker, Rodrigo. Go the the Blog: click here.                        [Aug 31]

 Australia's dodos

This week's JPIC Blog comes from Fr Jim Carty, commenting on Australia's increasing loss of biodiveristy.. Go to the Blog: click here.                           [Aug 24]

COVID initiatives in Africa

In this week's JPIC Blog, from Yaoundé, Cameroon, and the Marist Mission District of Africa, Fr Albert Kabala reports on a range of creative initiatives during the pandemic. Go to the Blog: click here.                              [Aug 17]

Give it a go

This week's JPIC Blog comes from Browsville, Texas, and Fr Tony O'Connor SM, with the experience of the pandemic on the USA-Mexico border. Go to the Blog: click here.                                [Aug 12]

This Fragile Globe

Following the Beirut explosion and in the midst of the COVID pandemic, Fr Kevin Bates' reflects on the fragile state of our world. Click here                                     [Aug 07]

From Hope Cathedral

This week's JPIC Blog comes from Norway, where a friend of the Marists, Elisabeth Golding, reflects on Pope Francis' Laudato Si letter on World Environment Day. She speaks from Oslo's 'Cathedral of Hope', itself constructed from waste materials collected on Norway's shores. Go to the Blog: click here.                          [Jul 27]

Tutu's tradition

This week's JPIC Blog comes from Fr Isaia Wairoga SM, director of the Marist Rural Training Centre, Tutu, Fiji, maintaining a long tradiion of empowering the young farmers and families of Taveuni . Go to the Blog: click here.                          [Jul 20] 

Black lives matter: Australia-Pacific

This week's JPIC Blog comes from Marist Associate, Rev Ross Flint, Tasmania. Go to the Blog: click here.                         [Jul 06]

Senegal's street kids

This week's JPIC Blog comes from Dakar, Senegal, reporting on the ministry to street kids of Fr Roger Kasiama SM, director of the Marist Ministry of Family and Social Reintegration for Children in Street Situations.  Go to the Blog: click here.                              [Jun 29]

Saturday sandwiches

This week's JPIC Blog is from Br Ivan Vodopivec SM, a member of the Marist community of Notre Dame de France, Leicester Square, London. He describes their outreach to provide simple meals for the homeless on Saturdays - and Fridays, too. Go to the Blog: click here.                           [Jun 23[  

Refugee Week

For the range of events during Refugee Week during the Year of Welcome 2020, click here. 

Home ecology

This week's JPIC Blog features the continuing environmental work of Fr Donato Kivi SM, rector of Marist College, Suva, Fiji. Go to the Blog: click here.                            [Jun 16]

Rosemary's Way

At its recent meeting the Marist Family Committee for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation moved to promote the award-nomnated documentary, 'Rosemary's Way', depicting the extraordinary assimilation ministry of Rosemary Kariuki amongst migrant and refugee women in Australia and their welcome by Australian communities. Former Marist Laity leader, Maria Baden, (pictured below, far right) features in some parts of the documentary which is currently part of the Sydney Film Festival.

Go to the website: click here.    View trailer:  click here.                                 [Jun 15]. 

Prison and COVID

In this week’s JPIC Blog Sr Carlotta Calle Remaicuna, SMSM, describes from Peru how the COVID-19  pandemic has added to the problems that prisoners face. Go to the Blog: click here.                            [Jun 08] 

Reconciliation, AUS-USA, a common need

In the wake of violence in Minneapolis, USA, and during Reconciliation Week in Australia, Fr Jim Carty, in this week's JPIC Blog, reflectis on the common need for reconciliation in both Australia and USA. Go to the Blog: click here.                           [Jun 01] 

Laudato Si and the 8-year plan

This week's JPIC Blog from Rome links to resources for an 8 year plan inspired by Laudato Si.  Fr Ben McKenna says: 'I would recommend a slow, reflective read, which will flow into practical plans: personal, communal, and institutional.' 

Go to the Blog: click here.                             [May 29]

Reconciliation week, 2020

Wed, May 27, is National Sorry Day, remembering the landmark declaration towards reconciliation. For details of this year's Reconciliation Week and opportunities to participate, click here.  

Global prayer at noon

As a climax to the Laudato Si 5th anniversary week, Catholics across the globe will be united in spirit and bring solidarity to the world in a shared moment of prayer at noon local time on May 24. Participants may register here and click here to download the Common Prayer.                            [May 23]

A story I don't want to tell

From Brownsville , USA, Fr Tony O'Connor SM sends this story...

Mike Seifert has lived in Texas border communities since 1989. In 2017 he became Border Advocacy Strategist for the ACLU of Texas. Here is the story he did not want to tell. click here.                           [May 19]

Practical ideas for Laudato Si week

In this week's JPIC Blog Sr Catherine Jones SMSM writes from Notre Dame de France, London, with practical ideas on how to observe Laudato Si week. Go to the Blog: click here.                        [May 18]

Laudato Si week

Pope Francis invites us to mark the fifth anniversay of his monumental letter on the care for our planet, 'Laudato Si' with a week of special prayer and reflection, May 16-24. 

For the comprehensive program suggested by the Australian Jesuits, click here and here.  For Pope Francis' video message, click here.                       [May 15]

Faith bigger than fear

This week's Monday JPICC Blog from Rome is from Fr Tony O'Connor SM on the USA-Mexican border. Facebook and food bank during COVID times.   Go to the Blog: click here.                           [May 12]

Post-COVID, a new normal?

In this week's JPIC Blog, Rev Ross Flint ponders what a new normal might be after the pandemic. Go to the Blog: click here.                           [May 05]

A hunger pandemic

In this week's JPIC Blog, Fr Jim Carty points to the pandemic of hunger paralleling the COVID-19 outbreak. Go to the Blog: click here.                              [Apr 28] 

Earth Day's 50th anniversary

Pope Francis has devoted his weekly audience on Apr 22 to marking the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.  Go to the text: click here.                         [Apr 23]

Pope's pandemic commission

This week’s JPIC Blog records Pope Francis' latest initiative to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Go to the Blog: click here                        [Apr 21] 

Border Triduum

This week's JPIC Blog comes from Fr Tony O'Connor SM on the USA/Mexican border. Go to the Blog: click here.                           [Apr 14]

Street kids' response

This week's JPIC Blog comes from Davao, Philippines: the response of Balay Pasilungan's youngsters. Go to the Blog: click here.                              [Apr 08]

Pope Francis prays for the world

This week's JPIC Blog is the Holy Father's recent 'Urbi et Orbi' message. Go to the Blog: click here.                             [Mar 30]

Jaime's rooftop garden

During Rome's pandemic lock-down, Mexican Marist seminarian, Jaime Perez Martinez SM, has used time to restore abandoned garden plants and reflect on their new lease of life. Indeed, Jaime, a student at Casa di Maria, the Marist International Theologate, points to how much life can flow from these restricted times.  Good on you, Jaime!  A fine use of lock-down time.

For Jaime's reflection, 'Principles of Death, Principles of Life', click here.                        [Mar 28]

Corona and climate

From New Zealand, in this week's Monday Blog, Fr Peter Healy SM shares about Maori culture and the connections between corona and climate. Go to the Blog: click here.                            [Mar 23]

Pandemic - poems and prayers

With the spread of COVID-19, thoughtful reflections, poems and prayers, are emerging as well.

Click below for:

• 'Lockdown' - Capuchin friar, Richard Henricks OFM Cap
• Video reading of 'Lockdown' by Fr Mike Surufta OFM
• 'Pandemic' - Lynn Sungar
• 'Prayer for a Pandemic (anonymous)
• Vatican message for Religious                               [Mar 21]

Lenten carbon fast

Catholic Religious Australia's calendar for the Lenten carbon fast is available, click here. (Apologies to CRI for the late uploading.)                               [Mar 10] 

Coronavirus - a faith response

In this week's JPIC Blog from Rome, Fr Ben McKenna reflects on the current crisis through the eyes of faith. Go to the blog: click here.                           [Mar 09]

JPICC meets

The Marist Family Committee for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation held its first meeting for 2020 on Mar 07. The Hunters Hill session heard reports on activities including ecological programs, immersion experiences, use of social media, support for homeless, refugees and stateless children.

The committee continues to support the Marist Father's JPIC 2018 initiative to establish a world-wide Blog, a recent item of which featured Fr Jim Carty's reflections on the bushires of Australia.

Below from left: Fr Jim Carty, Andrew Dumas (Marist Laity Australia), Fr Kevin Stewart and Sr Ruth Davis SM (Fr Ron Nissen not pictured). Other Committee members are Sr Margaret Tisch SMSM, Br Paul Murphy FMS and Frs Kevin Bates and Paul Mahony.                          [Mar 07]

Down Under under attack

This week's JPIC Blog is Australian Marist, Fr Jim Carty's, sober comment on the ecology and climate of his homeland. Go to the Blog: click here.                           [Mar 02]

Br Paul's letter from Thailand

This week's JPIC Blog is a letter from Marist Brother Paul Murphy FMS working with undocumented migrant children in Thailand. Go to the Blog: click here.                           [Feb 26]

After the fires

In two of his regular weekend reflections, Fr Kevin Bates SM, officers thoughtful challenges in the aftermath of recent fires and floods. Click for: After the fires, unfinished business and Too much excess.                             [Feb 22]

Beloved Amazon

This week's JPIC Blog from Rome taps into Pope Francis' post-synodial exhortation, 'Querida Amazonia - Beloved Amazon'.  Go the Blog: click here,  For the full text of 'Beloved Amazon', click here.                               [Feb 18]

BP20 under way

The latest in the ongoing series of 'Bridge Programs' commenced in early February. Twelve young adult 'BP-ers' from various parts of Myanmar and Thailand have begun a twenty-week journey of D.I.Y. assignments geared to prepare them for entrée to higher education and employment.

BP began in 2011 as a consequence of the Marist Mission Centre's involvement with Burmese refugee camp hostels and the establishment of Australia Catholic Universty's online diploma course.on the Thai-Myanmar border.

The Bridge Program is led by a team of former-BP-ers who upload assignments to the BP website and coordinate many of the program's activities including regular Skype video sessions.                        [Feb 14]

Above: Participants in BP20     |    Masthead of the Bridge Program website.

Below: Skype video sessions are integral to the Bridge Program in developing English language skills.     |    BP's signature image of a refugee youngster crossing a camp bridge into the future.     |    The Coordinating Team of BP20.

 WIHW

In this week's JPIC Blog, Fr Larry Sabud SM prepares for World Inter-Faith Harmony Week.   Go to the Blog: click here.                           [Feb 11] 

Caring for the green mountain

'Villa Santa Maria', the General House of the Society of Mary, is located in the 'Monteverde' ('green mountain') district of Rome. The Marist community keeps an active ecological eye on the grounds and its groves of fruit trees, terraces and lawns.

Assistant-General, Fr Ben Mc Kenna, (pictured below, watering can in hand), took photos of the recent tree-lopping at 'Monteverde' on the heights overlooking the city of Rome.

See also 'The greening of Rome' (May 2019): click here                                 [Feb 06]

Fr Luigi's well

In this week's JPIC Blog, from Cameroon, Africa, Marist missionary, Fr Luigi Savoldelli SM, describes a life-giving initiative . Click here.                             [Feb 04]

Unusual kindness

In this week's JPIC Blog from Rome, Fr Tony O'Connor shares moving stories of the experiences of his flock on the US-Mexican border. Go to the Blog: click here.                        [Jan 28]

Laudato Si and the Marist Family

This week's JPICC Blog from Rome features the Marist Family's planning for 2020's events surrounding Laudato Si. Go to the Blog: click here.                         [Jan 17]

Timo's story

Timothy Ehklokweh ('Timo' to his friends) is now an Australian citizen. Born in Karen State, Myanmar, in 1988, Timo's story reflects the success of the Marist Mission Centre's sowing seeds of hope, education and development along the Thai-Burma border for over twenty years.

Following his citizenship ceremony on Dec 18 in Brunswick, Melbourne, Timo commented: 'I especially want to thank MMC for being such a great support when we had nothing to live on or study with in the refugee camp. MMC offered great influences to me and helped a lot of young Karen to grow up with faith and education. Thank you, thank you!'

The images below tell something of Timo's story....                               [Jan 02] 

Above: A smiling Timo becomes an 'Aussie'   |   .... with his wife, Su Su.

Below: Timo as a 15-yr-old at MMC Hostel, Maera Moo refugee camp on the Tha-Burma border, 2004. Sent by anxious parents from his home village in Karen State, Myanmar, to the safety of Maera Moo, Timo began primary school at the camp, moving to high school during his MMC Hostel years.   |   ...with his sister, Lu Lu Paw, at MMC Hostel, 2005   |   ... learning music from Hostel carer, Paul Heh Htoo Moo, himself a product of MMC's Leadership & Management program at Mae La refugee camp. MMC funded several L&M centres in the border camps of Mae La, Mae Khong Kha, Mae La Oon and Mae Hong Son.

Above: Timo with fellow hostel students during MMC's scholarship program 2005. The refugee youth could choose English language, music or art skill development.    |    Hostel students (Timo, second from left) helping MMC's 'The Other Half' program visitors at Maera Moo camp.

Below: Timo and hostellers with TOH 2004.   |   MMC's 'Chanel House' project in Maesot, Thailand, 2006, saw Timo (front centre) in an initiative encouraging self-study and online research. All 'Chanelians' are now resettled in Australia, Canada and USA.