April 2024 - Marist Fathers Australia

April 2024 news

For previous years, go to News menu, above

District Circular

The April issue of the Australian Marist District Circular is available at the Members' Page. [Apr 29]

'On whatever distant shore'

Ending a twenty-year journey of preparation and emerging leadership, Marist Founder, Fr Jean-Claude Colin, accepted Pope Gregory XVI's invitation in 1836 for the fledgling Marist group to undertake the missions of the south-west Pacific.

The Holy Father and the Congregation 'Propaganda Fide' were looking for missionaries to send to the distant and unevangelised islands of Oceania. Fr Colin responded: 'We will work on whatever distant shore'.

On Apr 29 that year the mission-minded Pope gave his official approval to the establishment of the Society of Mary. The document meant that the Marists were now official. The Holy Father, then as Cardinal Mauro Cappellari, was formerly Prefect of 'Propaganda Fide' and had shown himself a vigorous promoter of the missions.

Marists today offer Mass for God's blessing on the Society of Mary. Happy 188th anniversary ! [Apr 29]

The event is noted in the leaflet biography of Fr Colin, 'On Whatever Distant Shore', available in several languages: English | French | German | Portuguese | Spanish

St Peter Chanel SM

First martyr of Oceania Feast Day Apr 28

Icon written in 1991 to mark the 150th anniversary of his martyrdom on the island of Futuna in 1841.

For more on the life of St Peter Chanel and for prayer and liturgical resources go to the website of Ven Jean-Claude Colin, Resources/St Peter Chanel tab: click here. [Apr 28]

Three Frontiers

From Guanambi, Brazil, Kiwi Marist missionary, Fr Paddy O'Neil SM, sends his account of a recent journey 'to the heart of the Amazon'. To download, click here.

Pictured below, Fr Paddy and some of the sights illustrated in his story. [Apr 26]

Anzac Day

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. We will remember them.[Apr 25]

Pacific finance group meets

The Finance Committee of the Marist Oceania Province is meeting this week in Sydney from Apr 23 to 25. Reviewing fiscal matters and planning for future financial operations and investments, the committee comes together each year at the Australian Marist District Office, Hunters Hill. [Apr 23]

Above, from left: Fr Floyd Gatana SM (minutes secretary), Fr Lutoviko Manu SM (Provincial bursar), Mr Lawrence Cakau (Provincial accountant), Mr John Gorman (Financial advisor), Fr Milikiade Raiyalu SM (Oceania Provincial), Mr Peter Sheehan (Financial advisor) and Fr 'Aisake Vaisima SM. Below: The Committee in session at the Australian Marist District Office, Hunters Hill.... and in the nearby grounds.

Euroinfo

This month's Euroinfo reports on events, celebrations and re-openings throughout the Marist European Province. To download, click here or go to Members' Page. [Apr 22]

SM Bulletin

This week's SM Bulletin reports on the 25th anniversary of the canonisation of St Marcellin Champagnat and the future of Marist schools in Ireland and also the start of the vocations novena leading to the feast of St Peter Chanel.

To download click here or go to Members' Page. For the newly-produced vocation novena, click here. Also, see below, Novena begins. [Apr 19]

Novena begins

Marists are now preparing for the traditional vocations novena prayed through the intercession of St Peter Chanel SM, first martyr of Oceania, from Apr 19-27 and for the celebration of his feast day on Apr 28.

0423 SPC nov 0419 Prayer Service DL cover

Champagnat anniversary

The Marist Brothers report: 'Twenty-five years after the canonization of Saint Marcellin Champagnat (April 18, 1999), Marists around the world express what the Institute's founder means to them. Here, Nathan Ahearne from Australia, Star of the Sea, shares his thoughts.' For the short video, click here.

Along with Society of Mary founder, Ven Jean-Claude Colin, Fr Marcellin was one of the young Marist aspirants who, on Jul 23, 1816, pledged to form the Marist Family, a tree with many branches. Within months he had established the first community of Marist Brothers. [Apr 18]

SM Bulletin

This week's SM Bulletin reports on the commencement of this years' Marist International Novitiate, a Bugey experience in Fiji and Fr Gerry Arbuckle's latest book. To download click here or go to Members' Page. [Apr 12]

Domestic violence and JPIC

At its Apr 06 meeting the Marist Family JPIC Committee continued planning for a gathering later this year to address issues of domestic violence. At the event, scheduled for Sep 08 at the parish hall, Hunters Hill, it is hoped to distribute a simple resource with key information inspired by that of Broken Bay diocese. [Apr 08]

Clinton's iconic moment

For Marist deacon, Clinton Kube SM, it was an iconic moment to assist Pope Francis at the Easter Sunday Mass at St Peter's, Rome. During the ceremony Clinton and a fellow deacon exposed an icon of the Saviour in the presence of the Holy Father and tens of thousands gathered for the Mass.

In his native Cameroon, Africa, Clinton's vocation was encouraged by Australian missionary and former provincial, the late Fr Bob Barber SM. [Apr 07]

Above: Scenes from the Easter Sunday Mass and the exposing of the Saviour icon by Deacon Clinton. Below: Clinton on the day of his diaconate ordination in Rome last October, with Archbshop Paul Martin SM and Theologate director, Fr Tony Kennedy SM. (For Clinton's diaconate day, click here.)

Called by name

In his Easter reflection Superior-General, Fr John Larsen SM, begins with Mary Magdalene at the tomb, hearing Jesus call her by name. He writes 'We are renewed in our Marist missionary vocation when we hear in our daily prayer the profound summons of the Lord, calling each of us by name.'

To download click here or go to Superior-General's page. [Apr 06]

Fr Hoppy's Easter letter

From the Refugio Yanacachi, Bolivia, Australian missionary, Fr John ('Hoppy') Hopkinson SM, sends an Easter letter speaking of the 'New Horizon' vision for the Misioneros Maristas. To download, click here. [Apr 05]

Above: Way of the Cross at La Mamora village, accompanied by the Marist team. | Fr Hoppy with the fruit of the community garden at Refugio Yanacachi.

Novitiate orientation

Novice Master, Fr David Sanchez SM, sends a special newsletter from 'Eden', the Marist International Novitiate, Davao, Philippines, with reflections on the orientation program for the twelve young men beginning their year of discernment and preparation for Marist profession.

Fr David comments: 'The texts are glimpses of what happened during our orientation program. Now the time has come to taste God. Please, pray for all of us so we may have the hearts and minds to discern according to the will of God.'

To download (5.7 Mb), click here. [Apr 02]

Buddhist Master visits

The latest guest of the Maryvale/Montbel Marist community, Hunters Hill, is Master Phung, a prominent Buddhist Master Teacher in Southern Vietnam. Master Phung is director of a large Buddhist-Christian inter-faith community engaged in social justice and poverty alleviation projects serving the poor.

He is currently in Australia to visit Vietnamese supporters of the Buddhist–Christian Community and Centre that he founded and directs. He speaks no English so communication is mainly a smile. His visit to Australia is sponsored by Magdalena Lai who is involved in outreach to the homeless in Surry Hills in inner-city Sydney.

Fr Kevin Stewart SM, while waiting recently in Vietnam for a visa to Myanmar, was himself the guest of Master Phung. Fr Kevin visited some of the projects among the deaf and dumb, prisons, mental health hospitals and especially elderly still suffering from Agent Orange bombing during the Vietnam war. He comments: 'It is Inspirational the way Catholics and Buddhists worked together. When the Myanmar visa finally came through, Master Phung accompanied me to Myanmar and then to our Marist Mission in Ranong, Thailand, which is developing an Inter-Faith Centre initially sponsored by our Fr Paul Glynn.

Pictured below: Master Phung at Montbel with Magdalena Lai and Fr Kevin Stewart. | With the community and staff of the Marist Mssion at Ranong, Thailand. [Apr 02]

The Conch

From Suva and the headquarters of the Oceania Marist Province, Fr Lutoviko Manu SM writes:

'In our planning for the year the Provincial Council decided to produce a quarterly reflection. The monthly OMP Bulletin gathers pits and pieces of news from the mission field but we felt there should be some deeper reflection from confreres on their mission and varied experiences.

'We decided to call it the 'Conch' knowing that the purpose of a conch shell in the old days was to call the attention of people in a village for meeting or announcing something important.

'So this is our first 'Conch', with reflections from the Provincial, Fr Kiade, Fr Dylan and Seminarian Pouono Vea.

'Happy reading, and we wish you all a blessed and joyous celebration of Easter.'

To download the first issue of 'Conch', click here. [Apr 02]

Earth Day 2024

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