January 2025 news

Anzacs in Rome

From Villa Santa Maria, the Marist Fathers' General House, Fr Ben McKenna sends the photo, below, of Rome-based religious gathered on Jan 26. The group, from Australia and New Zealand or with Australasian connections, celebrated the Eucharist before going out for an Australia Day meal.                                [Jan 29]

Australia Day reflection guide

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC) has called for deep reflection and prayer as the nation marks Australia Day 2025, releasing the Australia Day 2025 Reflection and Discernment Guide to enable Catholics to explore the complexities and significance of the day.

It also wants Australians to reflect on a nation where all feel included, respected, and valued, in a bid to inspire meaningful action and a commitment to reconciliation. 'NATSICC acknowledges and respects that many Australians hold a deep connection to this day and the pride they feel in our country,' the guide states. 'For many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, however, January 26 is a day of mixed emotions - one that brings sadness, reflection, and a sense of unresolved history.'

The guide is to be used by groups and individuals for prayerful reflection on Australia Day, which this year falls on a Sunday – our Holy Day in which the faithful come together to reflect, give thanks and seek God’s guidance.It includes prayers, scripture passages and questions for reflection.  To download click here.                              [Jan 24]

SM Bulletin

This week's SM Bulletin reports on Fr General's visit to Cameroon and Burundi, vocations days in Peru and vocation ministry in New Zealand. To download, click here or go to Members' Page.                              [Jan 24]

Calendars at Casa di Maria 

From the Marist International Theologate, Casa di Maria, Rome, Fr Albert Kabala reports on the distribution of the 2025 Colin calendar to students and staff who this year number twenty-four from fourteen countries.

The 2025 calendars, produced in Australia, have a special focus the 150th anniversary of the death of Marist Founder, Ven Jean-Claude Colin, with monthly quotations from Fr Colin and highlighting dates significant to members of the Marist Family.                              [Jan 20] 

SM Bulletin

The latest SM Bulletin reports on the appointment of Bishop Susitino Sionepoe SM as Archbishop of Nouméa, New Caledonia, ongoing formation programs for 2025 and Marist Holy Year pilgrims in Rome.

To download, click here or go to Members' Page.                                        [Jan 20]

Euroinfo

From Paris, the January issue of Euroinfo reports on vocation initiatives in London, Australian pilgrimage in France and Br Faustino's appointmernt to La Neylière. To download, click here or go to Members' Page.                               [Jan 15]

Africa News

From the Marist District of Africa comes their first bulletin for 2025. The 16-page bi-lingual newsletter includes articles (in English) from newly-ordained, Fr Clinton Kube, on vocation ministry in the district and the agricultural project at Nkoloman. To download, click here.                                  [Jan 14]  

SM Bulletin

The latest SM Bulletin reports on the death of Marist Brothers' Vicar-General, Br Luis Carlos Gutiérrez FMS, the ordination in Bougainville of Fr Cameron Mota SM, a spiritual direction workshop at Casa di Maria and Fr Jaime Pérez Martinez' book, 'The Remembrance of God'.

To download, click here or go to Members' Page.                                        [Jan 14]

Fr Cameron Mota SM

In a ceremony on Jan 09 at Hahela, Bougainville, in Our Lady of the Assumption cathedral Cameron Mota was ordained to the priesthood by Most Rev Bishop Dariuz Kaluz.. He will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving at St Aloysius' parish, Tabago, Buin, on Jan 12.

Fr Cameron experienced formation at Marist College and Pacific Reginal Seminary, Suva, Fiji, before a year at the Marist International novitiate in 2016, with further studies in Rome and Suva.  

Congratulations, Fr Cameron!                              [Jan 10]

District Circular

The latest issue of the District Circular is available at the Members' Page.                              [Jan 10]

'An exhilarating speed'

Fr Justin Taylor's biography 'Jean-Claude Colin, Reluctant Founder' (Ch 13) describes the period (1834-36) leading up to the Society of Mary's approval by Rome. A turning point came when mission-minded Pope Gregory XVI entrusted to the Society of Mary the missions of the south-west Pacific. Jan 10 marks the anniversary of this event in 1836.

Fr Taylor describes: 'From now on, things moved at an exhilarating speed. Doors that had been shut in Colin’s face now opened. Insuperable obstacles were swept away. Hard-headed cardinals, who had been sceptical or even hostile towards a Society of Mary with several branches... now pressed forward to approve a Society of Mary of priests, which would provide missionaries for the south Pacific.' 

On Jan 10 each year Marists are encouraged to offer Mass for the Society of Mary.                            [Jan 09] 

Bicentenary of Bugey Missions

Jan 09, 2025, marks the 200th anniversary of the first missions conducted by the pioneer Marist Fathers. On this day in 1825 Frs Jean-Claude Colin and Etienne Déclas climbed from the presbytery of Cerdon, high in the Bugey mountains of eastern France, to reach the village of La Balme. This was the first renewal mission to be preached by the infant Society of Mary.

The mountains of the Bugey are part of the giant massif dividing France from Switzerland. Its Catholic parishes did not escape the assaults of the French Revolution. Missions needed to be preached only in winter when farmers and their families were confined to the village precincts.

The La Balme mission, from Jan 09 to 25, was preached in the depths of a such a Bugey winter and was followed by many more in local parishes in subsequent decades. 

For a brief pictorial summary of the first twenty-seven missions, each involving Jean-Claude Colin, click here or go to the Colin website's Resources/Pilgrimage page.  In 2021 the Colin calendar featured images of the Bugey in winter: click here.                                    [Jan 08]    

Renewal of Vows

In a simple ceremony on Jan 04, thirteen young men - seminarians of the Society of Mary - renewed their religious vows as Marists. They are pictured, below, with Superior-General, Fr John Larsen SM, who received their vows in the chapel of Casa di Maria, the Marist International Theologate, Rome.                              [Jan 06]

Superior-General's Reflection

In his first monthly reflection for 2025 Fr John Larsen SM speaks of the place of Marists 'on the peripheries'.

To download, click here or go to Superior-General's page.                               [Jan 03]

Trumpeting the New Year

Members of the Mate Ma'a Tonga Brass Band trumpeted the New Year in for the community of Maryvale/Montbel, Hunters Hill.

They are pictured below on Jan 02 entertaining Montbel residents and friends, the onlookers including Tongan Marists, Frs 'Aliki Langi and 'Aisake Vaisima.                              [Jan 02]