October 2025 news

District Circular

The latest issue of the Marist Fathers District Circular is now available at the Members' Page.                            [Oct 29]

'Today the Society of Mary has begun'

On Oct 29, 1824, a third Marist aspirant, Fr Etienne Déclas, arrived at the presbytery of Cerdon in the Bugey mountains of France. This event, as Fr Déclas joined Frs Pierre and Jean-Claude Colin, meant the formation of the first community of Marist Fathers. That very day Fr Pierre Colin wrote to the bishop, Alexander Devie: 'Today the Society of Mary has begun.'  Jean-Claude Colin was to keep this date as the effective beginning of the Society of Mary.

To help prepare for the Oct 29 anniversary leaflets are available in several languages on the Colin website: click here.    |   For 'The Society of Mary has begun' (English), click here.   |   For 'Etienne Déclas, Apostle of the Bugey', click here.                            [Oct 27]

Poupinel researcher visits

The Marist community of Montbel, Hunters Hill, recently welcomed Mayte Ramos, a church historian from Catholic Theological College, Auckland, NZ, visiting Sydney to consult Marist archival material concerning Fr Victor Poupinel SM.

Fr Poupinel (1815-1884) was a close associate of Ven Jean-Claude Colin, Founder of the Society of Mary, as his secretary and confidante during the early years of the Marist missions in the Pacific. Mayte has a special interest in Fr Poupinel's style of leadership as Visitor-General of Marists in the Pacific during his visits to New Zealand (1858–1866). Her research in Sydney has been in association with the University of Notre Dame and the Catholic Institute of Sydney.

When asked why she has chosen Fr Pourpinel in her studies, Mayte comments: 'Fr Poupinel offers a distinctive Marist model of servant leadership. From his base at Villa Maria, he kept missionaries Marist in spirit while diocesan structures emerged, combined prayerful prudence with hands-on organisation, used letters to encourage, correct, and coordinate across vast distances and watched over the welfare and formation of missionaries so the mission could endure.

'Fr Poupinel fascinates me as a leader who balanced pragmatism and organisational skill with empathy and prudence. His correspondence helped steady mission life and ensure the Marists stayed Marists while the local Church matured.'

If you have letters, photographs or sources relating to Fr Poupinel or early Marist work in Australia/New Zealand, Mayte would love to hear from you: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.                               [Oct 26]

SM Bulletin

In anticipation of the forthcoming Commemoration of All Souls the latest issue of SM Bulletin lists those members of the Society of Mary who have died in the past twelve months. May they rest in well-deserved peace. To download click here or go to the Members' Page.                         [Oct 26]

Fr John Larsen arrives

Retiring Superior-General, Fr John Larsen SM, arrived in Sydney on Oct 23 for a period of R&R following his eight years of leadership of the Society of Mary. He is pictured below at Sydney airport with Fr Gavin Foster and at Nemi, Italy, with his newly-elected successor, Fr Declan Marmion.

Welcome to Australia, Fr John. Enjoy your stay.                             [Oct 26]

Saint Peter To Rot

Several Marists were present at St Peter's on Oct 19 for the canonisation by Pope Leo XIV of Papua-New Guinea's first Saint, Peter To Rot.

Pope St. John Paul II declared Peter To Rot Blessed in 1995 as the first Martyr of Papua New Guinea, as a new figure of holiness as a layman, a husband, father, teacher and catechist. Pope Francis approved the canonisation on Mar 31, 2025.

One Oceanian Marist writes: 'This is great news not only for PNG but for Oceania as a whole. Saint Peter Torot is proof that it is possible to be an indigenous Oceanian and be a Saint! There are certainly many uncanonised saints from Oceania but St Peter To Rot is our first indigenous Oceanian Saint. St Peter To Rot, pray for us.'                                    [Oct 20]

General Chapter Statements & Decisions

The Statements & Decisions of the Society of Mary's 2025 General Chapter are now available on the Members' Page.                              [Oct 20]

SM Bulletin

This week's SM Bulletin reports on activities of the new General Administration, farewell to retiring GA team, General Chapter Statements and Decisions and the 150th anniversary of Fr Founder's death and associated events.

To download click here or go to Members' Page.                             [Oct 18]

Retiring team farewelled

From Rome and the General House of the Society of Mary comes this report on a farewell for the outgoing Superior General and his councillors: 'Fr John Larsen, and his councillors, Frs John Harhager, Setefano Mataele, Ben McKenna and Juan Carlos Piña presided over a celebration of the Eucharist in the chapel with the members of the staff, community confreres and the formators of Casa di Maria.

'The Mass was followed by a festive lunch which was a fraternal occasion to express gratitude for their work over the past eight years and to farewell those who are departing. It was a joy for all that also the newly elected Superior General, Fr Declan Marmion, was present.'                         [Oct 18]

Historic wall restored

Work was recently completed on the restoration of historic stonework at Villa Maria monastery, Hunters Hill.

Originally constructed in 1929 abutting the monastery's western wing, a wall offering privacy to the grounds developed a dangerous lean and needed to be dismantled stone-by-stone for the reinforcement of its foundation. Specialist stonemasons were engaged for the task of restoring the heritage-listed wall to its pristine elegance.                                [Oct 14]

Euroinfo

The latest edition of Euroinfo includes events celebrating the feast of the Holy Name of Mary as well as its usual summary of news from the Marist European province.

To download Euroinfo click here.  Holy Name of Mary page click here.                              [Oct 13]

Fr Tony Kennedy returns

Following his election as Assistant-General in the Society of Mary's new leadership team Fr Tony Kennedy returned to Sydney on Oct 12.

Before taking up residence at the Marist General House in Rome Fr Tony will spend the coming weeks back home visiting family and attending to other matters after concluding a year as District Superior of the Marist Fathers in Australia.

Welcome home, Fr Tony !                            [Oct 12]  

Br Michael Green honoured

Australian Catholic University reports: 'Today respected scholar and educator Brother Michael Green FMS accepted our highest honour. a Doctor of the University (Honoris Causa) one year after his milestone golden jubilee since entering the Marist Brothers.

'The Honorary Doctorate recognises Br Green’s significant contributions to religious pedagogy, his scholarly work on Catholic spirituality and history and the relationship between Catholic community and mission vitality.'

Br Michael commented: 'My first reaction of course was one of great surprise, but quickly that changed to one of gratitude and a sense of honour not to me, but to the work I’ve been doing and the people with whom I’ve been working.' He is the 200th recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from ACU and the third Marist Brother to receive the prestigious degree.

A song for Colin?

As part of the celebrations to mark the 150th anniversary of the death of Ven Jean-Claude Colin a 'creative song competition' invites entries from Marists in formation. Criteria for the competition are listed here. Let's see what our young musical Marists come up with!                            [Oct 08} 

 General Chapter Reports

General Chapter closing

Members of the Society of Mary's General Chapter will soon be leaving Nemi now that Fr Juan-Carlos Pina has been appointed Vicar-General and various committees draw their work to an end. The capitulants are pictured below.                             [Oct 04]

Leadership team elected

Four assistants have been elected at the Marist Fathers' General Chapter to complete the leadership team for the Society of Mary for the next four years. The assistants-general are Fr Albert Kabala (Superior of the Marist International Theologate, Casa di Maria, Rome), Fr Tony Kennedy (District Superior of Australia), Fr Juan Carlos Piña (member of the former General Council and Procurator General) and Fr Aisake Vaisima (head of the Marist Investment office of Oceania in Sydney). The elections took place during special sessions of the General Chapter at Nemi, Italy, on Oct 03. 

Congratulations to the Society of Mary's new leadership team!                                [Oct 04]

Fr Declan Marmion SM, new Superior-General

At the General Chapter of the Society of Mary being held at Nemi, Italy, Fr Declan Marmion SM has been elected as 15th Superior-General succeeding Fr John Larsen SM who retires from Marist leadership after eight years of service.

Irish-born Fr Declan, 64, was educated at C.U.S., Dublin, and joined the Marists in 1981. He is currently vicar-provincial of the Marist Province of Europe and national administrator of the Marists in Ireland.

Fr Declan has been primarily engaged in theological education, research and academic administration, most recently at the Pontifical University of St Patrick s College, Maynooth, where he served as Dean of the Faculty of Theology. His langauges include English and German with a working knowledge of French and Dutch.

In his first words to the gathered capitulants Fr Declan emphasised the importance of the Society of Mary's mission today as articulated in the approved Chapter documents as well as the need for fraternal collaboration, communion and the implementation of the orientations and decisions of the Chapter.

Capitulants will now select four General Assistants to complete the team to lead the Society of Mary for the next eight years.

Congratulations, Fr Declan!                              [Oct 02]

Novitiate Newsletter 

From 'Cerdon', the Marist International Novitiate, Davao, Philippines, comes their latest newsletter. The colourful 7-page bulletin includes reports from each of the novices on various aspects of novitiate life as well as from Novice Master, Fr Xavier Sariman SM. 

To download click here.                        [Oct 01]