April news

Colin calendar:   2021


Click here for News 2008 to 2017
     |     For News 2018 to 2020 click here.


This page:     Brisbane Chanel celebration     |     Oceania News Bulletin     |     On whatever distant shore     |     St Peter Chanel     |     Farewell, Br Colin     |     Provincial Circular     |     Anzacs in Rome     |     SM Bulletin     |     Remember and pray     |     Hope for the future     |     St Peter Chanel novena     |     Passing of Br Colin Campbell SM     |     Montbel celebrations     |     SM Bulletin     |     Aussie camino for Wilai     |     Fr Kevin Redmond returns     |     The Branch     |     Euroinfo     |     SM Bulletin     |     New Assistant-General     |     Marist Laity e-Newsletter     |     Love in action

 


 
Brisbane Chanel celebration

Marist provincial, Fr Tony Corcoran SM, present in Brisbane at the time of St Peter Chanel's feast day, presided at Mass in the chapel of the Marist Brothers' community, Rosalie, on Apr 28.

Local Marist Fathers, Brothers and friends (pictured below) joined the celebration.                              [Apr 30]

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Oceania News Bulletin

From Suva, Fiji, this month's Oceania News Bulletin includes a report on Earthbag Building Technology at the Marist Eco-Centre, Dawasamu.  Click here or go to Members' Page.                               [Apr 29] 

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On whatever distant shore...

On Apr 29, 1836, a parchment document was signed in Rome giving official approval to the Society of Mary. Three weeks later, in Belley, France, a delighted Jean-Claude Colin with his pioneer Marist confrères received the letter with due ceremony and great joy.

Not long before, when the suggestion was made that the fledgeling group should undertake the missions of the south-west Pacific, Fr Colin had responded 'We will work on whatever distant shore.''  (Click here for leaflet)

The document meant that the Marists were now official. It was signed on behalf of Pope Gregory XVI, who, as Prefect of the Congregation 'Propaganda Fide' (then Cardinal Mauro Cappellari) had shown himself a vigorous promoter of the missions. Marists today offer Mass for God's blessing on the Society of Mary.                           [Apr 29]        

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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, 1981.

For more on his life, click here.  For a short paraliturgy, click here.                                [Apr 28]


Farewell, Br Colin

Veteran Marist missionary, Br Colin Campbell SM, was farewelled with a vigil ceremony at Montbel on Apr 25 and Requiem Mass in Holy Name of Mary church, Hunters Hill, on Apr 26 followed by burial in the mission cemetery of Villa Maria monastery -  on the eve of his 99th birthday.

Br Colin's vigil and funeral (scenes pictured below) were attended by family and friends, RSL representatives and members of branches of the Marist Family. Provincial, Fr Tony Corcoran, presided at the Requiem Eucharist and a piper with bagpipes accompaned Br Colin's last journey acknowledging his much-loved Scottish heritage. Montbel's community leader, Fr Paul Mahony, led the graveside ceremony.

For more on the  life and passing of Br Colin, click here.  Rest in well-deserved peace, Brother.                                 [Apr 27] .  

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Provincial Circular

Latest issue at Members' Page.                                [Apr 27]

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Anzacs in Rome

Marist Assistant-General, Fr Ben McKenna, was present at an Anzac memorial in Rome on Apr 25 with fellow-Australian, Fr Tony Kennedy (Casa di Maria community) and Kiwi, Fr Pat Devlin (Secretary-General). Anzacs gathered at Domus Australia in Via Cernaia, Rome, former international scholasticate of the Society of Mary. 

They are pictured below, from left, Frs Tony Kennedy, Ben McKenna, Pat Devlin.                          [Apr 26]

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SM Bulletin

From Rome, this week's SM Bulletin advises of the appointment of Fr David Sanchez SM to lead the next Marist International Novitiate. Other items include visitation of the Casa di Maria formayion community and the ongoing Zoom sessions of Unit leaders with the General Administration.     Click here or go to Members' Page.                            [Apr 24]

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Remember and pray

For Fr Kevin Bates' Anzac reflection, click here.                          [Apr 23]

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Hope for the future

A recent photo of students and formators at Casa di Maria, Rome, promises hope for the future of Marist life. The community of the Marist International Theologate, led by Australian Marist, Fr Tony Kennedy, reflects the diversity of the Society of Mary's mission worldwide.                                [Apr 19]

Pictured below, standing, from left: Frs Larry Duffy and Ben McKenna [Assistant-General], Jaime Perez [Mexico], Fr Tony Kennedy, Yves Beranger [Cameroon], Fr Xavier Sariman, Deacon Charles Mbara [Cameroun], Clinton Kube [Cameroun], Deacon Hayden Powick (NZ).   Front: Iosefo Amuri [Fiji], Carlos Oliverez [Mexico], Christian Ngoura [Cameroun], Cameron Mota [Bougainville]

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St Peter Chanel novena

Leading up to Apr 28 feast day of St Peter Chanel, the annual novena for vocations through his intercession begins on Apr 19, concluding on the eve of the feast, Apr 27.

To download a novena booklet for printing, click here.  For scrolling/reading, click here.                              [Apr 18]

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Passing of Br Colin Campbell SM

The oldest member of the Australian Province of the Society of Mary, Br Colin Campbell SM, died peacefully at Southern Cross Aged Care, Marsfield, NSW, on Apr18, aged 98, a week before his 99th birthday.

Br Colin had served in Bougainville in World War II, returning to the Pacific as a Marist missionary for almost forty years. His latter years were spent in retirement at Hunters Hill as a much-loved member of the Maryvale/Montbel community. May he rest in well-deserved peace.

For more on Br Colin's life, click here.                                  [Apr 18]

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Above:  Br Colin Campbell in 2019.     |     Coffee shop ministry at St Patrick's..    |     ... and a certificate of appreciation of ten years' ministry, 2011.   Below:  Br Colin as an honoured Anzac, 2015.   |    Enjoying a cool one at Villa Maria, 2007.    |   Recent times, Br Colin, Jan 2021.
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Montbel celebrations

Celebrations were held recently at Montbel, Hunters Hill, to mark the birthdays of senior Marists and one other: Fr Tony King (95), Fr Paul Pidcock (90) and Montbel's manager, Kerrie Sanders.                                   [Apr 17]

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Above: Provincial, Fr Anthony Corcoran, spoke appreciatively of the contribution Fr Tony King had made to international formation.   |    Confreres gathered in the Montbel dining room.   |    Cake-cutting, assisted by Montbel's community leader, Fr Paul MahonyBelow: Fr Paul Pidock (at left) with Sydney-based Marists at Montbel.   |   Toast from Fr John Worthington.   |    Kerrie Sanders cuts her cake.
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SM Bulletin

This week's SM Bulletin reports on the shrine developments at Monte Alto, Brazil, the refurbishment of internatonal novitiate faciltiies in Davao, Philippines and on Italian Marist, Fr Faustino Ferrari's book 'To taste God, in the footsteps of the mystics'. Click here or go to Members' Page                           [Apr 16] 

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Aussie camino for Wilai

The Wilai Foundation announces its Australian Camino, Walk for Wilai 2021, from Portland, Vic, to Penola, S.A. in September.  In 2017 Fr Jim Carty SM (then 78 years of age) walked a rugged 740 km camino through the south-west of France to raise funds for the Foundation and its work on behalf of stateless children in S-E Asia. At 82, he plans to be part of the 200km-plus Australian camino. 

For details of the walk: click here                                [Apr 16]  

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Fr Kevin Redmond returns

After a sabbatical break in 2020 broken by the pandemic, Fr Kevin Redmond SM has returned to Australia to take up an appointment on the staff of the inner-city shrine of St Patrick's, Church Hill. Fr Kevin spent two weeks of quarantine in a Sydney hotel before several days with the Villa Maria community, Hunters Hill, en route to St Patrick's.  

Fr Kevin will be part of the international Marist group planned for Marayong in Sydney's outer-west in 2022. Other members are likely to include Fr Kevin Medilo (Philippines) and newly-ordained Fr Floyd Gatana (Bougainville). Welcome back, Fr Kevin !                               [Apr 14]

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The Branch

From Yaoundé, Cameroon comes the colourful newsletter, 'Rameau' ('Branch'), 16 pages of bi-lingual (English-French) news and pictures about life at St Peter Chanel's scholasticate. This issue includes an article from Fr Christian Abongbung on the Beatification Cause of Ven Jean-Claude Colin as well as reflections on the late Fr Bob Barber, well remembered from his work in Cameroon.   Click here.or go to Members' Page

'Rameau' is Inspired by the biblical text, 'A branch wll come forth from the stock of Jesse' (Isaiah 11:1).                                  [Apr 13]

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Euroinfo

This month's news bulletin from the Marist European province features personal reflections on St Peter Chanel whose feast day is celebrated on Apr 28. Good reading! Click here or go to Members' Page.                                   [Apr 13]

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SM Bulletin

In this week's SM Bulletin from Rome is the announcement of Fr Christian Abongbung's appointment as Assistant-General (see below) and the visit of Fr Juan-Carlos Piña to the Marist formation communities in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Click here or go to Members' Page.                               [Apr 10]

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New Assistant-General

The Superior General, Fr John Larsen SM, has appointed Fr Christian Abongbung, of the District of Africa, as the new Assistant-General on the General Council. He replaces Fr. Albert Kabala who holds the position of Major Superior of the Africa District.

Fr Christian will continue as rector of the Marist seminary in Yaoundé, Cameroon, participating in General Council meetings from there unless his actual presence is required in Rome, or elsewhere,from time to time. .

After seminary formation in Oceania, Fr Christian studied at the Gregorian University in Rome, then worked in pastoral ministry in Cameroon and in Senegal, especially in the shelter for street children in Dakar.

In welcoming Fr.Christian to the team, Fr John paid special tribute to Fr.Albert's outstanding service to the Council and to the whole Society of Mary..                              [Apr 09].

Below: Fr Christian with Fr Albert Kabala     |     In Sydney, 2010, with Frs Jim Esler, Gil Casio and the late Fr Bob Barber.

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Marist Laity e-Newsletter

In its e-Newsletter of Apr 05 Marist Laity Australia links to its website and a range of topical issues for information, reflection and prayer.  Click here.                         [Apr 02] 

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 Love in action

In his monthly reflection Superior-General, Fr John Larsen, invites Marists to accept Easter's call to love-in-action. For the reflection: click here or go to Superior-General's Page.                                 [Apr 01]

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