'Journey in the heart' planning

The Aquinas Academy's pilgrimage to India and Sri Lanka in February 2015 is now being planned. Act now (by May 01) if you are interested: Information and itinerary (PDF file)

 [Posted Apr 30]

Aussie pilgrims in France

Fr Ray Chapman reports on a safe departure from Sydney and warm hospitality in Paris as the group of nine pilgrims make their way to the places of Marist origins in France.

At the European provincial house in Paris, Fr Martin McAnaney SM presented each pilgrim with a Marist badge to wear reminding them of Mary's protection, and a copy of 'Fifteen Days with Jean-Claude Colin'. 

Pictured left: Fr Martin with Nick Muller and Gabrielle Streat / departure from Sydney, from left, Fr Ray Chapman, Gabrielle Streat (MRC, Burnie), Cathy Gallo (Villa Maria parish), Pat Cooper (Woodlawn ex-student and Finance Administrator Diocese of Bathurst), Jennifer Bolster (Villa Maria), Margaret Woods (Marist Laity Australia Co-coordinator), Allan Bolster (Villa Maria), Andrea Pisano (MRC, Burnie), and Nick Muller (Marist Sisters' Woolwich).

[Posted Apr 28]

Feast of Saint Peter Chanel

For the life of the first Marist Saint and protomartyr of the Pacific, click here:  'About us - Marist Saints'  |  Download leaflet

[Posted Apr 28]

Saints John XXIII and John-Paul II

As the Vatican celebrates on Divine Mercy Sunday its greatest such event in decades, we join with the whole Church in rejoicing at the canonisation of two great Pontiffs of the 20th and 21st centuries: Blessed John XXIII, who convoked the Second Vatican Council, and Blessed John-Paul II who opened the Church to the nations of the world.

[Posted Apr 27]

Miracles of Marian Shrines

Fr Paul Glynn SM is one of the speakers at the Eucharistic Convention in Auckland, NZ, over the Divine Mercy weekend, Apr 25-27...

Fr Paul's presentations are on "Miracles of Marian Shrines' and 'Saint John-Paul', who is to be canonised in Rome during the convention period.

NZ's Marist Laity coordinator, Bev McDonald, present at the convention, has sent photos of Fr Paul and the event. Thank you, Bev!

[Posted Apr 27]

Eucharist in the fields of San Pedro, asking the Lord to send down rain on the withering crops / Eucharist: 2014 Lenten Retreat of Animators (Lay Pastoral Agents) of CEBs of Tarija Diocese.

Easter message from Fr Hoppy

From the mission of the Misioneros Maristas, Tariji, Bolvia, Australian Fr John ('Juan') Hopkinson SM sends his Easter message and pictures reporting on the wide range of pastoral and missionary activities of the Marist team. Click here (PDF file).

[Posted Apr 26]

Fr Jim's Easter on Christmas Island

Returning from a pastoral Easter visit to detainees on Christmas Island, Fr Jim Carty has posted several blogs with his experiences and memories, with more to come. Go to JPIC

[Posted Apr 26]

Br Colin at Anzac memorial service

Arriiving by jeep, the Society of Mary's oldest member in Australia, Br Colin Campbell SM, was an honoured guest at the Anzac Memorial service at Hunters Hill Town Hall, NSW, on Apr 23.

Cessnock-born, Br Colin, who turns ninety-two on Apr 27, joined the army aged eighteen and served in World War II in Ramu Valley, PNG, then Bougainville where he was wounded and carried from the jungle by natives who saved his life.

He now lives in the Maryvale/Montbel retirement community at Hunters Hill. Happy Anzac Day, Brother Colin!

[Posted Apr 23]

Rarotonga newsletter

Former provincial of the Oceania Marist province, Bishop Paul Donoghue SM's Easter message to the Catholic people of the Cook Islands is 'take down the do-not-disturb sign and be active in evangelisation'.

Bishop Paul has sent his pictorial diocesan newsletter with its message echoing Pope Francis' call to evangelisation.  Click here (PDF file)

[Posted Apr 23]

Novena for vocations begins

The annual nine days of prayer for vocations through the intercession of Marist St Peter Chanel begins on Apr 19 and concludes on Apr 27, the eve of the feast day.

Click here for the novena    |   Life of St Peter Chanel leaflet

[Posted Apr 19]

Good Friday 2014, Villa Maria

[Posted Apr 18]

Battle of the bats

Fighting off an attack of flying foxes Marist missionary and author, Fr Paul Glynn SM, has won the battle of the bats and saved a treasured persimmon crop from failure.

A large colony of fruit bats has moved into the Villa Maria precinct,Hunters Hill, NSW, in time for the ripening of Fr Paul's persimmons.

Using copious netting and north coast cunning, Fr Paul has won the battle of the bats and provided the Villa Maria community with one hundred and sixty pieces of succulent fruit.

Thank you, Fr Paul. Bad luck, bats.

[Posted Apr 16]

New: US province JPIC web page

The U.S. Marist province website has been enhanced this month with a feature page on Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation (JPIC). Click here

[Posted Apr 16]

Bishop-elect Alan Williams SM with the Marian Shrine of Walsingham in the background

Walsingham Marist new bishop in UK

Pope Francis has appointed Fr Alan Williams SM, a member of the Marist European province's region of England, as the seventh bishop of Brentwood, county of Essex (30 Km from Charing Cross).

Lancashire-born, Fr Alan, 63, will leave his post as director of the national shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham and be episcopally ordained at Brentwood cathedral on Jul 01.

We wish Bishop-elect Alan every blessing in his new pastoral role in England.

[Posted Apr 15]

Fr Bob Barber leaving Villa Maria on Apr 11 / the chapter hall of L'Hermitage, France, often visited by Fr Jean-Claude Colin

Pilgrimage with the Marist Brothers

Provincial of the Marist Fathers in Australia, Fr Bob Barber SM, is accompanying a pilgrimage of Marist Brothers and laity to India, Italy and France.

Over a three-week period the group will visit the Marist Brothers' mission at Trichy in southern India before spending some days in Rome at the Brothers' EUR centre.

They will then move to St Chamond in France and the 'Hermitage' built by Marist Brothers' Founder, St Marcellin Champagnat, and his pioneer brothers. Fr Bob follows the footsteps of Jean-Claude Colin in visiting the Hermitage where he (Fr Colin) presided at the early chapters of the Brothers and where he visited the dying Fr Champagnat in 1840.

[Posted Apr 11]

Easter on Christmas Island

Once again Fr Jim Carty SM will spend an Easter amongst asylum seekers on Christmas Island.

Convenor of the Australian Marist province's 'Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation' committee, Fr Jim has a long history of working with refugees and asylum seekers, dating from missionary years in Japan.

Before leaving his Lane Cove community this week Fr Jim was busy planning the combined Marist Justice & Peace event for later this year. More news of this in due course.

[Posted Apr 11]

Preparing for St Peter Chanel feast

Two resources are now available to prepare for the forthcoming feast of Saint Peter Chanel, Apr 28. Both are downloadable from this web site.

They are the customary novena for vocations leading up the feast and a newly-produced leaflet with the biography of Peter Chanel, pioneer Marist missionary and first martyr of the south-west Pacific.

[Posted Apr 10]

Twin disasters in Marist mission areas

From separate parts of Marist missions in Asia-Pacific come reports of devastation: crippling floods in the Solomon Islands and in the Philippines a children's centre burnt to the ground.

Honiara's Archbishop Adrian Smith SM has sent his own personal account while Sr Torika SM writes from Davao City, Mindanao, to Australian Marist Laity leader, Andrew Dumas (pictured left during his visit last December)::

[Posted Apr 07]

'Be united with a common purpose'

As a follow-up to the Council of the Society (CS!3) in Dubliin last October, Marist Superior General, Fr John Hannan, has released his latest circular letter, 'Be United with a Common Purpose'.

Fr John takes up the major resolutions of CS13 summarised in the 'More' series, urging Marists to embrace being more focussed, more overtly Marist, more international, more collegial, more open to collaborating with laity and more courageous. Text for Marists through 'Members only', Home Page.

Click here for links to the 'More' series

[Posted Apr 04]

'On the Way with Pope Francis'

At 85 years of age, Marist theologian, Fr John Thornhill SM, is about to publish yet another book of thoughtful reflections on today's church.

His latest, 'On the way with Pope Francis. Our goal: a renewed church', (Pauline Press) captures the thoughts and vision of Pope Francis from his reflections, announcements and interviews over the past year.

Despite failing eyesight Fr John remains an avid reader using all that modern technology offers for the vision-impaired.

 [Posted Apr 01]

Social Justice Diary for April

This month's anniversaries include the Chernobyl disaster and ninety-nine years since the first Anzac Day.

Go to JPIC Diary

 [Posted Apr 01]