Constitutions anniversary

On Feb 28, 1873, the constitutions of the Society of Mary received their official approval by the Holy See.

Marist Founder, Ven Jean-Claude Colin, had worked on this important document since his early days in the village of Cerdon, France, until the years of retirement at La Neylière.

At the General Chapter of 1872 the final form of the constitutions was accepted and then approved by Rome. Following the Second Vatican Council the constitutions were revised and gained further approval on Sep 12, 1987.

Pictured below: Fr Colin's desk at La Neylère where he worked upon the original constitutions;  the foundational article N. 49 on the spirit of the Society of Mary.

 [Posted Feb 28]

Be a good egg

Marist Sister, Noelene Simmons SM, is encouraging us to buy 'slavery-free' chocolate this Easter. In her work with Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans (ACRATH) Sr Noelene reports:

'In coalition with other organisations ACRATH is distributing a pamphlet encouraging the purchase of Easter chocolate that is 'slavery free'.  We are deliberating using the term 'slavery free' rather than Fairtrade as there are three companies certifying cocoa – Fairtrade, UTZ certification and Rainforest Alliance.  Feel free to pass the pamphlet on to whoever you wish.'

 [Posted Feb 26]

ACRATH's web site advises: 'Presently children as young as 12 years old are picking cocoa in West Africa to make the chocolate we eat. Some of these children are trafficked.  Most are forced to pick cocoa from an early age for minimal or no wages, for long hours, in dangerous working conditions, without any possibility of attending school.  Most of these children have never tasted chocolate.

'Five years ago Australian supermarkets did not have any Easter chocolate certified as slavery-free, but in 2013 there were at least six slavery-free Easter eggs and rabbits available.'

Ibis crisis at Montbel

The Marist retirement community of Montbel, Hunters Hill, NSW, is being plagued by a local ibis colony - and the soiling of their picturesque chapel-side pond.

Anti-ibis tactics include 'bird spikes' and a rubber snake in an effort to minimise phosphate deposits in the prayerful precinct.

Meanwhile the ibises are spending more time in the safety of nearby Villa Maria and its welcoming bird bath.

 [Posted Feb 25]

Sydney art student, Noel Myaing, illustrating the 'Life of Jean-Claude Colin' for children / on the Colin web site as booklet or leaflet

See them all at: www.jeanclaudecolin.org

Colin web visitors' favourites for 2013

An end-of-year review of the web site of Marist Founder, Fr Jean-Claude Colin, shows a children's 'Life of Jean-Claude Colin' illustrated by Sydney art student, Noel Myaing, as the most popular item.

Other favourites include the 'Colin Song' composed by Australian, Fr Ben McKenna SM, a novena to Fr Colin and a range of leaflets in almost fifty languages.

Whilst the site, hosted in Australia, is presented in English, the majority of its 500-plus resources are in other languages with more being added each month.

See also the Fr Colin web site's 'What's new? - Visitor's top choices.'

 [Posted Feb 21]

Fr Tony Corcoran speaking on the review of Marist government / Fr Paul Cooney outlining plans for financial reviews and policies

Australian Marists in 'More' series

Rome-based Australian Marists, Frs Tony Corcoran (Secretary-General) and Paul Cooney (Bursar-General) have been recent contributors to the 'More' series of YouTube video clips.

Ten of the twelve-clip series have been released in recent months as a follow-up to the Council of the Society held in Dublin in Oct 2013. (See links below)

Fr Kevin Bates (pictured below) provides the musical background to each of the 'More' topics with Angel of Faithfulness'

For province members links to 'More' are also available in the 'members only' area of this site.

 [Posted Feb 19]

L'Arche founder, Jean Vanier, with a young friend / Fr Gerry Arbuckle in his Sydney office

L'Arche leaders gather with help from Australia

Sydney-based Marist writer and anthropologist, Fr Gerald Arbuckle, is in Paris to assist L'Arche International with its 'Faith and Culture' gathering of twenty leaders from around the globe.

Fr Gerry advises: 'Key issues include the need to reform international governance structures and the urgency to foster inculturation.

'Jean Vanier and L'Arch International are now particularly concerned that inculturation takes place, that is that the founding story integrate with local cultures and not remain based on the French model.'

 [Posted Feb 17]

Bougainville Marist joins Brisbane community

The Marist Fathers' community of Herston, Qld, has welcomed Fr Chris Ketsore SM who will be studying at Australian Catholic University in coming times.

Fr Chris was ordained in 2010 after studying at Bomana, PNG, and Pacific Regional Seminary, Fiji. During two pastoral years in his native Bougainville he accompanied local youth to World Youth Day in Barcelona, Spain.

He will be pursuing the dual degree of BA/BTeach ACU in Brisbane as well as being involved in teaching practice as part of the teaching degree & experience.

Welcome, Fr Chris!

 [Posted Feb 12]

Some of the ten young men beginning their novitiate year of formation at 'Eden', Davao, Philippines

The novices are from six countries: Mika Misinale, Soane Hehea and Viliami Kiola (Tonga), Samu Tukidia and Pio Ravu (Fiji), Leonard Safeh and Guy-Roger Assogoma (Cameroon), Stev Youm (Senegal), Nikolai Reimers (Norway) and Benedict d'Souza (NZ).

First international novitiate at Eden

From Rome, the SM Bullletin reports on the first International novitiate to be held in the new venue of Eden, in the hills overlooking Davao, Philippines:

'The ten new novices were admitted to the canonical novitiate year by knocking on the door of the chapel and then being admitted by Fr. Fernando Ingente, on behalf of the novice master, Fr Kevin Conroy, who asked what they wanted and invited them in by giving each a lighted candle to be placed on the altar.

'This was followed by the blessing of the soutane and the recital of a Marist litany.'

We wish our new novices a year of many blessings!

 [Posted Feb 08]

Marist CCC Network logo / St Patrick's, Church Hill

City Centre Churches network

Following a 2009 General Chapter decision and Council of the Society resolution in 2013, four Marist city-centre churches throughout the world have been identified to make up an international network to address the needs of an increasingly secular world. Coordinator is Assistant-General, Fr Kevin Duffy SM.

St Patrick's, Church Hill, in Sydney's historic Rocks area is one of the four. The others are St Mary of the Angels (Wellington, NZ), Notre Dame de France (London, K) and Notre Dame des Victoires (San Francsico, USA).

A two-minute YouTube presentation gives a good summary of the project, whilst interested Marists and others may contribute to the Network's recently-established 'blog'.

 [Posted Feb 07]

New province business manager

'Learning the ropes from Dad' is the Marist Fathers' new business manager, Andrew Biddle, who takes over from his father, Tony Biddle, retiring this month after fifteen years caring for the province's business and financial affairs.

With a career in teaching, management and administration, Andrew, 45, is no stranger to Marists, being educated at Woodlawn College, Lismore, and working with the Marist Brothers at Ashgrove, Qld.

Welcome aboard, Andrew -- and happy, well-earned retirement, Tony!

 [Posted Feb 06]

Fr Ben McKenna: 'Paradox - the meaning of life'

Oceania provincial, Fr Ben McKenna SM, has recently circulated a reflection, 'Paradox - the mystery of life', in which he draws parallels between Sacred Scripture and the mind of Jean-Claude Colin.

The reflection, originally sent out for members of the Oceania province, is now available in leaflet form, so far only in English.

The leaflet will soon be located on the 'Marist Way' pages of the Colin web site (www.jeanclaudecolin.org) but can be downloaded from the site's news page.

 [Posted Feb 05]

Fr Gerard Hall SM receives the renewal of vows of Fr Lou Molloy / with Fr Jack Soulsby SM

Recommitment of Fr Lou Molloy SM

Seventy friends and fellow-Marists gathered at St Joan of Arc's church, Herston, Qld, on Feb 02, to witness the public recommitment of vows as a Marist of Fr Lou Molloy.

The congregation and concelebrants included Frs Garry Reynolds, Paul Pidcock, John Begg, Frank Devoy (Lismore Dioc), Gerard Hall and Jack Soulsby, as well as Marist Brothers from Ashgrove and Rosalie.

Also present were John of God Sisters Helen & Rosemary from Perth who had worked with Fr Lou in AIDS Ministry in the archdiocese and Presentation Sister Anne Shay from Ballina, and others connected with Fr Lou in his ministry at Bellambi, Woodlawn and beyond.

On the same day, Feb 02, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, many Marists celebrated their anniversary of religious profession.

 [Posted Feb 05]

Researcher, Laura Grace, with Fr Kevin Kerley SM OAM / Sr Lorraine Garasu (left) with Sisters at Chabai, Bougainville

Fr Kevin OAM assists media research

Fresh from his Australia Day honours award, Fr Kevin Kerley SM is in demand for archival material for a forthcoming TV series, 'Pawa Meri', highlighting women of power in PNG.

Assisting producer Verena Thomas is researcher, Laura Grace, pictured with Fr Kevin examining documents and photos of feisty Bougainvillean religious, Sr Lorraine Garasu CSN, who features in one of the six half-hour documentaries.

Sr Lorraine's post-crisis work continues at the Nazareth Centre, Chabai, Bougainville.

The documentaries are a collaboration between the University of Goroka and the Centre for Social and Creative Media, Victoria University, and funded by AusAID's gender division.

 [Posted Feb 01]

Justice & Peace calendar for February

Anniversaries include Aotearoa New Zealand's Waitangi Day (Feb 06) and the Australian Government's apology to the stolen generations (Feb 13, 2008).

See JPIC Diary.

 [Posted Feb 01]

Hourly usage in January / 12-month figures at Jan 30

January statistics trivia

For our committed number-lovers, January statistics show that 9 am and 9 pm (Eastern Australian time) are the popular most moments for visitors to the site.

A glance at the twelve-month period shows hits topping 4 million. (January's customary summer slump posted a modest 340,000.)

Daily visits averaged 403 representing 7 pages and 22 files per visit..

 [Posted Feb 01]