Marist Mission - Away 
A school grows for the very poor in Venezuela In 1990 Marist missionaries, Frs Pat Brophy (NZ) and Angelo Omodei, established a school in Valencia, Venezuela, for poor children excluded from education. The school was named 'Juan Claudio Colin' after Marist Founder, Fr Jean-Claude Colin. JCC soon became part of 'Fe y Alegria', a Catholic educational movement which means 'Faith and Joy', integrating education and social progress. |
A second floor on the school will allow an extra forty students annually to join the present roll of 850 children in coming years. |
Marists have always accompanied the school. Frs Pat & Angelo were followed by Luciano Carnino, Angel Saiz, Michele Palumbo -- and, today, by New Zealander, Fr Tony O'Connor SM. (right). Fr Tony gives a glimpse of his missionary life in Peru-Venezuela in 'Do all you can and that will be enough' (soon to appear on the Social Justice page under construction). JCC students are from the radically poor of this oil-rich corner of Venezuela. Family dysfunction and violence are commonplace in the area.
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    A working bee accompanies expansion of JCC to provide for the poor children of Valencia. |
   Marists in Valencia, from left: Frs Tony O'Connor (NZ), Carlo Solis (Peru), Gilberto Marrerro (Venezuela) and Valentin Garcia (Spain). |
This page is still under construction |