"What a shock and great disappointment! I appreciate commercial realities to which we are all subject, but it does not dull the pain," one reader wrote.

"The Marist Messenger has been an iconic Catholic staple in many households; just like the Columban calendar, it was always there. Our family was the "third generation of readers," wrote another.

The decision to close the Marist Messenger was announced to the media in a statement by the Society of Mary.

A separate statement on the Marist Messenger website says that the publication has been facing mounting financial pressures, particularly the increased cost of postage and the increased cost of print production, combined with a declining readership.

Messenger staff confirmed to CathNews that it was difficult to continually keep the magazine's subscription in line with production costs.

In The Marist Messenger's January editorial, Fr Pat Brophy SM, announced that he resigned to take up an appointment in Rome.

"I have been asked by the Superior General, Fr John Larsen SM, to take up a new role in the Marist General House in Rome," writes Brophy.

In 2025 he will become the Society's Bursar General.

"This was not how I imagined I'd spend the next 6 to 10 years of my Marist life. However, as the saying goes: people propose, God disposes," Brophy commented on his appointment.

He asked that readers pray for the next editor.

In its 24 February statement, the Society of Mary says it has been unable to find a suitable new editor to replace Brophy.

Superior General of the Society of Mary, Fr John Larsen SM (Centre)

At its peak, the Marist Messenger enjoyed 10,000 subscribers.

The publication is no longer economically viable with an estimated readership of 5,000 and 3,000 subscriptions.

Keeping the Marist Messenger operating required constant promotion in parish communities.

The closing of parishes during lengthy Covid lockdowns and people staying away from Mass for safety reasons have not helped.

In its 94th year, the Marist Messenger was a devotional magazine published by Marist Messenger Ltd, a private charitable company fully owned by the Society of Mary.

Through its daily reflections, it aimed to provide material that will help people pray with the Scriptures. Regular articles on prayer and scripture supported these reflections.

Reader surveys show that the daily reflections were the most popular element of the Marist Messenger.

Those with current subscriptions may apply to be reimbursed for the remaining period.

Father Kevin Head, editor of the Marist Messenger said he was delighted with the awards.

He was particularly pleased that the efforts of his small staff, working with few resources, had received some recognition.

The Awards the Marist Messenger received were:

The Best Print Magazine
Citation: Sometimes the best things come in small packages. So it is with the Marist Messenger.

This year the ‘magazine of Catholic spirituality' celebrates 90 years of publication, a truly wonderful achievement for the Marist Fathers in New Zealand.

The magazine is compact in format (and in administration and operation) but is packed with good reads - no admonitory preaching here, just inspiring spiritual reflections from laity and religious, including daily insights into the readings of the day, interesting Marist history, guidance from Pope Francis and short biographies of the month's saints.

The Messenger is both edifying and entertaining - with a jokes section guaranteed to raise your spirits with a laugh.

There's also a crossword.

Happy 90th birthday, Marist Messenger. Ad multos annos.

The Best original photograph
A cropped copy of the award-winning photograph appears above. Click here to view the original.

It was taken on Ash Wednesday by Jonathan Pierce at Challenge 2000 in Johnsonville, just north of Wellington.

Citation: "This photo beautifully displays the intersection between faith and culture in New Zealand, with a poignant moment captured on Ash Wednesday of the ashes being drawn in a cross on the forehead of a man, with two women on either side in the background."

"Using traditional photographic techniques such as the rule of thirds, exquisite details have been captured and sharp focussing communicates a message of hope, and also reverence for the moment."

The best headline
‘A Very Modern Model of a Marist Seminarian!'

Citation: Catchy and a bit of fun without being crass or taking away from the article, the best headline. "A Very Modern Model of a Marist Seminarian"

The citation said, "The loose alliteration cleverly adds to the rhythm of the headline without overpowering its attractiveness to the reader."

The NZ Catholic, Tui Motu and the Nathaniel Report also received awards.

Click here to read the full list of awards.

Mass readings are also delivered every day, thanks to a partnership with the Marist Messenger.

The site delivers inspirational stories through video and word from Catholics for whom the Bible is an important part of their faith. Among those sharing their thoughts are the Catholic Bishops.

New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference President, Bishop Patrick Dunn, says "Scripture is so much a part of my life I feel I would be pretty empty without this daily time spent reflecting on the Word of God."

Cardinal Dew says that the Scriptures keep him going even in difficult times, they comfort and motivate him. "The Scriptures have certainly changed me and are a focus for my life."

"The site is all about addressing some of the barriers people might have to reading the Bible, including some of the hard questions," Stephen Opie, Bible Society Programme Director says. "We want to help provide easy access to Sacred Scripture and provide Catholics with the tools and inspiration they need to make the Bible an important part of their daily life."

One of many features on the website is that of Catholic leaders answering timeless questions such as: "Can I find answers to life's questions in the Bible?"

One of the many contributors says in the video response, "I will find answers. It may not be the answer I wanted to hear, it might be something different. I read the Bible not just with my brain, but with my heart and with my faith. And when you use those three things together, then God will really reach out and give you answers."

The Word website has been developed by Bible Society New Zealand as a tool to help Catholics in their daily reading and reflection on the Holy Scriptures and is already drawing the attention of other Bible Societies around the world.

To date, 21 Bishops and Priests have been interviewed, and new videos and stories have been uploaded onto the site regularly.

Look at the website

Source

• Supplied: New Zealand Bible Society
• Image: lifeteen.com

What surprised Mary's community was the effect of her death. All through the night and in the following two days, an incessant stream of people of all ranks in life came to kneel beside her bed, to pray and to kiss her hand. Mother Cecilia recalls: "She was visited by crowds, rich and poor, especially the latter to whom she had always been kind and generous. I shall never forget one old man who sobbed bitterly… We had to leave the door open all night to accommodate them all."

To shed some light on the woman whose death made such an impact in Rome, let's listen again to her story.

Mary was born in London on 22 November 1847 to William Norwood Potter and Mary Anne (Martin) Potter, both of the Anglican faith. Mary was the only girl after 4 sons and was born with a serious heart condition which caused her intense suffering all her life. Mrs. Potter, impressed with the faith of the Irish immigrant women around her, was converted to Catholicism when pregnant with Mary. By the time of Mary's birth, the Potters' marriage was in trouble, owing mainly to William's poor business acumen (he was virtually bankrupt by 1847) and his dour personality. When Mary was but a year old, he left the family and fled to Australia to escape a bankrupt's fate. Mrs. Potter reared the 5 young children largely on her own, with some financial help from her extended family. Continue reading

Sources

• Sister Mary Scanlan LCM in Marist Messenger
• Image: Memorial Hospital

The Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament (dubbed ‘the Basilica' by the media) on the edge of the CBD was also a landmark , and is being disassembled stone by stone, with the possibility of a rebuild. The soil underneath is being tested for load-bearing given the amount of liquefaction that occurred. Meanwhile the Catholic Bishop has taken over the city parish church of St Mary's Manchester Street as ‘Pro-Cathedral'. The Bishop and his advisors are contemplating the insurance payout, and options open to them.

In the middle of all this speculation an informal proposal surfaced along the lines of what quite a few people had been thinking: Why not have one Cathedral for Christchurch shared by the two Dioceses. One ‘cathedra' (throne) shared by two traditions. On their own ‘diocesan occasions' each Bishop would preside. Each has already got their temporary ‘home church', and occasionally both congregations can worship together. Unprecedented? Probably. Difficult to bring about? Very. An exponential leap forward in Ecumenism? Yes. A huge savings in resources for both dioceses? Yes. A common sense solution for a shattered city? Definitely.

To make it possible, the bishops would have to agree to explore the possibility in principle. Rome and Lambeth would have to agree not to veto. The dioceses would commission their theologians to come up with a plan capable of being accepted by both traditions, foreshadowing changes to canon law and even Acts of Parliament. Then it will be up to each Diocesan Authority to sell it to their own people, each having to make major concessions.

Sections of each Diocese will object strongly. It is up to the theological commission to anticipate these difficulties and answer them. I have already heard it said that the Anglicans will never allow statues of Mary in a shared Cathedral. But some of the most beautiful Lady Chapels in the world are in Anglican Cathedrals. What about the tabernacle? Well, a separate Blessed Sacrament chapel is standard in most new Catholic Cathedrals, so the problem may never arise.

This is a unique opportunity that may never arise again. A bold initiative like this would do much to restore the morale of the divided population of ‘quake city.' It may capture the imagination of the whole Christian world. Christchurch Unity Cathedral could become a place of pilgrimage.

Sources

• Fr. Brian O'Connell, S.M. in The Marist Messenger
• Image: Eventfinda

Australian Catholics won the Bishop Philip Kennedy Memorial prize for Magazines and Electronic Publications. Tui Motu was Highly Commended.

The Southern Cross won the Bishop Philip Kennedy Memorial prize for the best newspaper. NZ Catholic was Highly commended.

The Conference was attended by 53 journalists who work in Catholic Media in Australia and New Zealand. On Thursday, the Archbishop of Wellington, Archbishop John Dew, celebrated the Conference Mass in the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart and later presented the 2012 Awards for Excellence.

The theme of this year's conference was "Voices from the Margins: How the Catholic press can speak for the disenfranchised and marginalised people."

The Keynote speaker was Dame Claudia Orange who spoke on the Treaty of Waitangi.

Other guest speakers were well-known columnist Rosemary McLeod and Kitty McKinley (Founder Youth Charity Challenge 2000) who spoke on Marginalised Youth and the Church.

Other awards received by New Zealand publications were

Marist Messenger

• Best: Editorial - Brian O'Connell
• Best: Article on Catechesis - Mervyn Duffy
• Best: Magazine Layout and Design - Glen McCullough

Tui Motu Interislands

• Best: Ecumenical /Inter-faith Story - Danny Kettoola
• Best: Editorial Feature -Various
• Highly Commended: Social Justice Coverage - Nicky Chapman
• Highly Commended: Devotional Article Applying Faith to Life - Anonymous

NZ Catholic

• Best: News Story - Michael Otto
• Highly Commended: Newspaper Layout and Design -Peter Grace, Anne Rose

When such evils are uncovered the damage to the Church's reputation is even greater than it would have been had such offences been admitted and dealt with in a timely and appropriate way.

In his focus article in the June Marist Messenger, O'Connell writes that "Honesty, transparency, and accountability are the hallmarks of a healthy organization. They are based on gospel values. Would anyone dare to argue that they do not apply to the Church of Jesus Christ? Pre-eminently in fact?"

• Read Fr. Brian O'Connell's article
• Image: The Equalizer Post

• Read Fr Merv Duffy's liturgy article in the Marist Messenger
• Image: Orthodox Church Supplies

Fr Merv Duffy sm lectures in Systematic Theology and is Dean of Studies at Good Shepherd College, Auckland.

Read Brian O'Connell's Focus article in the Marist Messenger
Image: Wikipedia

The Conference was full of practical helps in the art of providing ‘Christian media' including a major plenary by the University of South Australian School of Law and Commerce Faculty's Professor Rick Sarre on defamation.

These New Zealand publications received ARPA awards.

NZ Catholic (Peter Grace, ed.)
Gold award, best news item ("Quake-hit parishes rally")
War Cry (Christina Tyson, ed.)
Bronze award, best news item ("Team Effort")
Bronze award,best layout
Highly commended, best feature ("The Long March")
Highly commended (2), best editorials/opinion pieces
Highly commended, best front page
Touchstone (Paul Titus, ed.)
Silver award, best feature ("Prostitution Law reform - the consequences)
Bronze award, best humourous item (cartoon on editorial page)
LinkWELL (Mary Houston, ed.)
Silver award, Best editorial/opinion piece ("Growing Together")
Marist Messenger (Brian O'Connell, ed.)
Gold award, Best story on social justice ("With Joy-Filled Hearts")
New Zealand Baptist (D&F Pardon, eds. Maryanne Wardlaw, designer.)
Bronze award, best review of another medium (CD reviews)

The annual Gutenberg award, for overall excellence, went to an Australian magazine, The Lutheran, which also picked up a handful of individual awards.

Source

• Christain Today Australia
• Scuttlebutt
• Image: Scuttlebutt

The article was about the trial of the Waihopai Three, priest Peter Murnane, teacher Adrian Leason and farmer Sam Land who had broken in to the Waihopai spy base in 2008 and slashed one of two inflatable domes. They were found not guilty.

On 31 August this year The Wellington High Court has granted the Crown the right to seek US$1.2 million for the cost of replacing the dome.

Read Jim Consedine's Column which was originally published in the Marist Messenger in June 2010.

Fr Jim Consedine was ordained in 1969. He has been a member of the Catholic Worker in Christchurch for 20 years and writes on peace and justice issues.

Image: Marist Messenger

The conference was held in Adelaide from 7 - 9 September 2011. Delegates enjoyed the opportunity to meet up with Catholic colleagues from around Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific to discuss issues that are of common interest.

Best Editorial
Publication: The Nathaniel Report
Author: John Kleinsman

Best Devotional Article: Applying Faith to Life
Publication: Marist Messenger
Author: Liz Pearce
Title: "The Christchurch Stations of the Cross"

Best Front Cover - Newspaper
Publication: NZ Catholic
Title: "Broken lives, broken hearts, broken buildings

Sandhurst Diocese's The Sandpiper, received the award for Best Newspaper and the award for best magazine went to the Kairos Catholic Journal.

Guest Speaker and Presenter at the Awards was General Peter Cosgrove AC, MC, CNZM, Chancellor Australian Catholic University.

Click here to see Full list of awards

The conference was held in Adelaide from 7 - 9 September 2011. Delegates enjoyed the opportunity to meet up with Catholic colleagues from around Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific to discuss issues that are of common interest.

Guest speakers throughout the three-day Conference included: Andrew Killey (kwp! Advertising); Chris Rann (Rann Communications); Matt Deighton (Messenger Newspapers); Paul Hamra (Solstice Media); Jenny Brinkworth (The Southern Cross); and Michael Mullins (Eureka Street).

Next year the conference will be held in Wellington New Zealand

Source:

• ACPA
• Image: Brian O'Connell