Archbishop Anthony Fisher has publicly thanked the Marist Fathers for their decades of service at the church.

St Patrick's is the oldest church still in continuous use in New South Wales.

The Marist Fathers were entrusted with the Church Hill parish in 1868. They will be leaving the parish in 2025 and will continue their ministry in new and expanding areas of Sydney.

St Patrick's church has served Catholics in The Rocks and Millers Point communities for even longer than the Marists.

Many residents have relocated to other parts of Sydney however as their former homes have been upgraded to luxury apartments.

St Patrick's has evolved into a secondary parish for 80 per cent of the congregation.

The church has also become popular amongst those on holiday, staying at nearby hotels. Part of its popularity to date is attributable to the generosity of the Marist Fathers who offer the Sacraments at various times throughout the day.

St Patrick's is one of the busiest parishes in Australia.

Four Masses are celebrated each weekday and eleven Masses on weekends.

There is also Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament each day and the Sacrament of Reconciliation is available for 30 hours each week.

Archbishop Fisher will be inviting St Patrick's Church Hill's new custodians to continue with the generous sacramental ministry the Marists have been offering at what is considered one of Australia's most revered places of worship.

Source

• Catholic Weekly

The 32-year-old man charged with assault in relation to the death of a 27-year-old man at the Marist Rugby Club in Invercargill is now facing a charge of manslaughter.

He is expected to appear in the Invercargill District Court on Tuesday to face the charge. Continue reading

Fr John Larsen is a member of the Society's district of Asia and has been on loan to its international formation programme based in Rome.

He succeeds Fr John Hannan and is the first non-European to hold the position in 24 years.

Larsen entered Mount St Mary's Seminary, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand in 1974.

After ordination in 1981, he taught for five years at St Patrick's College, Silverstream, during which time he volunteered for the foreign missions.

As well as the experience of mission in developing countries, Larsen has been involved in the formation of Marist priests and occupied the position of novice-master and formator in philosophy and theology houses in the Philippines.

He is a former district superior of the Philippines and was responsible for establishing the Marist Mision in Ranong, Southern Thailand. Local people still remember him fondly many years later.

The current district superior of Asia, Fr Pat Devlin, who worked alongside Larsen, says he is delighted with the election.

"I believe he will bring energy and vision to the leadership".

"He will be a blessing for the Society as he is a spiritual man with a broad vision combined with an interest and care for individuals, especially those in great need", Devlin said.

Fr Frank Bird from the Marist mission says John Larsen's influence on Burmese migrants in Ranong has been profound.

"Some HIV AIDS Patients and others still have a photo of Fr John in their homes alongside an image of Buddha.

"I think they recognise a holy man of great compassion.

"They remember his love, his breadth of vision, his personal and loving style of leadership that was also not afraid of the challenges involved in a migrant border-crossing town with its many difficulties", said Frank Bird.

Frank Bird says he has never forgotten visiting people with John Larsen as he did his daily visits to sick HIV migrants. He recalls this story:

"Approaching one particular home, he looked around carefully to see if any police who might endanger them were following.

"He pushed open a bit of corrugated iron to reveal a dirt pathway to an abandoned building. It was an area beside and above a dirty river.

"Next, going under the building and up some stairs, we came across a number of families and children who were obviously happy to see him.

"He walked among them as a friend," said Frank Bird.

The Society of Mary's leader in New Zealand, Fr David Kennerley, believes the election a bold turning and an answer to prayer.

He says Larsen's election continues the theme first highlighted by the retiring superior general - "Time to look outwards".

Larsen is the second New Zealander to become the superior general of the Marist Fathers and Brothers. The first was Fr Bernard Ryan who was elected to the position in 1977.

Source

The Society of Mary
Image: The Society of Mary

Jess attended Marist Sisters' College, Woolwich, and in her last year at school, having attended Marist Youth Leader in Christchurch, she was invited to join the Marist Youth Leader team.

Over the next five years, while she was studying Exercise Science and Religious Education at Australian Catholic University, all with a view to secondary school teaching, Jess made frequent trips to New Zealand, working with the Young Marists team on a variety of programmes and retreats.

Upon graduation from university in 2015, Jess took up a teaching position at St Patrick's College, Silverstream, where she currently teaches Religious Education and Social Justice.

In your job at Silverstream, how do you relate "Being Marist" to what you do on a day-to-day basis?

"Besides teaching, I am also involved in mentoring the Manaakitanga Leadership Pou which looks after things such as charity events, pastoral care & community involvement.

"I am part of the Stream Youth Ministry team which plans Masses, retreats and anything related to special character. This year I am also managing the mighty 3rd XV.

"I love teaching at, and being involved with Stream, as it provides me with many challenges and opportunities, but most of all it keeps me connected to the Marist Network."

"It's very easy for me to "be Marist" in my work as I am lucky enough to be teaching in a Marist school surrounded by some pretty passionate Marist educators.

"I can relate my day-to-day attitude to a quotation I found from Jean Claude Colin which says "There is a constant and shared desire for an education based on everyday life, where the quality of life and of relationships is as important as the quality of teaching. It's not just a question of giving knowledge and of transmitting the faith, but also forming men and women who are responsible, solid and prepared to take their place in society."

"This has become something of an educational philosophy for me, but it is so much more than that. This means that I have to have respectful relationships with each student that will enhance their dignity and form them into the men we want them to be.

"I can't expect them to grow into good young men if I am not willing to demonstrate the behaviours myself." Continue reading

Source and Image

• Everyway blog

The area was still troubled by the political instability that followed the Revolution. That, plus the need to help on the farm, meant his primary schooling was rather fragmented.

In his early teens the parish priest helped him with special lessons in the presbytery, so that in 1819, aged 16, he was ready to begin his four years of secondary education at the minor seminary at Meximieux.

He progressed to the major seminary at Brou in 1824, to be ordained on 15 July 1827, at the age of 24, as a priest for the Belley diocese. For his first year of priesthood he was assistant in a medium sized town, already thinking seriously about applying for an apostolate in the foreign missions.

Then followed three years as parish priest in a small country town where the Church was still in disarray a generation after the Revolution. With quiet zeal, tact and compassion he transformed it. Underlying his approach was his personal motto, ‘To love Mary and bring others to love her.'

In 1831, at 28, with his bishop's agreement, he joined the small group of diocesan priests in the dioceses of Belley and Lyons, who had hopes of starting a Society of Mary.

Its most prominent members were Jean-Claude Colin and Marcellin Champagnat, who was responsible for establishing a branch of teaching brothers.

There were also sisters, founded by Jeanne-Marie Chavoin, and groups of laypeople. Among the Marists' declared aims was to undertake foreign missions.

At this stage, however, the priests were occupied in giving parish missions and in running the minor seminary in Belley, which also doubled as a college for boys who had no thought of a priestly vocation. Peter joined the staff of this college, where, in 1832, he became its spiritual director. Continue reading

Sources

• Article by Fr Justin Taylor sm in the Marist Messenger
• Image: Notre Dame Marist Academy

"I thought 'I'll give it a go. They'll discover I'm not suitable. Then I'll go home and get on with the rest of my life'." But they never did. I'm still at it 50 years on!"

Listen to David Gledhill in conversation with Jerome Cvitanovich here.

In the late 1950s David joined students from around New Zealand to begin training at the Society of Mary's seminary in Hawkes Bay - Mount St Mary's.

The Society began in France but traces its origins in New Zealand back to the landing of Bishop Pompallier in the Hokianga in 1838. Two Marists came with Pompallier on that journey - Father Servant and Brother Michel. Their arrival is regarded as the beginning of the Catholic Mission in New Zealand - much of it focused on a mission to Maori.

Fr David's original plan was to volunteer for missionary work overseas. But in his last years of seminary training he was asked to consider staying in New Zealand.

In 1966, shortly after his ordination, his superior sent him a short note advising him of his posting.

"Dear David," it read. "You are appointed to Hato Paora college. You may do university if you wish. Kind Regards."

Hato Paora is a Maori boys boarding college near Fielding, founded in 1947. It was run in those days by the priests and brothers of the Society of Mary.

For the newly ordained priest the school was a culture shock. "I was a pakeha boy from the South Island. I really had no idea of the family Maori. Like most European New Zealanders, I thought we were all Kiwis... untiI I got to Hato Paora". Continue reading

Sources

• Radio NZ, interview and article by Jerome Cvitanovich.
• Image: Pa Piripi Cody SM

He may possibly be referring to the Marist Brothers, and the Marist Fathers, many of whom played a prominent part in rugby in Tonga, including some who rose to the level of international referees.

The team tunes into Radio Tonga to listen to the prayers and support coming from their supporters at home.

"Night after night, sometimes through to the early hours, even when training is only hours away, they have been tuning in to hear the prayers and greetings coming from halfway around the world," Averis says.

Team member Sitiveni Mafi, who has played for Leicester and now plays for the Western Force says, "It's just amazing the support we have from back in the islands."

"Families and villages come together to pray … the boys can feel it so much here. It's almost like we were there."

After Tonga's surprise defeat by Georgia on Saturday, it looks like sackcloth and ashes will have to donned to make the supporters prayer even more powerful than they have been to date.

Source

• theguardian.com
• Image: theguardian.com

I've never felt happier.

Restless. Yes, that perhaps sums up in a word a spirit led journey.

I turned 40 a year ago and realised each year I was becoming a bit more a comfortable.

Although a little dramatic, one image in my mind was that of putting slippers on and watching a bit more TV.

With about 25 years to go before retirement, do I choose to slow down or go deeper?

Answer a more radical calling in my bones that I could not turn off.

I knew deep down becoming more comfortable was going in the reverse direction to a God placed desire in me.

Who do you really want to be?

I can still remember a significant moment when I was 16. I was asked by a priest during a spiritual conversation: Frank, what is your deepest desire? Who do you really want to be?

My response was pondered often while walking my Doberman dog along the riverbank - (she insisted on large amounts of daily exercise or she would bark the neighbourhood down) - I wish to live a life of love and service for others.

And hence the journey began to Marist life and Priesthood.

While in New Zealand I greatly enjoyed serving in schools, parishes and among the indigenous Maori people.

But working among poor Burmese Migrants in the fishing town of Ranong for the past 18 months has changed me inside.

What it is like serving in Asia

It's a bit like Jesus in the gospel of John taking off his ‘priestly garments' and picking up a ‘towel and water basin' to wash dirty feet; moving from the ordered priestly workbench of the altar to more dirty missionary pathways and streets.

I've been serving on the Thailand Burma Border for the past 18 months and I've never been happier. Continue reading

Sources

• Fr Frank Bird s.m. in Restless Press
• Image: Marist Asia Foundation

"Our years at Mount St Mary's were some of the most memorable of our lives. Let's re-live the memories, re-invigorate the friendship and share where our Mission is taking us now", say the organising committee in their invitation.

The committee, Gerry Forde, Shaun Davison, Dennis Farrelly, Nick Prendergast, Mike Fitzsimmons and Chris St Clair have put together a programme that includes being jolted awake with the customary 5:55am seminary bell, followed 30 minutes later by morning prayer.

The provincial of the Society of Mary, Fr David Kennerley, will welcome participants and bless the occasion.

Other key moments of the weekend are a discussion of a "Marist Alumni proposal" and the laying of a plaque for old boys who have died.

The weekend also has its lighter moments with a tour of the new cellars, a "high tea" in the Mission Estate's award winning former chapel restaurant, singing the top ten hits from the hymnal and the opportunity to chat over a few wines late into the night.

The reunion at the once Greenmeadows seminary, now historic Mission Estate Winery follows several successful catch-ups around the country to mark the launch of the book On a Mission, edited by Shaun Davison.

The reunion is for seminarians from 1970 onwards, and takes place on the weekend of 10 - 12 April, 2015.

Places are limited to 180, including partners.

Those interested are welcome to contact Gerry Forde or visit Facebook.

Sources

• Society of Mary
• Image: Facebook

The sisters have been in Waitaruke, a settlement on State Highway 10 north of Kaeo, in the north of New Zealand since 1928.

Parishioner Jeanette Kinneally said she suspected the decision had been made, but the petition would show the nuns - Sisters Margarita, (92) Isabelle ,(82) and Catherine(<70) - how much support they had.

Sister Gemma Wilson, leader of the Marist Sister in New Zealand, said she had been overwhelmed by the love Whangaroa people had shown for their sisters, and their desire to have the sisters stay was understandable.

"We have fewer and fewer able-bodied sisters, and we want to use them in the best way possible."
Source

• The Northern Advocate
• Image: The Northern Advocate

To celebrate this and coinciding with the close of the Year of Faith and the Year of Colin, people from all branches of the Marist family in the Auckland Diocese gathered at Manurewa on Sunday 17th November.

Marist Brothers and the Champagnat Laity, Marist Sisters, Marist Priests and Brothers, Marist Laity and the Missionary Sisters of the Society of Mary all contributed and shared the family atmosphere of the afternoon.

Fr Ezio Blasoni gave the opening address on the history of the early Missions with stories and accounts of those early joys, struggles and realities ending with the call to continue the Marist vision to be instruments of mercy, sharing the Marian face of the church today.

Sr Marie Challecombe and Fr Chris Skinner led a time of prayer and reflection where the past voices of the early Marist missionaries and supporters, Lay and Religious, blended with prayers, waiata and hopes for today and the future.

Then there was a fun quiz with all the light-hearted competition that engenders followed by lots of buzz reconnecting over afternoon tea. As one Brother shared, "It was a happy mixture of history, prayer, fun and fellowship."

Next August 2014, in another significant anniversary, Marists will celebrate 180 years since Pope Gregory XVI gave Papal approval to Laity in the Marist project.

Source

• Supplied
• Image: Supplied

This year the ‘Gappies' went to a variety of placements around New Zealand and overseas. They were sent to the far north of Aotearoa New Zealand to the Hokianga, down to the far south of Dunedin, Hawke's Bay and to Samoa and Mexico.

The Gap students all left the familiar and ventured into the unknown. All of them experienced different cultures and languages, and different ways of living. The placements included assisting at primary and secondary schools, disability services, rest homes, religious communities, and other community agencies. These placements presented opportunities for developing new skills and learning new things, meeting new people, experiencing different charisms which exist in our faith communities, utilising their own talents and finding out more about themselves.

During the students' presentations about their pastoral placements each of them reflected on the impact that their placements have had on each of their lives, and how it helped them to develop mentally, emotionally, spiritually and holistically. They spoke of the difficulties of being somewhere new and foreign, the insights they gained, the enjoyment of new challenges, and most importantly the people they met. It was very moving for those who listened to hear of the significant and profound impact these experiences had on the Gap students and their futures.

More photos

The following is a reflection written by Jacob Bang who went to Mexico for his pastoral placement:

"I saw towering church spires, colours that terrify the darkness, a woman with skyward eyes on the brink of tears, a man rolled up in a blanket, eyes closed as we took photos of the reality we knew and loved.

Loved to touch; our fingertips rejoiced as they pressed against cool polished marble altars, loved to taste; our tongues relished what many believe to be the essence of culture, loved to hear; our ears drinking in the clamours din of those making a living; sound without words, face without name, muted pain and music to my ears.

I rummaged through my bag, rustling scrunched up balls of paper, tickets and chip packets, clinking coins as I pulled out my camera. Click. Flash.

And reality was captured; a picturesque scene of masterful masonry, bustling crowds of locals, the sun beaming at the memory of Mary overgrown and the new reality of things. Defiantly lying down, submissively, on the concrete pavement an old man, old reality protested in dismay as this blotch of ink ruined the candid image, even great angels paled at the sight of him.

Disillusionment spread like fire. How do I bear witness without sounding cliché, without being the sound of a broken record? It isn't about stories to share to family and friends back home nor about eyes opened. It's far simpler than that, far more profound than purpose found.

It is how it's always been, how it is, is it how it will always be?

A man with a life I'll never know or could ever comprehend. My words could never do him justice."

Perhaps you know someone who might want to have an opportunity of a lifetime? Then refer them to the Marist Challenge Gap Year.

Gap Year, is a year long programme that involves holistic formation, NZQA youth work training, work placements, experiences, and local and international travel.

The Gap Year offers the chance to develop the social, spiritual, intellectual, employment, well-being and physical elements that are required for a positive, successful and balanced life.

You can also gain some extras to get you ready including your drivers license, first-aid certificate, and technology trainingApplications are open until the end of November for the 2014 Gap Year.

For more information visit Challenge 2000's website at www.challenge2000.org.nz

Source

• Supplied by Challenge 2000
• Image: Challenge 2000

A weekend chocker of catchups, re-introductions and lots of stories, for old mates, some who had not seen each other for 30 years or more focused around Friday drinks, a visit of the Marist Archives, the the actual book launch, launch dinner and Sunday Mass.

Wives and partners too seemed to learn lots and were able to put names and faces together, some for the first time.

The conversation flowed all weekend.

Speaking at the On a Mission launch dinner, in a packed dining room at the Back Bencher Hotel, Mike Fitzsimmons described the occasion as 'very special.'

"I often thought if ever a place deserved an old boys gathering, the Mount does. The great quest we were all on, intensity of our experience and the friendships formed make the school equivalent very pale indeed."

Mr Fitzsimmons said the seminary was a 'great deal' for him.

• Board and meals for seven and a half years.
• A tertiary education at Victoria and the Mount worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
• It gave me 'once a seminarian' stories to last a lifetime that seem to leave people gob-smacked even to this day.
• It gave me friends for life.
• It gave me habits so useful for married life - extraordinary ability to take criticism, unquestioning obedience, and an instinctive habit of speed drinking whenever someone is approaching the door!

Mr Fitzsimmons however reminded those who had yet to read the book, that On a Mission is not a history of the seminary, rather it's 22 stories, each with their own truth, he said.

A similar event earlier in Whangarei, earlier the week also attracted more than 100 people.

Author, Shaun Davison says his former colleagues "rank as some of the most inspiring people I've ever met" and described the call to a Marist vocation as "a noble mission to serve God in our world".

For Mr Davison, the journey to write the book began 1976, when he joined a thriving community of over 100 at Mount St Mary's Seminary, Hawkes Bay, most of whom were training to be Catholic priests, and although in the late 70's number began to dwindle, still four years later Mount St Mary's still had around 80 seminarians.

"We had no doubt it would carry on for another 100 years," he said.

But all of a sudden things changed.

Just twelve years later the bells at Mount St Mary's Seminary, Greenmeadows tolled for the last time, the grand Hawkes Bay institution closed, and the remaining handful of students moved to Auckland to continue their training.

Motived by turning 50, Mr Davision, who left the seminary in 1981, went in search of his former colleagues, to retrace their journeys, revisit their decision to embark on a religious path and discuss its impact on their lives.

Fr Merv Duffy SM, a professor of Systematic Theology at Good Shepherd College, Auckland, describes the book as: "A terrific read! Wonderful coming-of-age stories. Talented men reflecting on their seminary days, the ideals and ordeals."

Monsignor Gerard Burns, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Wellington, bought On a Mission on Friday night and found the stories so riveting that he couldn't put the book down until he finished it.

Those interested in a copy can get them direct from the publisher, Steele Roberts.

Scaffolding is needed for major repairs and maintenance, such as replacing a roof, or painting a tall building. Sometimes, this scaffolding is then plastic-wrapped, to provide privacy, safety, and a weather-proof working environment.

Once work is completed the scaffolding is dismantled. Ladders, cherry pickers, or long poles are then used to effect minor repairs and on-going maintenance.

We are a building - Shekhinah, a temple of God. Well-designed. The intrinsic design and health of my temple will enable it to weather many storms. But it still needs regular upkeep … and sometimes a major overhaul.

How do I maintain the spiritual life of this temple?

There is an infinite variety of 'scaffolding' available to us on our spiritual journey. Sacraments. Prayer. Worship. Community. Retreat. Spiritual teaching and reading. Spiritual direction and companionship. The framework provided by different spiritualities, such as Marist, Benedictine, Franciscan, Ignatian. Silence.

Some of this scaffolding is designed for major events … initiation, marriage, ordination, death. It shapes us, moulds us, gifts us with grace … but then we take it down and allow that grace to become visible in our temple.

Sometimes we erect scaffolding and wrap it in plastic, to effect a major change. Entering a time of retreat or discernment, when we become especially attentive to the voice of the divine, is a time when we are particularly vulnerable. We need the protection and privacy that exclusion of the outside world offers. But then we strip away the scaffolding and the protective wrap, and slowly the metamorphosis that has taken place deep within, will become evident in our attitudes, our words, our actions.

There are many tools available to us to effect minor repairs and on-going maintenance. Communal worship and liturgy nourishes and sustains us. Reconciliation and conflict resolution repairs cracks and dents in our relationships with others and with God. A personal prayer discipline, unique to each of us as we seek to relate to the God-within and the God-without. Service to others … being the eyes and ears and feet and heart of God to others. Reflection on sacred scripture. Small group interactions.

Our institutional churches are also temples - literally and metaphorically. Well designed. Intrinsically good. But the scaffolding has been up for many years - and I wonder why it has not been taken down. Scaffolding in the guise of Vatican 2 enabled major renovations within the Catholic Church - a major transformation. But not only is this scaffolding being dismantled, many of the renovations have also been removed. A little counter-productive.

I wonder if ancient, ineffectual scaffolding is shoring up a crumbling edifice. Perhaps it is time for this scaffolding to be removed, and demolition experts invited in to remove all that is rotten. This is not a time for plastic-wrapping: everything must be done in plain view, open to inspection and inspiration.

Scaffolding is always a sign of hope; of new beginnings; of creativity and hard work; of attentiveness to what has been done, what needs to be done, and what needs to be protected. Scaffolding is always unique. It is shaped to the building and to the work that must be undertaken. Scaffolding can be used again and again but each time it will be different and will enable different work to be done. While scaffolding is designed to facilitate construction work and repairs, its primary purpose is ALWAYS the health and safety of those who use it.

Can we say that the scaffolding we use in our spiritual life is healthy - for us and for those who encounter us?

Can we say that the scaffolding our churches use is healthy - and considers first those who dwell within and those who are passers-by?

• Liz Pearce, a mother of three adult children, loves story, writing, and dollmaking www.heartfeltdolls.weebly.com

Newly-wed Jeff, who featured in a recent DomPost profile, was nominated by MSP for the award which was announced at the NZ Marist AGM on 23 February. His nomination stated:

'In his first season with the Hurricanes, Jeff played a pivotal role in ensuring the forward pack never gave an inch in their Super Rugby campaign. Jeff's powerful scrummaging and outstanding mobility around the field secured his position as one of the top front-rowers in the country. It was clear that Jeff's performance was a key factor in the Hurricanes surprising success. Continue reading

In recent years he had became increasingly frail, and lived in the care of the Silverstream Home of Compassion.

Despite impaired hearing, he enjoyed visitors and conversation and happily recounted stories of his many and wide experiences.

Regarded as one of this country's eminent theologians and educators, Fr Duggan (affectionately known by his colleagues and former students as "Chalky") enjoyed a long career as a teacher, lecturer and author of books and articles and a prodigious number of letters to editors in publications around the English-speaking world.

In the 1930's there was a need in New Zealand for more qualified people to teach philosophy and theology, and because of his outstanding academic abilities he was sent to Rome in August 1933 to undertake a 4-year course in theology at the Angelicum University.

He gained a Doctorate in Sacred Theology (STD) from the Angelicum with a Magna Cum Laude ("with great praise").

His thesis was on "The Church in the Writings of St John Fisher."Duggan was a regular and generally controversial contributor to the letters to the editor in various publications.

Those who knew him personally however knew a very different man from his public persona.

Prominent writer and social commentor, Monty Holcroft, who was the Listener's editor from 1949 wrote of him: "For years I had been receiving strongly-reasoned letters defending conservative positions on politics and religion from G.H. Duggan, and I imagined a stern person, but when I met him I was surprised to find he was small cheerful clergyman with rather large eyes".

Fr Duggan was a keen sportsman, a counsellor and a man skilled in the domestic arts of cooking and preserving.

His Requiem will be celebrated at St Mary of the Angels, Wellington at 10.00am Thursday.

Source

• The Society of Mary in New Zealand
• Stuff.co.nz
• Image: Flickr

McAlese described Marist Fr Sean Fagan and Redemptorist Fr Tony Flannery as "good men who have loved this Church with a passion" who are now living through a time when they were being asked whether they were "real Catholics".

Speaking at the launch of her first book "Quo Vadis: Collegiality in the Code of Canon Law" she described this recent development at "dreadful".

"There is a fear at the centre [Rome] of how they can cope with these voices" she said.

Mrs McAleese, who is studying for a doctorate in canon law at Rome's Gregorian University, rebuked the Church for its way of dealing with dissent, which she said was to "iterate the demand for obedience".

She said this demand "was translated into a really, really dangerous silence where children suffered abominably".

It may also have contributed to the terminal decline of the Church, she said, and added that it "certainly made the church very, very ill".

Four of the five priests who have been investigated by the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith attended the launch: Frs Sean Fagan, Tony Flannery, Gerry Moloney and Brian D'Arcy.

Recently, during the visit of Anglican leader Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury and the Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew of Constantinople, attended the opening Mass for the Year of Faith, McAleese called the ecumenical hopes of Vatican II as to nothing more than "a photocall".

"Rowan Williams still cannot take communion in my Church," she noted and she said for that reason she intended to look at the "ways in which I, with whatever brain power I have, and however much energy I have, can I contribute to creating the unity that Christ has promised us".

Sources

• Irish Examiner
• Image: BBC

Former students of Vatukoula Marist Convent school from Nadi, Suva, Lautoka and overseas have been preparing for the three-day celebrations.

Association president Graham Peckham said he was expecting more than 300 former students.

"We're trying to raise money for the school and it would be really good to have their support."

He said the school would be celebrating its 75th anniversary and this would make the reunion of the former students even more special. The reunion and Diamond Jubilee will be celebrated from October 12 to 14.

Read more

In Auckland the Logos Project (the Marist Youth Ministry Trust) team runs programmes based in one of three core areas of church, schools and community. All have youth and faith at their centre.

This school term, the Logos Project is running a community-based programme called ICE (I can excel) at St Paul's College, a Marist brothers school in Ponsonby, Auckland. Lome Brown, a youth worker at the Logos Project, says that team members receive instant feedback from the young people on the programme. He says, "We have received an excellent response to the programme. St Paul's staff members choose these students, believing they will benefit from the support such a programme provides. This programme helps them to understand that not only can they achieve, they can excel."

"With most of the Logos Project team involved in the preparation and delivery of the 10-week programme, including group mentoring and a weekend retreat for the 21 boys involved, it takes smart planning and skilled execution to deliver what the boys need. To assist the team, funds donated specifically for this programme have come from the Sky City Trust."

The Logos Project's schools work includes programmes at five Catholic schools in the Auckland Diocese. Initiatives include sacramental programmes, supporting Mass, liturgy groups, special character groups and retreats for different year levels for these schools. Jen Martinez, Schools' programme leader says, "We also run a volunteer (connectors) programme, where we train, mentor, and upskill young people to support us and this proves invaluable in programmes like ICE. It's very much a win-win situation."

Lome Brown adds, "The ICE programme provides the young people with opportunities for new experiences; for building positive relationships; for support where it is needed. It seems a daunting task but it gives us the chance to facilitate some positive outcomes."

Source

• Bruce Craig

Deacon Samuel Maetara, 33, is from Malaita Province in the Southern region of the Solomon Islands. He says that he feels called to serve the poor, rejected and marginalized and believes that he is called to do that as a Marist priest.

He began his formation at Marist College, Bomana, Papua New Guinea in 2005.
 In 2007 he went to Fiji for his noviciate year before returning to Bomana in 2008 to continue his studies.

In 2009 Samuel transferred to Marist Seminary Auckland and continued studies at Good Shepherd College. In 2011 he worked at Chanel College, a high school in Samoa, and this year returned to continue his formation at Marist Seminary and complete his studies at Good Shepherd College. During the year he made his lifelong commitment to Marist life by taking Final Vows.

Tom Rarakani, Samuel's oldest brother, traveled from the Solomon Islands to represent his family at the Samuel's ordination.

Tom has a background in teaching. At one stage he had a senior role in the ministry of education for the Solomon Islands and currently he is a fulltime student at the University of the South Pacific (Honiara Campus), where he is doing a doctorate in Business Studies. He is married with children and hopes to complete his studies next year.

Source

• Marist Seminary Auckland
• Image: Marist Seminary Auckland