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.

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The Society of Mary
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She was an outstanding leader who served the SMSM sisters at the highest level.

"Patricia was a Marist woman, a woman of the Church, and a woman of the world" said the sisters' present leader Sr Georgeanne Marie Donovan.

"Her concerns for others were not limited to where she came from or where she had been. She had a heart big enough to embrace the world."

"She never ceased to be interested in or concerned about others - be they from SMSM world, from the wider Marist world, from her family and friends, or from the countries, cultures, and beliefs other than her own."

Patricia was born in Lepea, Samoa. She attended St. Mary's school in Savalalo

Later she went to New Zealand from where she entered the SMSM noviciate in Heretaunga, in 1959.

After she made her religious profession in December 1962 Patricia stayed on in the noviciate as a staff member for four years.

She then returned to Samoa and went to St. Mary's College to complete her School Certificate and University Entrance studies.

She was then appointed to teach at Marista College at Moamoa.

In the second half of 1970's, Patricia got a scholarship to study at Macquarie University in Sydney where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Returning to Samoa, Patricia was appointed Regional Superior there. Not long after that appointment, she was sent to the USA to do a course on Religious Formation.

This prepared her for her next assignment which was to be the novice director for the SMSM noviciate in Heretaunga.

In 1987 Patricia was elected Superior General of the SMSMs for a period of seven years.

She was the first Pasifika person to be elected as Superior General of her congregation.

After the first term of 7 years, Patricia was re-elected Superior General for another 7 years. This was the first time that a superior general had been elected for two consecutive terms.

Patricia was well known in Rome and her hospitality made her very popular with all the Pasifika visitors and students who studied in Rome.

In her role as superior general, she had affiliation with many organisations, groups, and institutions in both the Vatican and in other parts of the world.

After 14 years of leadership, Patricia stayed on in Europe. She worked in Algiers in Africa, teaching English at the University.

After some time she returned to Lyon in France and helped with the community at Ste-Foy-les-Lyon.

It was about this time that she was diagnosed with cancer. But, after successful treatment, she continued to help look after the elderly sisters in Lyon.

Patricia was doing so well that a few years ago she was asked to take on another leadership role as regional superior for the Euro-Africa Region. She readily accepted it but, the cancer returned and Sr. Pat became very ill.

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• maristes-france.org
• sobserver.ws
• Image: samoaobserver