Marist Internet Project

The province began the Marist Internet Project in 1996 as a way to reach out in an attempt to renew the church and establish it where it does not exist.

The Internet Project has three main aspects that work together to help build the virtual church:

• working alongside other in an advisory capacity
• development of communications technologies to engage people in gospel-based communication
• hosting websites for church and community groups

The changes society has begun to experience are a beginning. The Information Society presents both challenges and creative opportunities for the Church. Whereas initially the Church had a monopoly on early technology, the printing press, it now shares the technological tools with society.

For a number of years the Internet Project worked alongside Catholic Communications in New Zealand and during this time was instrumental in partnering with Fraynework, the Marist Brothers Melbourne province and Church Resources Australia, to host a conference on the Church and the Information Age at the Mary MacKillop conference centre in Sydney.

As well as continuing its work in New Zealand , the Internet Project is currently part of an international team assisting in the redevelopment of an Asian Catholic News network, based in Bangkok. Over the next few years the task is to bring Catholic news and communications services to several countries and sub-cultures across Asia. Our involvement in this project is in a staff training capacity and as web consultants, responsible for developing the platform and integrating new social media technologies into the community.

The New Zealand Province of the Society of Mary was an early adopter of Internet-based technologies and in a broad demographic, over 75% of the province has an email address.

Currently the Marist Internet Project is involved with several projects including the development of the Marist Spirituality, Marist Places, and Pray the News websites.

The number of those involved in the Internet Project has fluctuated over time. A constant throughout this time, John Murphy is full time involved in this ministry. He is supported in a part time basis by Michael Homer whose prime responsibility is managing the web-hosting and programming. From time to time we contract graphical services and are now at a point were we have a small but flexible and functional team.