Scouts or Yorkshiremen?

Having been faced with a fair amount of time on my hands in recent weeks as I recuperated after surgery, I fondly imagined that I’d happily spend the time reading the pile of books waiting for me and watching numerous DVDs.  When put in that context, surgery didn’t seem such a bad prospect after all! Want to read more?…

Marist Asia Pacific meets in the Philippines

The annual meeting of the provincials and vicar-provincials from Marist Asia Pacific (MAP), took place recently in Davao, the Philippines. The major topics discussed included:

• A report from each province and district.
• The actual status of MAP
• Marist Mission in Asia, especially where it is existing now in the Philippines, Japan and Ranong / Thailand
• Formation, with a particular focus on the theologate in Rome, support of young Marists and ongoing Marist renewal including ideas from the General Chapter (SD 38-41 and 49,50)
• Vocations, especially what is needed for admission and the sharing of resources
• Support and shared planning within MAP, in various areas including training, education and finance. Want to read more?…

Hatching plans

I guess there is somehow a natural suspicion when one group of people that you belong to meet for a purpose that somehow excludes you.  Or to put that another way – sometimes when a group of others meet and start talking it’s natural to think that they might be talking about you – or even worse, plotting your demise. Want to read more?…

Save us, we are perishing

As I write this I am preparing to go off to the “Under 60s” gathering. I don’t know exactly what it is going to entail, but I am sure we will discuss the future of the Society of Mary and the New Zealand province. Even looking at the list of names of who is under sixty years of age in our Province was a bit of a shock. I am celebrating my twenty-fifth jubilee of priesthood and yet my name is not far off the bottom of the age order. Want to read more?…

The blind side

At first glance, there’s not a lot in common between The Hurt Locker and Winter in Wartime other than the fact that both are, broadly speaking, war movies.

If we step out of where they are set, and focus on the main character in each, then a lot more common ground becomes apparent – especially in the sense of what war means, and does, to a person in their particular context. Want to read more?…

Being a Stakeholder

The best way to remain young today isn’t the Ponds 7-Day Beauty Plan, it’s to stick around in the Society of Mary. Despite the fact that I’m heading towards the middle of my fifties – being in the Society of Mary that venerable age puts me in the younger bracket. Want to read more?…

Pa Maria

The new ministry at 78 Hobson Street has chosen to be called Pa Maria.

This ministry:

• provides opportunities for individuals and groups associated in any way with the Society of Mary to develop the practice of the spirit and spirituality of the Society,
• builds up self-sustaining networks and groups inspired by the Colinian spirit and spirituality
• provides a place imbued with the Marian spirit for individuals and groups to meet, reflect, pray and make retreats

Denis O’Hagan asked Richard Puanaki to suggest a name. After consulting his family he suggested Pa Maria and provided the following explanation:

Maria, is of course a Maori transliteration of Mary. In addition to its well known meaning of stronghold or fortress Pa also means to be touched or to come close to, be near; e.g. Ka pa te mamae ki ahau (the sorrow touched me/the sorrow was felt by me).

Richard added that he thought this name would be easy to pronounce and spell and that it would “trip off the tongue”.

So Pa Maria denotes a secure place where people can come close to and be touched by Mary.

Emmaus Spirituality Ministry

When Futuna closed the spirituality and retreat ministry moved to 78 Hobson Street which had until then been the Provincial Offices and Residence—it changed to being called Emmaus.

This year Emmaus, the Spirituality and Directed Retreat Ministry of Jim Dooley and Sr Lyndall Brown has moved with the name Emmaus to new premises in Harriett Street, Thorndon, Wellington.

April Provincial Council meeting

Notes from the April provincial council meeting:

• Discussed an article by Michael Crosby “Religious life: another opinion about its Scriptural underpinnings” which was a response to Sr Sandra Schneiders’ research on Religious life as a prophetic life form.
• Shared qualities needed for the role of Finance Officer.
• Talked over the role of Lyndsay Freer as Media Consultant.
• Decided to trial a booking system in the context of the Policy on Holiday Houses.
• Received an update on different confreres concerning health and placement.
• Received initial feedback on the communities the Care Co-ordinator has visited.
• Followed up points from the Marist Life Committee regarding Provincial Retreats in 2011.
• Formally signed a new Marist Youth Ministry Trust Deed which will be forwarded to the Charities Commission for registration.
• In Finance covered standard matters for both the Society of Mary Trust Board and the Society of Mary (NZ) General Trust; confirmed practical aspects and finances for the Society’s partnership with Challenge 2000 in the ‘GAP year’ ministry; renewed a loan between the Society and the St Bede’s College Board of Proprietors; approved the rental for Emmaus Spirituality ministry.
• Received an update of the discussions with Marist Holdings concerning a possible Maryknoll community.
• Discussed how best to respond to the call of the Provincial Chapter to reflect on the basic template of Religious Life [DDNZ08 p.11 Recommendations]
• Gave advice how best to facilitate the coming review of the Marist Maori Focus Unit Discussed developments of the Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation commission noting www.awakeninguniverse.com.
• Planned for the coming Good Shepherd College Trust Board.
• Received a report on the First Professions in Davao.

Peter Chanel Celebration

Nine months after the killing of Peter Chanel SM on the island of Futuna, Fr Phillipe Viard SM (later first bishop of Wellington) collected his remains. He transported them to Kororareka (now Russell) in the Bay of Islands. There they remained for seven years before being repatriated to the headquarters of the Society in Lyon, France. The relics were returned to Futuna in 1977. Want to read more?…

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