Priests from all over the world who prepare each day to celebrate mass in the Saint-Peter's Basilica are now putting on their alb under the vigilant eye of a saintly priest who was a member of the Marist Third-Order, now called the Marist Laity.

Jean-Marie Vianney, the Cure d'Ars

During the last General Audience on November 30th, Pope Benedict XVI blessed an very large portrait of the Frenchman St Jean-Marie Vianney.

A humble, compassionate and prayerful Jean Marie Vianney, also known as The Cure d'Ars, is the patron Saint of Parish Priests.

In 1818 Jean Vianney was appointed parish priest of the parish of a small town called Ars. The town's population was 230.

In the aftermath of the French Revolution and the destruction of the Catholic Church in France, Vianney picked up on the religious ignorance of the local people and began to educate them with his homilies, and by spending considerable hours in the confessional.

In later years, Vianney became known internationally and people traveled long distances to consult him.

By 1855 the number of pilgrims visiting the small town of Ars reached 20,000 a year and during the last ten years of his life, he spent sixteen to eighteen hours a day in the confessional.

So popular was he as a confessor that the bishop forbade him to attend the annual retreats of the diocesan clergy because 'souls awaiting him'.

He was similarly prevented by the bishop from retiring from parish ministry and joining the Fr Colin and the Marists in his final years.

Vianney's recommendations to people that they join the Third Order of Mary, even when it possessed neither official approbation nor definite structure pressured Father Colin into giving the Third-Order its first Director in the person of Father Eymard.

In 1846 John Vianney was himself received into the Third Order on December 8th and in 1854 received faculties to receive other members in his turn.

Vianney's picture came to Rome on the occasion of the Year of the Priest and as a gift from the bishop from the French diocese of Belley-Ars, Bishop Buy Bagnard.

Source: CathNews

Six young people who completed the Marist - Challenge 2000 Gap Year programme in Wellington received their certificates at a graduation ceremony on Sunday.

Graduates of the Marist Fathers' - Challenge 2000 Gap Year

At the graduation students had an opportunity to say what they had learned from their experience.

Several spoke of about how their horizons had been expanded and how they had successfully met the challenge to achieve things that they had previously thought were beyond them.

As well as being placed with a variety of social agencies where they work for three days a week, the gap year participants helped run retreats and formation programmes for secondary and primary school aged people.

Two days each week were spent on education and formation programmes consisting of six elements: work, social, personal, spiritual, intellectual and physical. The methodology and teaching format included formal presentations, group work, "hands-on" work, reflection of experiences, guest speakers, NZQA study papers and individual projects.

In September participants were given a special placement designed to push their limits a little more. Some went to the Philippines and Vanuatu. Others participated in the Army's Limited Service Volunteer (LSV) scheme and worked with L'Arche.

Those participating in the programme were all recent secondary school graduates and came from around New Zealand to participate in the programme.

The Gap year is run by Challenge 2000 with support from the Society of Mary. It is a full time project that involves NZQA training, work experience and placement in a community agency that supports participants' career aspirations and future realities.

During the Gap Year participants build up each of the elements required for a balanced life: Work, Social, Personal, Spiritual, Intellectual and Physical dimensions.

Source

• CathNews

The Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand, Archbishop Charles Balvo, this morning, presented Fr Bill Leeming with a Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal at a ceremony at the Marist Centre.

Fr Bill Leeming and Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Charles Balvo

The Pro Eccllesia et Pontifice medal is also know as the "Cross of Honour" is given for distinguished service to the Church by lay people and clergy.

Bill worked at the Nunciature from 1994, until retiring earlier this year.

In acknowledging Bill's contribution to the delicate work of the Nunciature, Archbishop Balvo thanked Bill for the help he has been to several Nuncios, Archbishop White, Archbishop Coveney and himself.

Archbishop Balvo said that since Bill retired it's been a case of sharing Bill's workload around and following his well practiced and methodical procedures, but he hoped to soon find a successor.

The Nuncio said he enjoyed working with Bill, and that he did a great many things to help the outreach of the Apostolic Delegation in New Zealand, and he did them with love.

Justin Taylor was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in virtue of his significant contribution to biblical scholarship particularly at the Ecole Biblique of Jerusalem.

Justin Taylor is presented with his honorary doctorate from the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum)

The Superior General of the Society of Mary, Fr John Hannan, along with Marists, Alejandro Munoz, Craig Larkin, Fred Bliss, Gerard Hall and Tim Costello, joined a significant turnout of Dominican friars, including the Master General, and Angelicum university students to hear Justin's lecture, "Reading the Bible in the time of the Cure of Ars".

The Dominicans paid great honour to Justin by the tributes not only to his academic competence but to his qualities as a religious and as a human being.

Tim Costello described the occasion as "splendid'.

The award took place on Tuesday 16 November.

In his weekly "fax" to the New Zealand province, Fr Brian Cummings, the Provincial of the the Society of Mary New Zealand, drew Marist's attention to a recent call by the President of the Pontifical Council for Culture, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravassi, who asked priests to liven up their sermons and avoid being dull!

Fr Brian Cummings

Ravasi, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture, said that priests who used theological language that was formulaic and boring risked making the gospel irrelevant.

Grey, dull and flavourless sermons need to be livened up with graphic stories and scandal contained within the Bible, the Cardinal said.

"The advent of televised and computerised information requires us to be compelling and trenchant, to cut to the heart of the matter, to resort to narratives and colour."

Fr Cummings recommended reading more of what the Cardinal had to say at at: CathNews.co.nz

Responding to the popular request from around the world, a high resolution digital copy of the Icon of Jean-Claude Colin is now available on the Society of Mary General Administration's website.

The General Administration intends to produce A3 posters and Holy Cards with the prayer for beatification of Fr Colin on the reverse side.

Those interested in an A3 poster or Holy Cards are asked to contact the Society of Mary New Zealand Provincial Office.

The icon of Marist founder, Jean-Claude Colin was commissioned by the Superior General to coincide with the re-introduction of Jean-Claude Colins' cause for beatification. It is the work of the John the Baptist art studio in New Zealand and will be placed in the Chapel of the Marist Fathers General House in Rome.

Chris Skinner has new material available, including a DVD production "Live in concert at St Patrick's Cathedral".

As well as Chris, the DVD features the Auckland Boys' Choir.

In his search for money, and posing as Bishop Sebastinni Aguirre, the very convincing gentleman cites a range of valid Marist and Church people, including even that of the Superior General, Fr John Hannan.

Also, around Wellington at the moment are two people asking for money for rent. They claim they are just out of prison and are in need of money.

The Australian Marist province welcomed Fr Des Darby to St Patrick's Church Hill, Sydney today.

Des a member of the Marist pastoral team at Our Lady of Lourdes, Palmerston North, is on loan to St Pat's as part of the New Zealand province's contribution to the Marist Asia Pacific on-going renewal programme for young Marists in the Asia-Pacific area.

Des is replacing Kevin Redmond who is going to Marist Aboriginal Mission at Macksville to replace Paul Sullivan, who is working with the renewal programme for three months.

Michael Sullivan will replace Des for the remainder of the year in Palmerston North.

Recently nine students from St Mary's, the Marist college in Dundalk, Ireland, visited the Marist mission in Ranong, Thailand.

Marist Mission Thailand is a work of Marist district of the Philippines and assists Myanmar migrant workers by:

• educating their children
• offering health care
• running a community centre to help build community amongst the workers and their families.

The Marist Mission Thailand offers help to the neediest people regardless of creed, age or ethnic origin.

The St Mary's Dundalk, Ireland students quickly adapted to the intense heat, constant threat of torrential rain and local food and set about their teaching duties.

In the two weeks they spent in Thailand, the Irish students were strongly affected by the enthusiasm and friendly nature of the Myanmar people. They returned to Ireland full of unforgettable experiences.