Australia

Fr Rob Hollow baptises a baby in Gladstone Parish

The first Marist contact with Australia came in 1837. Using Sydney as a supply base to support their efforts in missions throughout the vast South Pacific, the early members of the Society of Mary were based in various places around Sydney until they took up permanent residence at Villa Maria, Hunters Hill in 1847.

The Australian community was part of the Pacific missions province (Oceania) until 1926 and then part of the New Zealand province of the Society of Mary until 1938.

In that year the province of Australia was established. The provincial superior lived at St Patrick’s, Church Hill in Sydney until 1966, after which the provincial headquarters were moved to Hunters Hill.

At the beginning of the 1950’s, a number of Marists from Australia went to Japan to assist in post-war reconstruction, and to establish a mission. Since that time, the Japanese region has been a part of the Australian province.

Today eighty-seven Fathers and Brothers belong to the province.

Link: Marist Fathers – Australia