Society of Mary

Marist Fathers New Zealand: Life and spirit

Gap year

Marist – Challenge Gap year makes a difference

marist - challenge gap year

Serious issues impacted Challenge 2000 this year, and the Marist – Challenge Gap students made huge difference.

“The Wellington-Porirua and Hutt communities could not have done without the Marist Challenge gap students presence and commitment” says Challenge 2000 Director, Steve O’Connor.

“Having these additional passionate, keen, diversely skilled young people means Challenge 2000 could provide crucial additional back up services like holiday programmes, music initiatives, fuller youth houses and teacher aides to support young people to thrive and achieve”, he said.

marist - challenge gap year
Anna Hoskins

Anna Hoskins the Gap Year co-ordinator adds ”our male Gappies Sio, Savesi, Rimu and Aidan have thrived mentoring young men, providing additional tutoring and a driving service to sports games and College activities this year.

“They have built strong relationships and become both role models and buddies to those they work with”.

Mike, a young man on a youth justice programme backed Anna up.

“Yeah they’re awesome.

“They’re like older brothers that I can look up too and they are always there for me.

“I’m keen to go on that Gap Programme if I can, later”.

Part of the Marist Challenge Gap Year also involves a month placement working in another country, community or agency out of Wellington.

This year participants have

  • attended Outward Bound,
  • served in school in rural communities,
  • worked in school and communities in Dunedin,
  • worked alongside those with disabilities and
  • supported young offenders on a wilderness experience.

Participants return stronger, more aware and more confident in who they are and how they will contribute to our country.

Anna, herself a graduate of the programme five years ago, says she is proud to now coordinate it.

“This is an amazing way that the Society of Mary now supports young people like me to grow, become aware of what is going on in society and discover ways of contributing to my community”.

She says it’s a great partnership with Challenge 2000 and sees it as a very positive investment in the young people of Aotearoa New Zealand.

This year is the 10th year of this intensive innovative Personal development programme funded by the Society of Mary in partnership with Challenge 2000 a community based NGO.

marist - challenge gap year80 young people have now completed this programme and many are now leaders making a difference.

The programme consists of two days training every week and three days working in areas of need where the young leaders can strengthen existing programmes and use their skills and passion for service and justice.

Interested?

Click to find out more about the 2019 Marist-Challenge Gap Year.

Click to register your interest or enrol in the 2019 Marist-Challenge Gap Year.

 

Former Marist Gap student walks to prevent sexual violence

Finn Egan former Marist Gap Student
Finn Egan (left)

Finn Egan, a former Marist Challenge 2000 Gap Year Student and Youth Worker at Challenge 2000, has walked the 1600km of the Te Araroa Trail from Cape Reinga to Wellington to support Roar4PNG.

Roar4PNG is an organisation devoted to preventing and healing sexual and domestic violence and wants to build a women’s refuge in Kokopo, capital of East New Britain in Papua New Guinea.

Mr Egan worked in PNG for 18 months with Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA).

“I might not be able to change the world, but I can at least get the conversation going about how we are all connected and can do small things,” says Mr Egan.

On Wednesday Challenge 2000 welcomed him to hear stories about his journey so far and to raise money for this project.

Mr Finn called the walk physically tough but spiritually beneficial.

“Spiritually it has been very enlightening, and I have embraced a Maori proverb I saw somewhere on my journey, ‘In the footstep, there is thought.’”

The money Finn raises by his efforts will go towards the NZ$400,000 start-up cost of the women’s refuge.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Rabaul is providing the land for the refuge to be built on. It is also meeting the costs for on-going maintenance and care packages for the women.

Mr Egan said the people of Papua New Guinea and this refuge would provide real support for many women and children.

Judge calls Kitty McKinley a hero of the judicial system

Kitty McKinley and Judge Noel Sainsbury
Kitty McKinley and Noel Sainsbury

The “real heroes” of the judicial system are the likes of Kitty McKinley says newly appointed District Court judge, Noel Sainsbury.

Judge Sainsbury said Kitty McKinley is one of those people who take significant steps to help people from having to return to the system.

He thanked her for being at the ceremony and also took the opportunity to single out the Challenge 2000 and WellStop agencies for the work they do in this regard.

Judge Sainsbury made the comments in the course of his appointment address to the bench, the Attorney General; Hon Christopher Finlayson, colleagues, family, friends and the public gallery.

Kitty McKinley is founder of Challenge 2000 and leader of the Marist – Challenge Gap Year.

In a statement on its website Challenge 2000 congratulated the judge on his appointment however regretted the loss of a generous and competent advocate who often represented young people free-of-charge.

“We acknowledge the significant asset that Judge Sainsbury will be to the bench, to the parties whose matters he will be adjudicating, and to the wider community as a committed and compassionate arbiter of justice,” the statement says.

Calling Judge Sainsbury’s appointment “welcome news”, Challenge 2000 says it reflects the judge’s passion for people and social justice.

Judge Sainsbury said he saw his appointment to the bench in Manukau as a further expression of his career in law as a vocation.

Source: Challenge 2000

Lay Marist ‘makes deadlines’ and graduates from Good Shepherd College

On Friday 6th June Kitty McKinley and Marist seminarian Phil Bennenbrook were amongst the 16 students to graduate with a Graduate Diploma in Theology from from Good Shepherd College – Te Hepara Pai.

While for Phil the study is part of his preparation for priesthood, Kitty is the founder of Challenge 2000, a Social Worker, facilitator and leader of the Marist – Challenge 2000 Gap year.

Kitty says she enjoyed the intellectual stimulation of studying theology and the accompanying challenge to translate it into pastoral situations.

“Canon Law had a particular attraction for me.

“It is great to learn how to integrate the rights and responsibilities of all members of the church in terms of both understanding and practice – very interesting and thought provoking,” she said.

Kitty recommends lay people consider studying at Good Shepherd College.

“I really encourage other lay people to get on and do it,” she said.

For Kitty, being able to study at a distance; from her own home, is all very modern.

“It’s a lot different from when I studied towards my first two degrees.”

Laughing she said, “In the old days you could fake the timeline when you sent stuff in. However the Internet time-stamps your sending assignments so you have to make the deadline rather than fake it.”