Society of Mary

Marist Fathers New Zealand: Life and spirit

Rome

Vicar General begins visitation of NZ Marists

Vicar General of the Society of Mary, Fr Larry Duffy with Fr Paul Martin
Vicar General of the Society of Mary, Fr Larry Duffy visits St Patrick’s College, Wellington where Bursar General, Paul Martin SM was rector.

Vicar General for the Society of Mary, Fr Larry Duffy arrived in Auckland on October 29 to visit the New Zealand province.

He will be in New Zealand until mid November.

During his time in the country he will visit with each Marist individually, attend two, two-day Provincial Council meetings, a Finance Committee meeting and participate in regional gatherings in Auckland, Hawkes Bay, Wellington and Christchurch.

In a letter to Marists, sent prior to his arriving, Fr Duffy said he is looking forward to meeting New Zealand Marists and spending time with them and he hopes the time of information sharing and reflection will be mutually enriching; with a particular eye to future of the Society and the 2017 General Chapter.

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Paul Martin appointed Bursar General

Fr Paul Martin has been appointed Bursar General of the Society of Mary by The Superior General Fr John Hannan.

Paul is currently two years into his term as a provincial councillor and provincial bursar in New Zealand.

Paul has extensive experience in administration and as a teacher in New Zealand secondary schools. An English teacher at St Bede’s College Christchurch and St Patrick’s College Wellington, Paul also served a term as chaplain at Hato Paora College and Deputy Rector at St Bede’s College.

Prior to his election as a provincial councillor and appointment as provincial bursar in New Zealand, Paul was rector at St Patrick’s College Wellington.

Writing to the New Zealand province, Provincial, Fr David Kennerley called the appointment an “excellent choice”.

“This is a tremendous compliment to Paul and an astute acknowledgement of the considerable range of skills and energy he has”, wrote Fr Kennerley.

Paul’s appointment is effective from 1 March and follows the resignation of Fr Paul Cooney who has returned to Australia where he is undergoing intensive health care.

Fr Tim Duckworth has been appointed Provincial Bursar and to the provincial council.

Parish withdrawal forces scaling back of Marist support of Māori College

The Society of Mary is withdrawing from Our Lady of Lourdes parish, Palmerston North at the end of 2015.

“The decision to finish reflects our need to consolidate our apostolates and to prioritise our ministries,” Marist Fathers’ provincial, Fr David Kennerley SM said in a letter, Saturday, to Marist priests and brothers.

A consequence of this decision is the Society is to scale back its support of Hato Paora College.

The College, a Catholic Māori boys’ boarding school was established by the Society of Mary in 1947.

Fr Kennerley says the Society hopes to continue to support Hato Paora College into the future, but obviously not with as significant a presence as its has up to this point.

Currently Fr Matthew Crawford SM ministers full time at Hato Paora and lives in the Marist community at Our Lady of Lourdes.

Fr Kennerley says that the withdrawal from Our Lady of Lourdes parish marks the end of 14 years service and will be felt by many.

“We are grateful to all our confreres who have served in this parish and in other parts of this area for their energy and commitment,” he wrote.

Writing to the Palmerston North Diocese, Bishop Charles Drennan said the priests in Palmerston North always felt the warmth of hospitality and welcome at the Marist Community at Our Lady of Lourdes.

“Our diocese has been greatly served by the Shamrock street community over the years and it is with much sadness that I recognize the Society’s need to allocate their men elsewhere in the mission of the Church,” wrote Bishop Drennan.

The bishop said it’s the Marists’ vibrant, generous and varied ministry is what will be missed the most.

Members of the Society grouped by age met recently at Tatum Park to prioritise their ministries in New Zealand.

The meetings were requested by the Society of Mary’s General Administration in Rome.

Reflecting on these meetings, Fr Kennerley said in his May Provincial Newsletter, that without being asked, both meetings had agreed the Provincial and his Council were left to make the final choice for prioritising the provinces’ ministries.

In 2012, the Society of Mary took over responsibility of the Napier Pastoral area that comprises the Napier city parish of St Patrick, St Thomas-Moore parish and the St Mary’s parish in Taradale.

Brendan Jenke departs NZ to study in Rome

Seminarian, Brendan Jenke departs for Rome on Sunday.

brendanjenkeWhile in Rome he will live at the Marist Fathers’ International Theologate and study theology at the Gregorian University.

The course of study is four years.

Before beginning his theological studies in September, Brendan will attend and Italian language school in Turin.

During the week he was invited to his old school, Liston College to speak to the students about his vocation and while at the school assembly was presented with an anointing of the sick kit with a pyx inside.

They had belonged to Russell Piaggi, the sacristan and lay presider at Thames.

Russell studied at the Marist Seminary in the 1930’s and died three years ago. He asked the kit and pyx be given to a student from Liston College who entered the Marist seminary.

While studying in Auckland, Brendan has also been part of the vocations discernment team, helping those who think they may have a Marist vocation to work out where God might be calling them.

Those interested in following up the idea of whether they might have a Marist vocation are invited to contact Fr Peter McAfee at the Marist Seminary.

Te next vocations discernment weekend takes place on 1-3 August.