Society of Mary

Marist Fathers New Zealand: Life and spirit

Spirituality

Pa Maria Winter film series considers “discernment”

pamariawinterseriesCommencing June 26, the Pa Maria spirituality ministry, is delivering its Winter Film Series for 2015.

Entitled “Making decisions and choices”, the event will use films to examine the questions and dynamics that surround making decisions and choices.

Pa Maria is distributing a flyer to advertise the event.

While some decisions and choices are straight forward others can paralyse, and the film series is designed to help people better understand discernment, the spirituality centre says.

“It is not a matter of what the film is about or whether we enjoy it, rather it is a matter of what the film reveals to us about what motivates us and what values we live by”, says Pa Maria Director, Fr Brian Cummings SM.

“The films do not propose to take people through a process of discernment, rather the aim to help you examine the way individuals discern and what motivates the person to choose the way they to”, he says.

The Winter Film Series runs June 29, July 6, July 13, July 20 and July 27.

The event is free, however a koha will be accepted.

Marist exhibits paintings presenting the beauty of creation

New Zealand artist and ecologist Fr Peter Healy SM, says his paintings are like a spiritual prayer presenting the beauty of creation.

healypaintingHe was speaking at the opening of an exhibition of some of his paintings at the Mahara Gallery in Waikanae.

Peter said his paintings were his way of capturing the truth of nature and expressing the hope that it would not be destroyed by some of the forces that today do not respect nature and the balance of our world.

Peter has four works there with the overall title ‘Tararua Landscapes’.

They are works from 2013 and 2014.

His works are presented alongside two other artists, the late John Foster, who has produced some large works, including the sadness of war, and another local artist, Adrienne Spratt, with works of Māori weaving and art.

The exhibition opened  7 February and exhibition runs until 22 March.

David Kennerley elected new New Zealand provincial

Marist fathers and brothers in New Zealand have elected David Kennerley as their new provincial.

Born in 1955 in Clive, Hawkes Bay, David enjoyed family life with his parents, Harry and Val, and his brothers, Philip and Peter.

Educated at St Joseph’s Primary School, Hastings and Napier Boys High School, in 1975 he joined the Marist seminary at Greenmeadows. He was professed a Marist in 1978. and ordained a priest in Hastings by Bishop John Rodgers in 1982.

For a number of years David was on the staff at St Patrick’s College Silverstream, during which time he qualified with a M.Ed in Guidance and Counselling.

At an early stage he was selected to be the Marist Fathers and Brothers Novice master, which saw him form young men as Marists in Hawkes Bay and Fiji.

Then in 1999, and based in Boston Massachusetts he became the first Society of Mary international English language novice master.

After another period as the international English language novitiate master, but this time based in Sydney, in 2006 David returned to New Zealand to live and minister at St Mary of the Angels parish, Wellington.

In 2009 he  joined the Marist spirituality ministry based at Pa Maria, Wellington, where he is engaged in retreat work and reflection days for individuals and groups. He is also part of the Cenacle Retreat in Daily Life Team.

As well as his current ministry at Pa Maria, David is also engaged in ministry with Rachael’s Vineyard.

2011 saw David elected to the Society of Mary New Zealand provincial council and he now becomes the New Zealand province’s Provincial-Elect.

David has a wide education. As well as his M.Ed in Guidance and Counselling, as a seminarian he obtained both a B.A. from Victoria University, Wellington, and a Bachelor of Sacred Theology from the Angelicum, University, Rome.

A new Provincial Council is to be elected to work with him and together they will begin their ministry in February 2014