Livemaristsummer

LIVE MARIST Summer 2015

Vocations e-newsletter for the Marist Brothers Province of Australia

Brother Jack O’Sullivan, FMS (2nd from Left) and Brother James Hodge, FMS (5th from Left) celebrating with Brothers at their First Profession of Vows.

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The River Gier captivates me.

Along with countless Marist pilgrims over the years, I’ve been fascinated by this bubbling little stream which has played such a wonderful cameo in the Champagnat Story.

Recently I enjoyed the opportunity of walking alongside the Gier with some Marist companions, lazily making our way from Lavalla down to the Hermitage. Rarely have I given any thought to the Gier’s origin, way up in the heights of Mt Pilat, in the RhoneAlpes of Southern France. Nor have I pondered its onward trek as it flows into the mighty Rhone at Givors, before merging with the Seine at the ‘confluence’ in Lyon, then heading south to eventually empty into the Mediterranean Sea. It is an amazing journey, one which would well fit the title of Paul Kelly’s classic, “From Little Things Big Things Grow.”

For Marcellin and his early Brothers, the Gier literally quenched their thirst as they set about constructing the Hermitage and establishing vegetable gardens and other necessary food sources. It could be argued that Marcellin’s expanding vision for the Marist project could be reflected in the unfolding journey of the Gier.

The constant flow of this simple stream

reminds me of the constant presence of the Holy Spirit in our own lives, inviting us to trust that God – our source and our strength, will guide us along the right path as we move from still and quiet pools into the wider streams and currents of real life.

In many ways, authentic Christian vocation mirrors this flow through two key movements. Firstly, Christian vocation always WELLS UP within us, arising from our thirst for God and for meaning. It invites us to acknowledge God’s presence and action in our lives.

We have no choice but to respond.

Secondly, Christian vocation moves us OUT into the wider community, compelling us to use our gifts and talents at the service of others and for the greater good of God’s mission.

Water from the Rock beautifully captures this sense of the Christian vocation expressed through the Marist charism; “Moved by the Spirit, urged by God’s own longing to bring life to the world, we become streams of living water, flowing through the personal, communal, and ministry aspects of our lives” (par.43). This Marist stream is meant for the whole world!

In recent months we have witnessed the outpouring of new life and vitality; the Religious Professions of Brother James Hodge and Brother Jack O’Sullivan, our growing Marist Association, and the increasing number

of young men and women for whom being Marist is part of their spiritual DNA. As we move into Advent, let’s give thanks for the ways in which God’s Holy Spirit continues to flow in and through us, filling us with new life. With Mary, First Disciple, may we walk towards the crib and once again seek out and invite the God-child to be born again in our hearts.

Brother Greg McDonald, FMS Director of Vocations

LIVE MARIST is the occasional e-newsletter of the Marist Vocations Team. It aims to provide news of vocations ministry events and happenings from around the Province of Australia, together with reflections on Marist life and mission.

LIVE MARIST is for all members of the Australian Marist Community; Brothers, Lay Marists, those involved in leadership and the education and faith formation of youth and young adults in our ministries.

LIVE MARIST promotes the vocation of all the baptised, with a special focus on the growth of new members; both Brothers and Lay Marists.

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Vocations Ministry with Young Adults Live Marist Dinners Our fifth and final Live Marist Dinner was held in Sydney on August 20 at the Marist Community at Eastwood. Br Rod, Br Greg, Br Michael and Br Justin spoke about being Brothers today and some of the new ventures Brothers are undertaking in ministering to young people on the margins. It has been a terrific experience

Evening Prayer with the Brothers in the Chapel

to travel to parts of the country where Marist life is flourishing, especially among young adults and ex-students. We look forward to inviting these young men to further possibilities and ministry opportunities in the year ahead. LM

Br Paul Kane, Andrew, Br Justin Golding

Thank You Brother Rod! After fifteen years and two fulltime stints in Vocations ministry, and many more in Youth and Young Adult ministry, Brother Rod Thomson has been invited by the Provincial to undertake some renewal in the first half of 2016.

Whether co-ordinating Vocations weekends, facilitating Marist Young Adult Communities, conducting Remar Camps, Immersion experiences to Indigenous Communities and places throughout the Asia-Pacific region, or participating in Forums, Brother Rod has brought great enthusiasm and creativity to these ministries.

Most importantly, he has witnessed a passion for Marist life and spirituality, especially the Brothers’ vocation, together with a belief in the God-given potential of young people and their capacity to use their gifts in the service of others. His mentoring of young adults has enabled them to gain clarity in appreciating how they can life their lives to the fullest.

Thank you Brother Rod and every blessing and best wish for a rewarding time of renewal!

Meal time thanks to Br Michael Akers

Live Marist Sydney Group at Eastwood 3

Province of Australia welcomes two new Brothers “We are called to serve one another and walk humbly with God!”

vocational qualities that resonated strongly in me.”

The words to the hymn, ‘We Are Called’, rang out joyfully at St Kevin’s Parish, Eastwood in Sydney on the Feast of the Assumption, as Brother James Hodge FMS and Brother Jack O’Sullivan FMS, made their First Profession of Vows as Marist Brothers.

Brother Jack O’Sullivan was educated at Notre Dame College in Shepparton, Victoria, before working in Youth Ministry with the Archdiocese of Melbourne. “My experience of three World Youth Days left me with a hunger and a desire for wanting a closer relationship with God. The witness of the Brothers and the Marist formation program in the novitiate has helped me to better discern where God is leading me in my Marist life”, Brother Jack said.

Over 120 Brothers, family and friends gathered to witness the two young men publicly pronounce the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience for one year.

Brother James Hodge was educated by the Brothers at the former Marist College on Fernberg Road in Rosalie, close to where his parents, Vince and Susanne live. After completing a Bachelor of Business degree at QUT, James worked in Campus Ministry at Marist College Rosalie and Mt Maria College Mitchelton. He then undertook accountancy work with the Marist Solidarity Office at Ashgrove before moving to Cambodia where he spent nine months working with the Brothers at Salla Lavalla, a boarding school for disabled children.

“Through my experiences of working alongside the Brothers in Brisbane and then at Salla Lavalla in Cambodia, I found myself being continually drawn to them, Brother James said.

“Their strong sense of fraternity, Marist spirituality, and their witness of simply being brothers to others and to marginalised youth, were

Both men completed their two-year novitiate in the USA with Sam Amos, an American novice. Part of their novitiate included an intercultural experience with Marist novices from Latin America, designed to provide a more global context to their future ministries with young people in need.

Brother Jeff Crowe, Provincial, welcomed the new Brothers into the Province; “Jack and James, from your time of discernment in the novitiate, I know you understand the content of your religious commitment. We can all feel the conviction you have brought to this day of Profession and the enthusiasm of your young hearts to follow Christ in the spirit of St Marcellin Champagnat.”

Welcome James and Jack and every blessing as you continue your journey as Marist Brothers. LM

Brother James and Brother Jack professing their vows before Brother Jeff Crowe, Provincial, Brother Rob Clark, Novice Director and the assembled congregation.

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Jack and Ja

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Brother James Hodg

Brother Jack O’Sull ivan with his Family

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Signing the Vows Register

Br Mark O’Con

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Sligar ke, Lucy Murrie and Julie Brother James with Sian Bur

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Brothers and Young Marists enjoying the moment

ul, Joel Hodge ,

Anita Hendry

with Br Jack

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New Marist Ministry at Mount Druitt Set to Launch Brothers Michael, Justin and Lawrie outside their Mount Druitt residence.

Live Marist asked Brother Michael Callinan FMS, the project leader of the La Valla Community Project in Sydney’s far west, to share something of the establishment of the community in Mount Druitt and the emerging ministry that the three brothers in the community are about to begin.

LM: So, Michael, it seems to me there’s a whole lot that’s happened since the idea of a new Marist community somewhere in Australia was floated. Can you fill in the gaps for our Live Marist readers?

BM: Sure. A whole lot has happened! The initial investigation phase finished around mid-year after we had consulted over fifty professional people in all manner of education and welfare work. We decided that the Mount Druitt area of Sydney’s far west would provide clear pathways for ministry in addition to being a place somewhat ‘on the margins’. We managed to find a four-bedroom rental property quite close to the train station and the town centre, and for the last four months we have been establishing relationships and volunteering in a number of settings.

LM: Tell us about what the volunteering is leading towards...

BM: In the main we’ve been connected with an Aboriginal Corporation and Marist Youth Care, assisting in a variety of educational settings and learning about the needs of young people accessing their educational services. There have also been significant conversations with Aboriginal elders, government ministers, church leaders and co-ordinators of alternative education programs. Never a dull moment! But all of this was to help refine our ideas for ministry in 2016 and beyond.

Shop Fronts in the Mount Druitt Mall

LM: (Drumroll!) ... What will you be doing?

BM: We want to begin an alternative education service called MLZ (Marist Learning Zone).

Essentially it will offer young people opportunities to connect or reconnect with positive learning options. It will be an environment which encourages an aspirational attitude to life,

aiming to build the capacity of young people and strengthen their engagement within a structured learning environment. So I’m imaging it’ll be the three of us brothers and a female teacher offering invidualised and open-ended learning pathways. But don’t ask me exactly where yet! We’re still in negotiations with a number of agencies and our own Province of Australia about how best to secure appropriate space.

LM: Any idea of what a regular day would look like, and who’ll be likely to access MLZ? BM: We’ll have secondary school aged boys and girls coming for regular respite from mainstream school, or older teenagers who have unfortunately already completely disconnected from school yet want to continue their learning journey. We’ll assess young people’s literacy and numeracy and then build each of them an individualised strength-based programme.

“It (MLZ) will be an environment which encourages an aspirational attitude to life, aiming to build the capacity of young people and strengthen their engagement within a structured learning environment.”

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(cont’d from previous page) We know we can help them to improve their numeracy and literacy, and that will create potential for achieving well in academic subjects or learning in the life skills area. We think the majority of students will attempt TAFE Open Training and Education Network courses. Who knows, we might even be able to offer some support and mentoring for young people attempting university, but are in danger of giving it away.

BM: We have great hopes of a ‘Marist Village’ coming to birth. Perhaps three dwellings on a single property – one for brothers, one for adults Marists or a married couple and their children, and one for young adults. All would be involved in the ministry mentioned above and additional ministry for young people.

It’s a bold plan, and something new, but we’re asking the Association of Saint Marcellin Champagnat

to seriously consider this idea and be the space for us to discern this as Marists. Also, we will most like have a young Filipino brother joining us in the second half of next year, so there’s an international dimension to our community, too!

LM: Thanks so much, Michael, for talking to us about what is a very exciting reality in our Australian Marist Community. Keep us posted!

LM: It sounds like you’ll have many referral pathways in and out of MLZ given the relationships you’ve been building.

BM: Absolutely. That’s been the blessing and the curse of our establishment phase. Sometimes it feels as if things are moving so slowly, but we know the care and time we have given to the professional relationships will greatly benefit the opportunities we can offer young people who just aren’t fitting in to mainstream schooling. We might be new kids on the block but our sense is that people trust what we have to offer.

LM: One last question, Michael: how is the community developing? You mentioned previously that it might be bigger than just a Brothers’ community.

“We know the care and time we have given to the professional relationships will greatly benefit the opportunities we can offer young people who just aren’t fitting into mainstream schooling. We might be new kids on the block but our sense is that people trust what we have to offer.”

Two of the early visitors to the new Marist Community at Mount Druitt were our USA Confreres, Brother Robert Clark, Novice Director and newly professed Brother Sam Amos. The visitors brought a gift of champagne to help the locals christen the new abode. They are seen here with Brother Justin Golding, Brother Lawrie McCane and Brother Michael Callinan.

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2015 ‌ The Year of Consecrated Life Brothers from around the Province have continued to celebrate the Year of Consecrated Life. This has included their presence at Thanksgiving Masses in many dioceses and engaging in number of other events.

Brother John Thompson with Archbishop Mark Coleridge and Sister Patricia Fox at a gathering of Religious in the Archdiocese of Brisbane.

Brother Lawrie McCane, Brother Justin Golding and Brother Michael Callinan with Marist Missionary Sisters at a gathering for Religious in the Diocese of Parramatta,

Brother Greg and Brother Rod spoke with a group of Catholic Young Adults in a Pub Forum in Adelaide in September.

Brother Tony Leon meeting with Sister Mary Rachel Capets (Trinity Catholic College Auburn) at a Convocation of Religious at the Vatican.

Brother Neville Solomon in Brisbane with Franciscan Friars from Kedron Parish.

Brother Rod with other Religious and Vocations Ministers in the Archdiocese of Brisbane.

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Vocations Visits Around the Schools

St Patr ick’s M arist C ollege Dunda s

Marist Catholic College Penshurst

h eenleig ollege B

Trinity C

Marcellin College Randwick

St Tere sa’s Ca

tholic C

l ters Hil ge Hun e ll o C ph’s St Jose

ollege

Noosav ille

Sacred Heart Senior College Adelaide

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QLD Year 11 Marist Forum … Hearts without Borders On Friday 30th October, fifty students from Marist Schools in South East Queensland attended the Year 11 Marist Forum, held at the Marist Centre in Brisbane, conducted

by Vocations and Marist Youth Ministry Teams.

The theme of the day, 'Just-Love, Hearts without Borders', picked up the Marist Schools theme for 2015.

Students were invited to consider how they as Young Marists can enlarge their hearts and move beyond the borders and barriers which hold us back from reaching out to those most in need in our society.

After briefly exploring our own Christian/Marist stories of reaching out to those on the margins, students elected workshops which focused more specifically on contemporary justice issues facing young people and indeed Australian society. Presentations included:  Domestic Violence and Family Relationships presented by Centacare  Asylum seekers and Refugees presented the Romero Centre  Homelessness and Mental Health presented by Blind Eye Ministries

Each presentation allowed students the chance to break open these topics and identify them as 'borders' (some visible and others silent) in our society, as well as provide them with skills and knowledge in learning how to recognise situations and respond appropriately to them in the future. A big thanks to each organisation for providing dynamic speakers with good resources and activities.

In light of the significant media coverage given to domestic violence against women, it was felt important to highlight this issue for our young people and look at how we as Marists might make a response to being better aware of this issue and being able to more effectively respond to circumstances of violence in the family home.

Participating Schools included Marist College Ashgrove, Trinity College Beenleigh, St Teresa’s Catholic College Noosaville, St Peter Claver College Riverview, and Carmel College Thornlands.

The final part of the day was given to reflection, prayer and the Open Forum, in which students were invited to participate in an Inner-Outer Circle on two issues.

The chosen topics were bullying and gender equality.

Congratulations to the Year 11 students for the way they fully entered into the Marist Forum and to the School Staff who generously took time to accompany them on the day. LM

Brisbane MYM Team member, Hogan Rogers, speaking about his work with Blind Eye Ministries.

Team members from Centacare (Catholic Care) conducting the workshop on Domestic Violence.

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Vocations News … National and International

Congratulations to newly Ordained Father Trenton Van Reesch, Canberra Marist Old Boy (‘07) for the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn.

The Vocations Team enjoyed a terrific evening with Young Marists in Adelaide recently, in preparation for the upcoming Australian Catholic Youth Festival being held in early December.

Congratulations to newly Ordained Father Tom Stevens, (left) Old Boy from St Joseph's College Hunters Hill (‘99) for the Archdiocese of Sydney, seen here with Archbishop Anthony Fisher and newly Ordained Father Lewi Barakat.

Planning for the Future! Brothers from the Oceania Region recently attended an International Marist Formators Colloquium at the Hermitage in France to look at Initial Formation in the coming years. The photo shows Brothers Greg McDonald (Australia), Sefo Une (Pacific) Stanley Bakere (Melanesia) Luke Fong (Pacific), Jean-Marie Batick (District Leader, Melanesia), Paul Kane (Australia), Dennis Cooper (Manziana), Tony Leon (Organiser, Rome) and Peter Rodney (Rector of MAPAC, Philippines).

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A Marist and a De La Salle Brother combine to begin the ‘Fratelli Project’ in Lebanon

Br Andres, FSC and Br Miquel, FMS

A Marist and a De La Salle Brother have arrived in Lebanon to begin a project that aims to help educate displaced refugee young people as an investment in their future. (an abridged version from La Salle News http:// www.lasalle.org/en/2015/09/a-marist-and-a-la-salle-brother-arrive-tolebanon-to-help-displaced-children/

Brother Miquel Cubeles FMS, a Marist brother from Barcelona, arrived at Beirut to launch the ‘Fratelli Project’ with Brother Andrés Porras Gutiérrez FSC, a De La Salle brother from Mexico.

The new community, which will include initially just the two Brothers, will be one of the few intercongregational communities that the Marists are involved in worldwide.

“I feel the strength of Jesus within me and I think that this is my first support,” Br Miquel told the General House press office. “A second support will be the fact that we’ll be working together.

It’s not me just me going, it’s the Marist Institute, the Church and the rest of the Brothers with whom we’ll be living together.”

Br Miquel stressed that “we should receive the maximum support from each other, knowing how to be a community, a fraternity and brothers for each other.” The Brothers expect to make concrete plans for their work during the coming days and months, once they see where they are needed the most.

Br Andrés underscored that “we are not going with a clear project, but rather to listen, to know the reality, to see what we can do with the help of locals.” “If we are going to begin a project, it should be with those most in need.”

neighbourhoods of Beirut, and live in our own community, and then we will settle where we see the need is most urgent.”

Their work will be known as the ‘Fratelli Project’, an inspiration by the Apostolic Letter of Pope Francis to all consecrated people in November that resulted in the agreement of the Marist Brothers and the De La Salle Brothers to launch this project.

“It is a new opportunity for me to reinforce and to

design my life as a Brother,” Br Miquel said. “The Fratelli project is a challenge for me, it encourages me to strengthen and live my vocation more deeply and to respond today to this concrete necessity,” he added.

“But we will obviously not work alone, nor do we want to live alone,” he stressed. “We want to form a community with as many as possible, collaborate and partner up with many other people and count on our Brothers and lay people present there to assist these children and youths.”

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