On Thursday 10th September at the General Chapter in Rome, during the 3rd ballot, Fr John Hannan sm currently provincial of Europe,

was elected as the 13th Superior General of the Society of Mary.

PROFILE

Born in Limerick, Ireland on 31 March 1943

Professed on 24 September 1963 in La Neylière, France.

Ordained a Marist priest in Dublin on 21 December 1968.

Further studies in the Institute of Theology, Lyon, 1970-72.

Higher studies in Trinity College, Dublin 1974-78 and 1983-85 Principal ministries: Formation: 1972-85 Retreat Work: 1978-79

Education: Dean of Discipline 1969-70. School Principal 1985-90.

Provincial of Ireland: 1991-97 and again from 2003-08.

Provincial of Europe: 2008– Speaks English, French, Irish.

The Society has four new General Assistants, Lote Raiwalui,Fiji/Oceania, Alejandro Munoz, Mexico,

Kevin Duffy, England and Laurence Duffy, Ireland, who was elected Vicar General.

We ask God’s blessing on them.

Fr. Lote Raiwalui is a member of the Oceania Province and has had experience as a Parish Priest and formation. He is aged 46 and is currently the Rector and Superior at Marist Seminary, Bomana PNG

Fr. Alejandro Munoz is the current provincial of Mexico. Prior to becoming Provincial he was involved in vocations, youth, campus and parish ministries. Ordained in 2001, Alejandro is aged 41.

Fr. Kevin Duffy is aged 62. After teaching in Marist secondary schools for some years, Kevin’s two main ministries have been initial formation and teaching theology. For a time Kevin worked in the Marist mission district in Africa. Having taught at Good Shepherd College, Auckland, his present appointment is in Paris where he works at Le Forum .

Fr Larry Duffy is 61, a former Assistant General, he is currently the Major Superior of the mission district of Peru and Venezuela. He has had experience as a secondary school teacher, parish ministry, vocations ministry, formation, theology and philosophy teaching and retreat ministry. Larry, an Irishman, is Vicar General in the new administration, headed by Fr John Hannan.

Thanks to Fr Michael Coleman sm for this report to Marist Way, England.

Pat O’Connor and Agnes McGrogan from the Council for the Marist Way attended the Chapter with Lay Marists from the European Province. They received a warm and enthusiastic welcome from the Fathers attending the Chapter, who expressed enthusiasm for a future, working together.

“We arrived on Thursday 10th and joined in the celebration of the election of Father John Hannan SM, elected earlier in the day as Superior General. He had been elected as the Superior of the newly formed European Province in 2008, and we had just been getting to know him. Watch this space for his successor in Europe!

Friday afternoon and evening were devoted to Lay Marists, with presentations by Michel Maquet (France) and Laura De Alessi (Italy), giving their vision and hopes of the future, gleaned from their own experiences and information from the European Lay Marist Group.

The Lay members were then allocated to groups of about 8 capitulants to answer questions and give information about Marist Lay Groups in their own areas. An open forum followed that - question and answer session chaired by Superior General elect.

An outline of the talks can be summed up as follows: -

Michel Maquet – Co-ordinator of the European Marist Lay Co-ordination (EMLC) – he spoke of

* Communications between ourselves and other Branches

* Clarifying our identity as interdependent with other Branches

* Promoting contact between ourselves and other Branches

* Recognising our Mission in collaboration with other Branches

Future meetings

The conclusion was that we be faithful to Mary and to Jean Claude Colin and the Marist charism, playing an essential role in evangelisation in today’s world and making the whole world Marist.

Laura De Alessi – a member of the Turin Group of Marist Lay people who was present with her husband and two young daughters.

Points from her talk included:

* Being moved by the invitation and to be called Partners

* Appreciation of the support direction and teaching of the Fathers

* The use of ‘A Certain Way’ by Craig Larkin SM as a guidebook

Using God’s gifts to us

* Hearing, even unspoken words of the outsiders

* Sight, what is really there, not what we wish to see

* Touch and smell, feeling the calluses of hard work, pain

* Taste, be salt to each other, neither insipid or too salty

After all this we can do more by imitating the founding Fathers, sharing their spirit, developing a common identity, being united in prayer, sharing in Feasts, consolidating what we have achieved and developing a clear way of being and living, rather than having a rulebook that can be a source of division. We want to make a clear social commitment to be attentive, to be present and to be there.”

On 3rd September, the Society of Mary presented a set of Lettres Reçues d’Oceanie to the MacMillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies, University of Canterbury.

Fr John Weir sm spoke of the appropriateness of this presentation, outlining the connections between of MacMillan Brown himself, especially through his grandson James K. Baxter, and the Marist Family. Marists present sang the Salve Regina known to the pioneering Marists and Mo Maria, composed by Bishop Pompallier. John Weir is the editor of 'The Collected Poems of James K Baxter' and executor of his will, and has already presented 36 boxes of his own manuscripts to the Centre. It was a very happy occasion, completed with afternoon tea. Also present were lay Marists and representation from St Bede’s College.

A new entity in the history of St Pat’s was launched on 1st September 2009 at the College. The launch was attended by current parents, Old Boys and past staff and friends who were transported back to 1979 viewing film footage of the college shifting from Cambridge Terrace to Evans Bay.

It was announced that the Foundation had received a cornerstone donation of $1 million dollars from the B>Marist Education Trust, making a commitment to the long term sustainable plan that has been forged to position the College for another 125 years of Catholic education.

What is the purpose of the St Patricks College Foundation? The Foundation is charged with the responsibility of reconnecting the wider College family back to today’s College and raising funds for endowment and capital works. The Foundation will provide additional educational resources to staff/pupils continuing the Marist tradition of quality education via an Endowment Fund. Secondly, it will provide funding streams for sizeable College property projects to improve the learning and physical environments here at St. Pat’s. As a consequence we need the enthusiasm and efforts not just of our Old Boys but also our current parents, past parents, past staff and of course from the many friends of St Patricks College – in essence our College family. With our College celebrating its 125 years of Marist education in 2010 it is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect as one of Wellington’s leading colleges, full of tradition that holds a historic place in the city’s history. The Foundation will grow its capital base from pledges, bequests, grant applications and all manner of fundraising initiatives.

So what can you do now? View the Jubilee website and register your interest For our Old Boys - join your Association, click here or phone Chris McCarthy (+64)(0)4 388 7370; For our Friends and Old Boys - we are planning a number of activities over the next 18 months and want to involve as many of our past community as possible.

So please, pass on these contact details to other Old Boys or Friends to reconnect. Any queries, just email the Development Manager at development@stpats.school.nz, or direct them to one of our websites.

Watch out for all the newsletters and material coming your way in the next few months. And of course any suggestions please contact the Development Manager or Rector, Fr. Paul Martin sm. As the 2008, McEvedy Shield T-shirt, designed by the students just before their tremendous victory last year, stated – “It’s our time”. And so it is for us all!

Below, some of those who attended the launch of the Foundation

Well known Marists: Fathers Paul Shanahan and Brian Wysocki went walking recently, all in the cause of health and well being. Those familiar with the board in the background will know that they reached the summit of the old Rimutaka Incline, between Featherston and Upper Hutt. Looks like they struck a good day!

News Snippets.

Marists are to leave the parish of West Sunshine, Melbourne after 55 years.

Fr Mark Walls is awarded top prize for an article on Mission and Ministry in Champagnat magazine.

NZ Marists farewell Taranaki after 150 years of ministry, and will transfer from Waitara to increase Ministry support in Napier.

Fr Michael Young gains his Doctorate in Sydney and now teaches at the National Seminary in Auckland.

Fr Craig Larkin to return to NZ after the Chapter.

25 New Marists in Auckland

On 12 September, 400 Lay Marists, Kautaha o Malia, celebrated the SM patronal day in Mount Wellington. During the Mass, 25 committed themselves to the Marist Way of Life and received the blue cord and medal and among those were several youth. Also the new committee and leaders were blessed & publicly proclaimed their intention of being dedicated leaders of the Tongan Marist Laity. Congratulations to Ana, the president and chief organiser.

A Christian Community with Mary’s Features

A Useful way to describe the Marist Mission is: to enable the Christian community to grow and develop according to its truest call. The community of Believers is made up of weak humans, and is in constant need of reform. As Marists we want to live in such a way that the Church is ever more clearly a community of mercy—a place characterised by compassion, contemplation and relationship. A Church in which Mary is present will open its doors to welcome all to Jesus Christ rather than insist on strict requirements. Marist are able all interested in opening the love of God to the world by living like Mary. Marist Laity Basic Guide C.2

Mary, Mother of Peace, you are the Help of Christians.

You are an aid to us as we walk the way of your Son, Jesus Christ.

As Star of the Sea, you offer us gentle light during our darkness,

and calm amidst the storms of daily life.

Following in your footsteps, we will not go astray;

praying to you we will not fall into despair;

or thinking of you we will not err or fail.

With you as guide we will not grow weary.

With you as protector, we will have no fear.

Enjoying your favour, we will reach the goal of being united now and forever

with your Son, the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ Our Lord, Amen