Thanks to the Bishop of Hui Amorangi Ki Te Tairawhiti, the banner entered his pastorate and was received by the Reverend Matanuku Kaa at the famous and newly refurbished World War I Memorial Church of St. Mary, Tikitiki. There it remained for Christmas, warmly apprecaited by the people. Then for New Year’s Motherhood of Mary and Epiphany, the banner went to St Mary’s Tokomaru Bay.

So, in the space of two years, the banner has completed its hikoi and planned pilgrimage by visiting the churches in Aotearoa/New Zealand named St Mary. In this way, we have fulfilled the dream of linking the many people who bear the name of Mary and keep her presence alive through all generations.

It is with great gratitude to God that I salute the many people who have enabled this to happen. From our Far North to the Deep South the banner has been displayed. From Cathedrals to colonial chapels, from colleges to rest

homes, hospitals and convents, the Banner of Mary has hung and shimmered in gold and red. The words of the Magnificat are praising and glorifying God in our generation.

And more than that. Mary has united the family of her Son in a way that has surprised many and warmed us all in the hope of Christian unity. Her journey will continue as long as the Body of Christ has breath, for it is from her body it was formed and her motherly desire is to keep that Body safe and sound. May the Banner of Mary continue to be a means of enhancing our union with God.

My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.”

The Otara Marist Community of Frs Kerry Prendeville, Peter Carde, Togisia Kalolo and Philippino Seminarian Ingente Fernando is an inter-Provincial response by the Society of Mary to a request from the Bishop of Auckland.

The parish consists largely of Polynesian migrants to NZ, along with families of Fijian, Dutch, Asian and European backgrounds. The average Sunday Parish Mass count is around 750, while several ethnic Masses are also celebrated in the area.

“The aspiration to build a multi-cultural parish community from so many strongly independent ethnic groups challenges both the presentation of a relevant theological model of being Church, and an application of the wisdom of Solomon.” expressed it thus in the SMNZ Provincial newsletter.

There is a high ratio of unemployment in Otara and many families depend on benefits and social welfare to make ends meet. The movie Once were Warriors was filmed in this area and impressions from the movie formed. However, slowly the people and communities of Otara are progressing with social development.

Marists are hoping that a pastoral plan, still taking shape with important input from parish groups, will promote parenting skills and family life, ministry for young people, along with an ongoing training programme for lay ministries in a church with less focus on priesthood and ordained ministry.

On the other side of the motorway, Frs Barry Scannell and Ezio Blasoni have accepted the responsibility for St Mark‘s Parish, Pakuranga. Using this as their base, there is hope to establish a new parish in the expanding area known as Botany Downs/Chapel Rd. In this way Marists will be seen to be “establishing the Church where is does not exist.”

At dawn on Saturday 7 December, and Sunday 8 December, Te Kainga, Catholic Maori “home in the City” was opened. Cardinal Williams presided at the Sunday Mass. Te Kainga has been part of the city of Wellington for many decades, based alongside St Mary of the Angels. Now it has a new spacious home in the old RSA building in Mahora St, Kilbirnie.

The Marist spirit is expressed in symbols that find their home there. One is the statue of Mary and child that used to be above the Superior in the dining room at Mount St Mary’s. It was given to Bishop Max Mariu who in turn has given it to Te Kainga. The statue stands in front of tukutuku work that was done by people of Wanganui, and two manaia carved by St Augustine’s College pupils to warm Mary came from Highden novitiate, Manawatu.

Fr Philip Cody encourages you to see it for yourselves. Above all, in the words of one of the members of Te Kainga, “Now the real work is to begin”. Please pray for a deeper leadership in faith so Te Kainga can be “a beating heart in Wellington” for Maori Catholics and all who visit there. Kia Kaha.

Fr. Phil is in community with Br. Dan Connell and Rob Devlin at Moxham Ave, Hataitai.

St Bede’s College, was the venue in January of a successful outreach to Year 12 &13 students. Its purpose was to help them understand Christian Leadership in the context of Marist tradition in their Colleges. Participants came from St Bedes, St Pat’s, Wellington and Silverstream, St John’s Hastings and Hato Paora, Manawatu. Rectors and staff took part as well. Course leader was Fr Mark Walls, St Bede’s chaplain with Paul Martin and Damien Dempsey who have spiritual care at Hato Paora. At the request of the participants, Marists have agreed to provide some follow up during the year and intend to hold another course.

New accommodation for Senior Marists will be built adjacent to rest homes and hospital care, handy to bus routes and shopping facilities, on flat land, comfortable and warm, allowing for personal space and community. Where on earth could that be?

The two sites decided on are at St Joseph’s Home of Compassion, Silverstream, and at Nazareth House, Sydenham, Christchurch.

Bishop John Cunneen has offered land behind Nazareth, known as Armstrong Village on which to build. With Marists providing the capital, Diocesan architects have creatively designed “Village Units” suitable for six Marists which can also be reconverted into single lay person use. Hopes are that they will be occupied by the end of the year.

At Silverstream, five Marists will be housed in one of three wings being built by the Sisters, with access to a central kitchen, chapel laundry and cleaning facilities. etc. This too is expected by year’s end and will be a wonderful asset. While the preparations and building of accommodation at Silverstream is proceeding, four Marists, Frs George Duggan, John Silverwood and Brs Chris Bellamy and Andrew Cody have shifted into a parish building at Brown Owl, Upper Hutt. Brs John Stevenson and Dan Connell have worked mightily to make sure the quartet are safely installed. This transition address is 6 Shanly Street with the same phone number 04 527 4944; and P0 Box 48020, Silverstream, 6430.

* 16 NZ Marists to attend OPE, Studies or Renewal in 2003

* At 92, Fr John Gorinski is the oldest SM in NZ, with Frs George Duggan (90) and Gus Hill (89) taking the minor money. Ad multos annos!

* Four NZ Marists died in 2002: Frs Bernard Doherty, Maurice Scully, Cyril Taylor and Charles Devonport. RIP

* The “Fathers” Cottage at Waimarama has recently been tidied up and is available for use. Contact Michael O’Malley there.

Catholic Communications, which is based in Auckland, have been of great help to Marists last year and the Society will continue to depend on their advice and support. In the light of this and because there is an urgent need to build up good relationships between the media and the Church and to move from reaction to promoting positive contributions about the church, the council of the Society of Mary has agreed to provide a grant of $20,000 a year for three years to Catholic Communications. Fr John Murphy, the creator of the website Faithcentral.com is also working several days a week assisting them with their Web based activities.

Fr Rowan Donoghue, as well as his work as chaplain at St Patrick’s College, Wellington, also works with the ministry of Internet.

In March, the web site was visited 15000 times. Were you one of those visitors? If not, like Wanganui, it is well worth the journey!

Africa: In this huge continent, there are twenty-six ordained Marists, 12 of whom are African born, with another 19 in formation, all living in six communities in Senegal and Cameroon.

The SMs began in Africa in 1948 at the invitation of the Bishop of Dakar and the province of Lyon undertook the staffing of a Parish and schools which gained high reputation. In 1979, the Society began to implant in Africa by accepting candidates and a novitiate was begun.

In Cameroon, an English speaking house is established under the care of Australian Marist, Paul Walsh, with five young men in a spiritual accompaniment programme with three in formal postulancy.

Latin America: The international Marist Seminary is in Mexico with five Mexican, five Peruvians, two Brazilians and one Venezuelan student. The Novitiate, under the care of NZer Fr Barry Malone, has four novices; two from Peru and one from Brazil and Peru. Throughout this gigantic continent, the ministries are varied: Parishes and schools and University pastoral centre work

Pat Brophy and Peter McAfee and a student form a community in a new mission with over 85 pueblos/communities in their care. Seven young Peruvian Marist aspirants assist in the new project every weekend as part of their pastoral formation.

Asia In Japan, there are three communities with seven Marists. In September, Oscar Ichiba Osamu was ordained. About 400 people were present In the liturgy were included readings in Tagalog and Spanish as well as Japanese reflecting the multi-cultural nature of the Catholic Community in Japan.

In the we have six communities with 15 priests and 16 in formation. John Larsen organises the district. One aspect is the 34 young men in the MICs programme who are Marist Interested College Students. Gavin Foster is involved with Clinical Pastoral Education programmes and Kevin Stewart with uplifting street kids in Catabato. Kevin Mowbray is superior of the Scholasticate and Pat Devlin, back in Philippines awaits an appointment. Fr Larry Duffy has been appointed major superior to succeed John Larsen whose term finishes in June 2003.

If you wish to read more of the Socity of Mary in New Zealand,

click here