The event will take place at Marist Centre and Emmaus Spirituality Centre, 88/78 Hobson Street, Wellington.

In an email received on August 25th, Father Jan said he would be happy to participate. The day will occur immediately after his presentation of the annual five day retreat for Marist Fathers and Brothers to be held at Stella Maris Centre, Seatoun.

We envisage the programme as beginning at 10.15am with morning tea, breaking for lunch at midday and concluding around 4pm. It will be great.

Those wishing to attend this historic opportunity should let the Marist Laity office know by October 29 so that efficient arrangements can be made for the day. Morning and afternoon tea will be provided but do bring your own lunch as I will be unable to cook for you that day!

It would be wonderful if representation could be made from each of the groups in NZ. Maybe groups could subsidise a representative.

If people wished accommodation, then either contact Sister Agnes at the Mercy Centre, Guilford Terrace, ph: 04 472 4330 by mid-September who is keeping half a dozen rooms at $25 a night, or Marist Laity Office to see if we can arrange billetting with local members as we did for the Third Order Conference a few years ago. We think we should restrict numbers to 50 people, so let us know your interest.

Organised by the 'NZ Catholic' Newspaper, sponsored by Lillias McLean, the Marist Family and Creative Communities of Auckland, with the co-operation of the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Parnell, the competition is open to all artists and has three categories. The first carried a prize of $3000 for a painting of a spiritual nature expressing the validity of the Christian Message; works are to demonstrate the vitality, joy and hope found the Christian beliefs.

The second category, sponsored by the Marist Family, provides a prize of $1250 for a painting relating to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, as she appears in the Scriptures. The winning work is to be retained by the Marist Family. The third prize of $500 will be given to the best representation of a Christian icon in a contemporary style and is to be retained by the sponsor, the Marist Laity Centre, Wellington.

The works will be exhibited on either side of the nave of the cathedral from October 3-12.

The organiser, Erin Dwyer, died recently. RIP.

This picture 'Joy in Creation' by one of our Marian Mothers, Claire St Pierre, did well in the last competition.

The Banner of Mary which has visited most places named St Mary’s was in Gisborne for the feast of the Queenship of Mary. Officially, the parish in that city is titled Our Lady, Star of the Sea. However, the notice board outside the attractive Church beside Campion College in Campion Rd reads: St Mary’s, Star of the Sea and it is that that most people in the district call the Church. Also the primary school in town is St Mary’s.

Given these connection with the Name of Mary, the assistant priest, Fr Ivan Sergy, from Switzerland, asked that the banner be there for the big day. It is hoped that it will proceed from there to Blessed Virgin Mary Cathedral, Hamilton, for the Birthday of Mary on September 8.

During the month of July the banner was back at the Benedictine Monastery, Bombay Hill, under the chaplaincy care of Fr. Pat McCann sm.

We have been notified that two more Marist Centenarians have died and, we are sure, have gone to God. In Hastings in August, Mrs. Victoria Berta Begley, mother of Selwyn and Dug, well known in Hawke’s Bay, died aged 103. A Medal of the Third Order was buried with her. In Christchurch, Miss Frances Teresa Cotter, aged 104, died last year, preceded by her younger sister Gemima, aged 97. These three were long and faithful members of the Third Order.

In the June-July 2001 issue of Laylines, I paid tribute to Miss Josie Milligan who at the time was 100. We thought she may have been the oldest Third Order Member in NZ. We were wrong and now pay tribute to Fran Cotter. The major point of this is to say again that we think Marist Spirituality is no hindrance to longevity; indeed it seems to us it is a boost!

We are very happy to announce that new Third Order groups are starting in Oamaru where a very enjoyable meeting on the afternoon of June 30th was held in the lovely home of Mary and Pat. Nine people were present and I have heard that more have attended a second meeting… A thousand Welcomes.

Also happy to present is interest in Ohope in the Bay of Plenty where Pat Rafter lives and cares for a Marist Rest House there.

In Wairoa, a reorganising of people sees a fresh look for the Third Order up that way. Kia Kaha.

Samoan interest is increasing. Newtown and Otara groups are reforming to be more under the umbrella of the NZ Marist Laity office. Ikoke and Falole Fagasoaia, skilled catechists, are working wonders in this area. Following a visit recently, a group is likely to form in Wainuiomata and perhaps Elsdon. Fa’a fatai lava.

Please keep them all in your prayers.

Written by Fr Michael O’Meeghan sm, it has 370 pages with more than 40 illustrations.

Cardinal Williams describes it as “a splendid read. I enjoyed it immensely and learnt a huge amount.”

Hugh Laracy, Associate Professor of History at the University of Auckland, speaks of it as being “written in clear, engaging prose and is a rare and handsome accomplishment. A model of humane scholarship, Michael O’Meeghan’s book truly honours its subject. It should also satisfy a wide and discerning readership, for it illuminates a great deal of New Zealand history, both within and beyond the limits of its subtitle.”

Retail price $NZ39.95, it may be a useful gift for friends and family.

It can be ordered from: Archbishops Office, P.O. Box 1937, WELLINGTON, New Zealand.

Thank you, Michael, for a task well done

A Community of three Marists will continue to live in the Seminary with their primary ministry as formators. One will be the official formation director and the other two men of wisdom who have had plenty of pastoral experience. Ideally, one of these will be a member of the province of Australia since we have a partnership in the project. It is hoped that there will be eight students, with three or four from Oceania.

This denotes the rapidly changing demography where Marists formed in NZ may be able to relate in ministry to a diversity of cultures. It will also provide ways of working closely with other provinces. We are more and more conscious of the international mission of the Society of Mary. So keep our essential mission of formation in your prayer.

Next year, we hope to have two men at the novitiate in Sydney, transferred from Boston. They will be joined by two men from Germany.

Professions: Five Marists have made final profession in the Province of Oeania. Sione Vave and Epokifo’ou Manu of Tonga on 29 March and Soane Ahohako of Tonga: Michael Anis and Austin Magara of PNG made theirs at Marist College in Bomana on 27 April. In the Philippines, six novices made their first professions on 28 April. Congratulations to all concerned!

Workshop: Conserving, Reinterpreting and communicating our Marist Heritage in a Changing Context will be the theme of an international workshop in Rome from 7-10 October. Eighteen Marists are invited and it is part of Marist Studies, of which Fr Justin Taylor sm is principal co-ordinator.

Fouviere Day: Not quite international, since it happened right here in Wellington, but 60 members of the Marist Family met at Emmaus on the eve of Fouviere Day, 22 July, to honour St. Peter Chanel for his 200th birthday. Sister Catherine Jones smsm gave an excellent slide presentation of the Marist Family origins, and prayer and song was directed in the Chanelian mode.

Fr. John Cecil sm, once of Vanuatu and Fiji, and parish priest of Wairoa, died unexpectedly from complications following a heart operation. Please remember him in prayer.

Peter McDermott sm reports that earlier this year, Brother Mika Cilicewa joined the Aboriginal Mission. Mika replaced Kevin Redmond who returned to the Marist Seminary to complete his studies for priesthood. Mika is a Marist from Fiji and prior to joining this mission worked in Solomons and Rotuma.

As part of the building an Aboriginal and Catholic Church, the ministry has a number of new projects which are mainly focused around the building up and strengthening lay leadership within local Aboriginal Church communities.

A significant recent achievement has been the establishment of an Elders Council for the Diocese which is the authorising body for the ministry and represents the different Koori homelands in the Diocese. That is a fairly landmark achievements and as far as the Marist team is aware, it is the only diocese in Australia with such a council.

Many will know that a pioneer in this mission was Fr Bernie Ryan sm who is still connected with it, though more as a “Kaumatua” and Seat of Wisdom rather than active daily on the scene! Keep them also in your prayer.

The mystery of the new-born church - the Apostles and Mary in the midst of the first Christians - is a major reference point for Marists. It is then when the believers, in communion of mind and heart, gave powerful testimony to the Resurrection of Jesus. This is an image of the church: all the believers from the beginning till now gathered around the Apostles and Mary, and all living in unity. We can think of Mary in this group of believers at the beginning: with her faith and wisdom she had much to contribute to the life of the church but in an unobtrusive manner.

The Marist Laity: a Basic Guide. Page 10 p.3

To view the contents of the Basic Guide,

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