SMNZ JPIE Hui November, Pukekaraka 2024 Recently a small group of Marists gathered at Pukekaraka marae, Ōtaki, Aotearoa/New Zealand. We are the Justice, Peace and Integral Ecology group for the SMNZ Province. We share a common concern for all the "wicked problems" that exist in our world today ie., war, inequality, the climate crisis, the biodiversity crisis, pollution, populist-authoritarian leaders, racism, colonization, sexism, ageism, housing, drug abuse etc. We are an ordinary bunch of Kiwi men with many years of ministry in various fields, overseas and here in Aotearoa. We reflected, prayed and ate together at Pukekaraka, our Marist Marian Shrine. We reflected on this period that many ...

MARIST MISSION WORKSHOP   ON INTERRELIGIOUS AND INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE     Traduction française - voir ci-dessous Fr. Hermes Sabud, SM             4 – 28 September 2024 Ranong, Thailand Goal: "Enkindle missionaries' passion for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue" (IRICD) Specific Objectives of the Marist Mission Workshop (MMW) 2024 in the context of IRICD Be competent and capable missionaries in today's diverse world.Collaborate with and strengthen the bonds among religious missionaries.Integrate our past experiences and our future hopes as religious missionaries. The Marist Mission Workshop 2024 on Interreligious and Intercu...

Global Debt – Africa's Call to Change Tax Rules:                                                                 Traduction française ci-dessous Fred Njehu, Pan-African Political Strategist.  Greenpeace Africa <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.> Recent statistics show that global public debt has reached a record $97 trillion. [1] This means that 3,3 billion people, more than 40% of the world's population, live in countries where their governments are forced to spend more on public debt interest payments, than ...

Oceania Catholic Bishops Key Statements      -     https://cepac.info            Traduction française ci-dessous Fossil Fuel Root Cause of Climate Change The Oceania Catholic Bishops concur with science by reminding the world that fossil fuel is the key driver of climate change. Fossil fuels causes carbon emission which in turn contributes to global warming. Global warming melts the ice and causes sea level rise. The root cause of climate change is fossil fuels. Therefore, the Oceania Bishops strongly say NO TO FOSSIL FUEL. The solution is to seek alternative sources of power. Weak Commitments Towards the Paris Agreement The Oc...

We the Catholic Bishop's Conference of the Pacific speak from the Oceania to communicate the prophetic and pastoral voice of the Churches and the vulnerable voices of peoples' regarding the threats of climate change. The Oceania Context Our home, Oceania includes the three island sub-regions of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, plus Australia and New Zealand. Our home is made up of 14 independent countries and approximately 10,000 islands. Our Oceania home has around 43.2 million people which makes up about 0.54% of the world's population. Our Oceania home is vulnerable from two main threats, namely climate change and economic exploitation and both have destructive impacts on the environ...

                                                                                                                                                          Traduction française - voir ci-dessous Many people - government officials who know me, priests and funders who support our program – ask a simple question: ...

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY                                           Traduction française - voir ci-dessous A global ecumenical process is underway for various Christian churches to jointly elevate Creation Day (September 1), also known as the World Day of Prayer for Creation, to become a liturgical feast. A working group co-convened by the UISG-USG JPIC commission, Laudato Si' Movement, and Laudato Si' Research Institute is coordinating the participation of Catholic organizations and congregations in the process. Below is some background on the proposed feast, as well as invitations for your...

Prayers4Peace - Palestinians: A Struggle for Survival in a World Turned Away        Traduction française ci-dessous By: Rifat Kassis The Palestinian people, like many nations throughout history—Americans under British rule, the French during Nazi occupation, Indians under British imperialism, Algiers under French occupation, and others—find themselves under the iron grip of ruthless military occupation. Israel, the occupying power, imposes a regime of oppression and apartheid that denies Palestinians all their fundamental rights, among them to live in dignity and freedom. For decades, Palestinians have employed every method in their pursuit of liberation. They have t...

Marist School's Commitment to Sustainability: Embracing the Season of Creation At Marist School in Atlanta, GA, we are proud to embrace the Catholic Church's Season of Creation by fostering a deep sense of environmental stewardship and sustainability among our students. This special time in the liturgical calendar calls upon us to reflect on our role as caretakers of God's creation and to take meaningful actions that promote the well-being of our planet. This year, Marist students are leading the way with several new initiatives and projects that reflect their commitment to sustainability and the Earth. Launching the Eco-Garden Club Thanks to a generous $1,000 grant from the Our Lady of Vict...

My Mission Experience                          Traduction française - voir ci-dessous I am Sr Suporna Bernadette Rozario from Bangladesh. I did my Postulancy in Sydney, Australia and novitiate in Auckland, New Zealand. I made my first profession on 18th January 2000 in New Zealand. Over the 25 years I have been missionary in many countries and learned to appreciate my vocation as Marist Missionary Sister. I Thank God and Mary for her Gracious Choice and all who have been part of my missionary journey. My First Mission Experience Straight after my first profession, I was sent to Fiji to study Theology at the Pacific Re...

Killers of the Flower Moon:  An Invitation to Solidarity?                        Traduction française ci-dessous by Nik Rodewald, Theology Teacher and Campus Minister, Marist School, Atlanta, Georgia On January 7, 2024, Lily Gladstone became the first Native American to win the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress (Drama). On screen, Gladstone portrays Mollie Burkhart in Martin Scorsese's film, Killers of the Flower Moon, a drama based on the true story of a series of murders of members of the Osage nation. The film, boasting an all-star cast including Leonardo DiCaprio (Ernest Burkhart) and Robert Di Niro (William Kin...

Broadening Our Marist Mission of Reconciliation to Creation                -         Version française ci-dessous by Samu Tukidia, SM, Formator, Marist College Suva, Fiji and Lecturer in Philosophy, Pacific Regional Seminary, Suva, Fiji We live in an era of brokenness and fragmentation both within the human environment and natural environment. Violence in its many forms dominates our headlines. How do we as Marists respond to such times? Fr. John Larsen, SM, the Superior General of the Society of Mary, once noted that as Marists we are called to be "bridge-builders, instruments of reconciliation, (and) bearers of the Good ...

This year, 2024, September 1 falls on a Sunday. Here are some ideas to celebrate it – you can pick one or a combination. (See also more context about the feast below.) Before, or after, the Sunday Eucharist: (Could be tied to your Sunday service, immediately before or after, or could be done ecumenically at another time that day) ●  Invite your community to ponder this great mystery by praying the "Via Creationis" (or "Way of Creation", inspired by the Via Crucis format). ●  Pray the Vespers service (evening prayer) of the Orthodox Church for September 1. ●  Organize a Creation-themed prayer for your community using resources such as those of the Season of Creat...

UISG - USG Document: Contributions for the Synod on the Synodality In a significant move towards shaping the future of the Catholic Church, the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) and the Union of Superiors General (USG) have released their 2024 contribution to the ongoing discussion on "How To Be A Church In Mission?" This collaborative effort responds to questions posed by the General Secretariat of the Synod on March 14, 2024, reflecting a global perspective from religious leaders worldwide. The contribution synthesizes responses from UISG and USG members across the globe, organized into five key themes: - Co-Responsibility for Mission; - Authority, Governance and Participatio...

25 Years of Service in Notre Dame Refugee Centre [from Euro-Info SM – July] Notre Dame Refugee Centre (NDRC) in London, founded in 1996, had the opportunity to celebrate an important anniversary on 21 June, 25 years of service of Brian Mitchell, who is currently the senior immigration advisor. During his time in this post, personnel, both Marist religious and lay, have revolved around him! He is an exceptional example of dedication to this vulnerable community, and it can honestly be said that Brian has been instrumental in shaping the Centre into the service it is today. Brian writes, "I am genuinely appreciative of the experience NDRC has offered me. I came to the centre in 1999 with very ...

On May 11, 2024, I, Lauro da Silva Ferreira, at the request of the Assistant General Father Ben McKenna, I joined the Meeting of the Commission for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation – JPIC Roma, of the USG [Union of Superiors General-men]/UISG [International Union of Superiors General – women]. The meeting took place at: Piazza di Ponte Sant'Angelo. Pour la traduction française voir ci-dessous The first factor that struck me was the number of participants. Representatives from more than seventy different religious congregations. The vast majority were first-time members of the commission. For this reason, I believe, the meeting took place with an introductory bias, in the sense of pre...

Dear confreres and friends Laudato Si' Week "Seeds of Hope", started on May 19, Pentecost Sunday, and closes on May 26, Holy Trinity Sunday. This year the Laudato Si Movement are proposing different themes and actions for each day of the week, ways to put it into practice, its importance and impact on our planet. Please, find the celebration guide at the following links and share within your network: link in Spanish link in English link in French link in Italian link in Portuguese Also consider that in the "resources" section it is possible to download the social media kit for a better promotion (including the logo). Chers confrères et amis, la Semaine Laudato Si' « Semences d'espérance », a...

Fr Paddy O'Neil, Kiwi Marist based in Brazil, writes:                                        Traduction française - voir ci-dessous : Recently I had the opportunity of visiting Tabatinga, a town on the Rio Solimõesin the remote Amazon region where Brazil, Peru and Colombia meet. Arriving in Tabatinga one late afternoon I was warmly welcomed by members of the International Community of the Marist Brothers, which at the moment consists of Brother Luke Fong, FMS from Fiji and three lay volunteers: a married couple (Marcio from Brazil and Laura from Mexico) and Alessandra from Guatemala. They run ...

This week's blog is Chapter 2- Communities for Mission, from Fr John Larsen's recently released Letter to the Society of Mary: Like Mary, Bearers of Hope.         Pour la version française - voir ci-dessous.        Nazareth From our first beginnings Nazareth has always been an important symbol for us as Marists. For Father Jean-Claude: "Our spirit, the spirit of the Society … I personally find it in all its fulness in the house at Nazareth" (F.S. 188, 12) Nazareth speaks of a small village where people grew together in faith together with Mary, Joseph and their son. It was far from the centres of power, whether Jerusalem or Rome or elsewhere,...

NEW TUTU NURSERY TO ASSIST IN GROWING AGRICULTURE IN THE GARDEN ISLAND            Traduction française ci-dessous #StrengtheningPartnerships   Tutu Rural Training Centre in Taveuni reached another milestone recently, as their new state of the art nursery was commissioned by the Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Waterways, Honourable Tomasi Tunabuna on Thursday 21st March. "The opening of this nursery was only made possible through collaboration between British American Tobacco (BAT) and Tutu Rural Training Centre. The nursery will provide fruits and vegetable seedlings to around 100 farmers based here in the Garden Island of Taveuni," said Hon. Tu...