The Oceania Marist Project of Tutu Rural Training Centre (TRTC), Taveuni, Fiji, recently concluded its annual staff seminar on high note, marking the beginning of a transformative journey for six new staff members. The seminar provided an opportunity for deep reflection, learning and alignment with TRTC's vision* and mission. * The week began with a three-day retreat focused on Marist Spirituality, allowing new and existing staff to immerse themselves in the foundational values of humility, simplicity and service. This was followed by two days of formation, emphasizing the significance of enfleshing TRTC's vision and Mission in daily operations and community engagements. A Highlight of the s...

Myanmar's ongoing conflict can be traced back to the British colonial era (1824-1948), during which ethnic tensions were exacerbated through a "divide and rule" strategy. Following independence, a lack of national unity led ethnic minorities such as the Karen, Kachin, and Shan to establish armed groups advocating for autonomy. The situation deteriorated after a military coup in 1962, resulting in an authoritarian regime that centralized power and suppressed dissent. This protracted conflict has transformed Myanmar into a battleground between government forces and ethnic armed groups, with severe repercussions for civilians (Human Rights Watch, 2023). In February 2021, the military overthrew ...

The theme of this Jubilee Year is: "Hope does not disappoint". Fr Ted Keating SM - USA - writes the Introduction for us on the Project of Caritas International inviting us to Sign the Petition for unjust Debt Cancellation.       Traduction française ci-dessous Introduction We are happy to see that the Jubilee Year called forth by Pope Francis includes significant attention to the debt crisis in our contemporary global world. It is being shared here by Caritas and then by Pax Christi International with an invitation to other groups that are interested. Three strategic goals are listed by Caritas below. An article in The New York Times last month reported that more than 17 ...

Resilience and Sustainability: The Laudato Si' Project's Mission in Yaounde                          Traduction française - ci-dessous In the heart of Nkoloman, Yaounde, lies the Laudato Si' Project, a promising agricultural initiative dedicated to sustainability and community empowerment. Spread across five hectares of land owned by the Marist Fathers of the District of Africa, this project has been steadily growing over the past 12 years. Seven years ago, it adopted the name "Laudato Si'," inspired by the encyclical of Pope Francis, which emphasises the importance of caring for our planet and living sustainably. The proj...

                                                                                                                                                 Traduction française ci-dessous On the 8th November, 2024 I attended an Interreligious seminar on Safeguarding and Ecological Conversion (Laudato Si) at the Fatima Rani Church, Bag...

Appel pour la paix en Terre sainte de 200 chrétiens européens de toutes confessions           English Translation: see below "Au cours de l'année écoulée, nous avons été témoins de l'escalade tragique d'une grave crise humanitaire qui continue d'affecter d'innombrables vies. Le 7 octobre 2023, plus d'un millier d'Israéliens ont été tués lors d'une attaque menée par des factions dirigées par le Hamas, et plus de 250 personnes ont été prises en otages. En réponse, Israël a lancé une opération militaire qui a fait de nombreuses victimes, avec près de 42 000 morts à Gaza. Les deux communautés souffrent profondément. La crise humanitaire dans la bande de Gaza s'...

Many will recall Alistair Cooke's weekly Letter from America—for 58 years the longest-running speech radio show in the world. Each twelve-minute talk blended insight, whimsy, and effortless spontaneity. In his BBC broadcast prior to Christmas Day 2003, Cooke explained how Charles Dickens wrote his most famous story A Christmas Carol.       Traduction française ci-dessous In 1843. Dickens, aged 31 and England's most famous novelist, intended to start a novel on the factory slums created by the Industrial Revolution especially in England's north. To prepare, Dickens toured the cities there; he was depressed by the squalor, wretchedness, and moral degradation of the inhabita...

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...