marist mission centre (mmc) autumn...
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Marist Mission Centre (MMC)
Sydney Australia
Marist Fathers International Mission Fund (MFIM)
Australian Marist Centre Overseas Aid Fund (AMCOA)
AUTUMN NEWSLETTER
April 2016 Vol. 67, No.1
From the Chairman…. In the first newsletter you receive from Marist Mission Centre (MMC) in 2106, you will note a few changes in the newsletter’s format
and content. Actually, behind the slight changes you notice there have been some very big changes that have occurred in MMC
recently.
MMC is endeavouring to implement the best innovations that technology and modern business methods can give us. The great work
MMC has been famous for in economic, education, health care improvements and social development of peoples from all creeds,
cultures and nationalities in developing countries, especially in the Pacific and SE Asian zone, will continue. It is not, however, the only
criteria to judge our work by as last year, MMC distributed over $1.7 mil AUD in aid and support of people in need.
The need for MMC has not diminished and, with the generosity of benefactors remaining consistent, MMC’s staff and volunteer
supporters were able to do as much good in 2015 as they have done in any year previously. The work of MMC will continue just as
vigorously in 2016 and in years to come.
A special thank you from all who have been associated with MMC over recent years must go to Fr Kevin Stewart sm. He has been an
extremely generous agent for MMC.
Likewise, for the last 6 and 5 years respectively the backbone of MMC office has been Ms Jane Cecilia and Ms Annie Cecilia. They have
kept the MMC office ticking along smoothly and both have been absolute treasures; MMC could not have operated without them.
Together with Veronica Warton, our casually employed accountant for over 15 years, their commitment to MMC and their loving
appreciation to the anonymous donors, large and small, has been exemplary.
Since the beginning of 2016 our acting Director, Mr Tony Biddle, has been continuing through with the restructuring of MMC and the
Marist Fathers are most grateful to him. Tony has things to the point where he can almost hand over the reins to the new Executive
Officer of MMC. This person will be a member of a newly constituted Advisory Committee who will guide the operations of MMC to
ensure it remains a genuinely Marist work, a work in the spirit of Mary our Good Mother. We are most grateful to
Tony for his work.
Fr Robert Barber sm
Marist Provincial
Future of the restructured MMC…..
The review and evaluation that commenced during 2015 is now completed and the restructuring process well underway.
The Marist Mission Centre has drawn up an agreement with the Marist Brothers, and will now operate the Australian Marist Centre
for Overseas Aid (AMCOA) assistance in conjunction with Australian Marist Solidarity – the overarching name of the international aid,
development and volunteering agencies of the Marist Brothers Province of Australia. This joint venture with the Marist Brothers will
share the costly burden of compliance on all our joint overseas aid projects.
No change will be taking place to the style or method in which the Marist Mission Centre will operate the Marist Fathers International
Mission (MFIM).
We will continue to process and record donations to both funds, however a new modern website is very close to completion and
donations will be accepted, and receipts issued immediately from this site. We must keep up with modern technology and keep our
costs low to provide more to the needy and impoverished.
The necessity of restructure, and the implementation of the joint venture with the Marist Brothers, has resulted in the reduction of
previous staff. This we very much regret.
Postal: Locked Bag 5002, GLADESVILLE NSW 1675
Office: 3 Mary St, Hunters Hill NSW 2110, Australia
P: +61 2 9844 2275 F: 02 9816 1737 E: [email protected]
From the Acting Director…….
2016 started with quite a surprise for me when
the Marist Fathers’ Provincial – Fr Bob Barber sm
asked me to oversee a review of all operations at the MMC following the conclusion of Fr Kevin
Stewart’s tenure as Director after 9 years. With
the change in director also came the opportunity
to evaluate and ensure all criteria, now demanded
by the controlling Government bodies, was being
met. Maintaining the principles, mission and
vision of the Marist Mission Centre, as established
by the Marist Fathers over 50 years ago, was also
paramount in the review.
The review outcome is reported in another part
of this newsletter and the changeover is well
underway. The 15th annual ‘Cycle for Seminarians’
was, once again, very well supported by you, our
generous donors.
Disasters however, continue to occur and the
recent monster cyclone Winston (category 5) in
Fiji has left a massive trail of destruction in large
areas. The damage to Marist Mission buildings and
crops, especially in the outlying islands, will take a
long time to rebuild and regenerate.
Maybe you can again see your way to help the
unfortunate people who, by no fault of their own,
have been dealt a savage blow by nature. This
area continually seems to be the disaster zone of
the Pacific.
May you continue to be blessed for all your
assistance to MMC.
Tony Biddle
Acting Director
Images by Fr Andrew Murray sm - from top
Our Lady of Lourdes Vanu, Tutu Young Farmers
Accommodation, Tutu Furniture Workshop, Vanu School,
Vanu Village
TR
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FIJ
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Cyclone Relief…...
As we know Tropical Cyclone Winston was a Category 5 Cyclone, with gusts of up to 340 km/hr, and is the
most devastating cyclone ever in the Southern hemisphere. More than 22,000 families were left homeless in
Winston's wake; and the Government has decided that 63 Villages in coastal areas in Fiji will need to be
relocated, following assessments.
The money given to Oceania Marist Province was used immediately to help families who still were able to
repair their roofs: so that they could also give shelter to other members in their Villages / Communities. The
People have very much appreciated this. We are now helping our People to rebuild their Churches. The
reason for this is that Faith is central to the lives of the People here. And while the Government is restoring
housing, water, roads, power, and bridges; they are not in a position to help Faith-Communities. So we are
extremely grateful to all who have helped us, through the Marist Mission Centre, to enable families to be
secure again, and enable Villagers to restore and re-build their Churches.
Fr Ben McKenna sm Provincial Oceania Province
Fr Tony Kennedy sm - the Seminary Novice Master
wrote on 22/2/16
“We have no power or water at Marist College. We
only had a taste of the cyclone though. On Friday
evening, it looked like the cyclone was coming straight
for Suva but by the next morning it had changed
direction more towards Taveuni and Ovalau.
On Saturday afternoon from about 4 pm until 10 pm, the
wind blew and blew. We buckled down and sang songs
in the candlelight as the rain tumbled down and the wind
blew. At 10 pm the winds eased and there was a
spectacular lightning show for an hour or so before the
rain really came down.
Today some of us went to Dawasamu where we have a
place on the beach and where the cyclone seemed to
cross the coast. All that is left are the toilets and two
water tanks. The building (two old houses) is
destroyed. There are bits of roofing iron all over the
place.
What has become clear is that many schools outside of
Suva will not be able to resume next week.
Most of the books and computers have been lost or
damaged beyond repair. At Cawaci, many of the
classrooms, the parish church and presbytery have lost
their roofs.”
Fr Mike McVerry sm from the Marist Training C, on the
island of Taveuni, Fiji wrote on 26/2/16
“The cyclone itself was most frightening and terrifying in
force last Saturday and South Taveuni has lost 90% of all
buildings and 100% of crops including an enormous amount
of coconut trees. Usually the fruit is lost for up to the next
two years, but this cyclone broke many in half and
beheaded many others. People talked of a tidal wave as high
as the coconuts and the devastation supports that as the
sea came in well over 60 metres. It broke the wharf in half
so that the two halves of concrete are 50 metres apart.
Fortunately Winston arrived during the early morning when
it was light, and left quickly again before it was dark in the
evening. Unfortunately, he came at us from behind in the
morning, then turned, and was directly from the sea later
on. The morale and spirit of working together rebuilds us
as we go beyond the sight of glaring at, and picking up,
the wreckage.”
Devastated Taveuni
Asia/Africa RNDM Projects $ 279,858 Educational Assistance
Bangladesh $ 41,850 Hearing/speech impaired youth projects
Bolivia $ 1,000 Community development.
Cambodia $ 108,832 Mental health, street kids, education
Cameroon $ 1,000 SMSM Sisters Refugee Camps
China $ 45,000 Mentally challenged youth programs
Fiji $ 253,165 Social development, aged care, media watch
Japan $ 33,215 Disaster relief, Osaka slums
Oceania $ 467,224 Seminary support
Papua/New Guinea $ 10,000 Office of street ministry
Philippines $ 128,495 BAPAS, Badjao & Agdao Mothers
Solomon Islands $ 96,946 San Isidro training centre, Marist projects Honiara Diocese
Tanzania $ 8,000 SMSM Sisters social works in Shinyanga Prov.
Thailand $ 193,526 Sarnelli House, child protection, HIV aids
Tonga/Samoa $ 5,000 Upgrade training facilities
Vanuatu $ 86,354 Cyclone "Pam" appeal, education,
Total Project Contributions 2015 = $1,759,465
Australian Marist Centre for Overseas Aid (AMCOA) $969,755
Marist Fathers International Mission (MFIM) $789,710
Generous Hearts supporting our Marist Projects…...
Br Charlie Randle sm
Recent Marist Books available …….
In a recent visit to the Marist Mission Centre, Thai Redemptorist,
Fr PuwaniI Tantikun CSsR, expressed the gratitude of the Sarnelli
Mission, Nongkhai, Thailand, for MMC’s continuing support.
Purchase details available on ATF Press
website: www.atfpress.com
Pls. Post: Marist Missions, Locked Bag 5002, Gladesville, NSW 1675
Or Fax to (02) 9816 1737 or donate online at
Australian Marist Centre Overseas Aid (AMCOA) (donations are tax-deductible)
Marist Fathers International Mission (MFIM) (donations are non tax-deductible)
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With compassion and care we create