Marist Leaders meet in Rome

Major superiors of the Marist Fathers have completed their meeting in Rome with the international leadership team.

The Annual Review Consultation reviewed a range of matters including Marist responses to the world's neediest and to issues of reconciliation, justice and peace in a globalised world,

The agenda also included ongoing formation, preparation of future leaders and training of local superiors as spiritual leaders, as well as vocations, the beatification of Fr Founder and spiritual formation of Marist laity.

Source: http://www.maristfathers.org.au/Pages/2011-10-news.html#arcends

Sister Stephanie Smith SM and Fr. Ben Mckenna SM
roll over: Marist Brothers and Marist Seminarians

From left: Prayer before the new icon of Fr Jean-Claude Colin in the chapel of the General House, Rome; Australian Provincial, Fr Paul Cooney, presiding at the Eucharist; three Aussie Marists relaxing (Frs Paul Cooney, Tony Corcoran and Ben McKenna).

Sudden Death of Br. Viliame Lotawa SM

Br. Viliame Lotawa SM of the Fiji Region was among the group of Oceanian Marists who arrived in Sydney on Saturday 1st of October 2011 to participate in the "Spirituality and Lifestyle" Renewal Program. The same program is sponsored by Marist Asia Pacific (MAP), and is scheduled to begin on Sunday evening, 9th of October, at Villa Maria, Hunters Hill. But on Monday morning, 3rd of October, Br.Viliame was found dead in the room he was cleaning in preparation for the Program.

Fr.Bob Barber SM reported that Br.Viliame and Fr. Stephen Posirou SM were working together in the same room and Fr.Stephen has just left the room when he heard a thud. He quickly came back to the same room to find Br.Vili lying on the floor, not moving, and not breathing.

It took place at 10.00 am Australian time. Fr.Ron Nissen SM annointed him soon after Fr.Stephen hit the alarm. He had been to Mass and received Holy Communion in the morning. He had been in no pain since he arrived in Sydney, and he had been full of life the day before he died, when he visited the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Opera House. So this is very sudden and it came as a shock to all.

The details of the funeral of Br.Vili are not yet known but the Region of Fiji has confirmed that his body will be brought back to Fiji for burial. The parishioners of Mt.St.Mary's, Nadi are preparing to receive his body, and have the reguregu, and the Requem Mass in the parish, before the body will be taken to Lautoka cemetry for burial.

Please keep Br.Vili in your prayers, and not forgetting the 11 confreres of his Renewal group, who are left to continue in the Program, and also his family in Ba, Fiji. May he rest in God's eternal peace.

Br. Viliame Lotawa SM

Pics taken during Brothers Assembly in 2008
sitting second from left: Br.Viliame

Br.Vili

Spirituality and Life program in Australia

First participants for the Marist Asia-Pacific 'Spirituality & Life' program have arrived in Australia on Oct 01.

Frs Leronio Vodivodi and Stephen Posirou SM and Brs Elia Sawesawe, Pierre-Marie Bulekek and Viliame Lotawa SM have taken up residence at Villa Maria's 'Chanel House', Hunters Hill, NSW.

They will soon be joined by six other Oceanian Marists and one Filipino for the start of the program on Oct 10. It will be the first of four such programs to be conducted over the next five years.

Source: http://www.maristfathers.org.au/Pages/2011-10-news.html#arcends

From left:Br. Peter Somers SM, Br. Viliame Lotawa,