In 2012 I wrote: It is two years since the closure of the 21st General Chapter of the Marist Brothers. That Chapter invited Marists from across the world to deepen their commitment to Brothers and Lay Marists working more closely together ... describing 'Brothers and lay Marists, based on communion,' [as] 'searching together for a greater vitality of the Marist charism for our world.' Today in Auckland, the nineteen participants at our Oceania Meeting, focused on the desire of the International Bureau for the Laity to discern how we can grow Marist Life, especially lay Marist life, in Oceania. Key questions remain: Who is a lay Marist? What formation programs do we have separately and what programs together? What forms of Association suit us best? What is the vocation of the lay Marist. Tony Clarke presented us with a number of lay Marist initiatives from around the Marist world including examples from France, Italy, Mexico, Philippines, Guatemala City, Nigeria, Montreal, Fatima, Brazil and Trichy. Our desire to do something new was encouraged by Superior General Br Emili Turu in a video to the participants. He reminded us that 'it is difficult for us to accept that for something new to be born, somthing has to die. We resist death' he continued Emili recalled the initiation rites of the North American Indians where the elders tell their young: 'As you walk through life's path, you are going to find an enormous precipice ... jump!'
John McMahon