Close to 60 Marists gathered in mid-March for the biennial Faith Formators’ Colloquium at The Hermitage, Mittagong, for two days of theological reflection, exploring evangelisation effectiveness along with membership growth of local Marist Association of St Marcellin Champagnat groups. The participants all have leadership roles in faith formation and religious education, so they enjoyed valuable time sharing successes and challenges with each other, and planning for even stronger strategic effectiveness through their roles in schools.
Tony Clarke, Mark Elliot, Bishop Danny Meagher, Fr Gary Perritt, Erin Hardy, Ann-Marie Pitot and Br Peter Carroll.
“In collaboration with the 19 dioceses in which Marist schools are to be found, Marist Schools Australia has an assured future in faith leadership.”
Features of the colloquium included an engaging Welcome to Country by local First Nations elder Theresa Ardler and top-shelf keynote presentations from Tony Clarke (Director of the Mission and Life Formation Team), Mike Munro (journalist and broadcaster, and Marist ex-student), Dr John Kyle-Robinson (Acting National Director of Marist Schools Australia) and Br Michael Green (Marist Association Councillor and Founding National Director Marist Schools Australia). Experiences of prayer and liturgy were varied in their style and location, and appreciated for the expectational involvement they requested from participants, modelling how to lead liturgy and prayer in schools. Highlights of the gathering certainly were the eucharistic celebrations celebrated by Bishop Danny Meagher (Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Sydney) and Fr Gary Perritt CP (MSA Chaplain), including inspiring homilies targeted for leaders of evangelisation.
Mass in the Chapel at the Hermitage, Mittagong.
Mike Munro, Theresa Ardler and Br Michael Callinan.
Br Michael Callinan FMS
Associate Director | Mission and Life Formation