2008 South Asia Immersion Group Returns

JANUARY 2008 saw ten young Marists arrive back in Melbourne after nearly a month travelling through India and Cambodia observing first-hand the faith and mission work of the Marist Order in those countries.

While the group of young people were drawn from various backgrounds across three States, they all shared the desire to see how Marists are working with those in need in South Asia. At the start of January the group travelled with Vocations Coordinator Brother Rod Thomson from Melbourne to visit a variety of communities, as well as health and education projects that the Marist Order in India and Cambodia are coordinating.

In India projects the group visited were clinics run by the Marists, schools established for low caste villages, as well as the community of the Brothers in Basilio, India.

In Cambodia the group stayed with the local Brothers in Phnom Penh and also visited the Siem Reap Children's hospital. As well, the group visited Phnom Penh schools run by the Marists that have achieved fast-tracked learning for disabled local children which has opened the door for many into high-school education.

When in Rome....

Pictured here is Tim Davis meeting Pope Benedict. Tim is from the Marist Young Adult network and ex Nicholson St. community member who is working with the World Youth Day office in Melbourne.

Fr Mark Walls keynote closes AMSA2007

Listen to Fr Mark's Keynote address - MP3 39Mb

Fr Mark Walls urged delegates to seek out the new church away from the 'traditional places' and to understand how young people communicate. He said that young people yearn to worship and that many church leaders have lost confidence in how to lead a young parish because it has been so long since they have had a young congregation. The former School Boy Champion athlete and Rugby player (turned coach) outlined the youth ministries they have active in New Zealand and the relationship with Marist Regional College in Burnie Tasmania.

Sr Jane Frances O'Carroll keynote

Listen to Sr Jane's keynote address - MP3 45Mb

Today's AMSA2007 keynote guest, Sr Jane Frances O'Carroll challenged the delegates to confront their Marist values and explore how they would use those values in their journey to the 'hill country'. In a presentation that touched on Marian faith, belief systems and pragmatic approaches to Marist education, Sr Jane challenged the audience to make sense of the 'Journey to the Hill Country' theme and to exchange ideas with other delegates.

AMSA Delegates take their own journey to the hill country

'A definite highlight' was how many of the delegates described their respective trips to various Melbourne locations as part of Tuesday's program. Designed to simulate the uncertainty Mary felt when she set out to her journey to the Hill Country, delegates were not told in advance of where they would be travelling. Instead, students of Samartian Catholic College and Marcellin College acted as guides and took their respective delegates to all parts of Melbourne. Some groups walked, others caught trams and some had to be driven. Venues included the DOXA school and the Aboriginal Catholic Mission.

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Most Rev. Mark Coleridge presents keynote at AMSA 2007

Most Rev. Mark Coleridge Archbishop of Canberra & Goulburn, presented the keynote session at Monday's session at AMSA 2007.

In a wide ranging presentation, he likened the current state of the church to one of the themes being explored by the Conference; the uncertainty faced by Mary when she went into the hill country to visit her cousin Elizabeth.

Listen to the keynote mp3 file - 45mb