THE Marist Brothers Australian Province have continued the dream of their founder, St Marcellin Champagnat, with a new facility to serve Marist Schools, youth ministry, and international aid and development.
The new facility, Marist Centre Brisbane, shares the same land as Marist College Ashgrove.
Australian provincial leader Marist Brother Jeffrey Crowe officially opened the Marist Centre Brisbane on Friday, October 4 and Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge gave the rite of blessing.
It is one of three centres dedicated to ministries within the new province of Australia for the Marist Brothers.
The centre will be a special place for the Marist Brothers, and particularly for Marist Solidarity executive director Br Allen Sherry, which will operate from Marist Centre Brisbane.
“It is a centre to give new life and energy to the Marist brothers and lay Marists who work in ministries across Queensland and Northern NSW,” he said.
Provincial Leader Br Jeffrey Crowe said the centre would provide the “spirit of mission” for all Marists.
“This centre was built to support the mission of Marists in this part of the world,” he said.
He said the centre would not only provide support for ministries within Australia, but had the potential to link with Marist communities worldwide.
Archbishop Coleridge said the blessing of the centre recognised the “good spirits in this place”.
He said the spirit of St Marcellin, his wisdom, mother Mary and the risen Christ present in the centre would help the brothers to “read the sign of the times”.
“This place breeds new times, new challenges, new forms, and dare I say new evangelisation,” he said.
“We read wisely the signs of this place.”
