Marist presence in Kiribati

The Marist brothers started their mission in Kiribati, in the central Pacific Ocean, in 1984. However, the first Marist Brother arrived in Kiribati some years before, in the seventies, to teach as volunteer: Br Flavius Michael Donnelly, from Australia, who died in 1972. Ten years after, in June 1982, Br Gregory Ryan, New Zealand Provincial, received an invitation from Bishop Paul Mea to get brothers to his diocese of Tarawa and Nauru and direct a post-primary institute. This invitation was accepted by the Provincial Council of New Zealand in 1983. The brothers chosen for this new ministry were two New Zealanders and a Samoan: Francis Eggleton, Camillus Aylward, and Edward Daneilson. They arrived in Tarawa at the beginning of 1984 to run the St Louis’ Vocational Centre, which became St Louis High School when it was registered as a secondary school in 1986. Some years later, in the nineties, the first local brothers formed a community on the island of Marakei. Since then, a growing number of Champagnat Marists have worked in St Louis and in the diocese. Brothers from Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand have been and are involved in this Marist mission.

At present, there are four Kiribati brothers who are living with one postulant and one aspirant.

The brothers have two communities in Tarawa: one is attached to St. Louis’ High School in Teaoraereke, and the other is a formation community in La Valla, Bikenibeu.

Marist Life and Mission in Kiribati

There are three active groups that live the Champagnat’s charism:

• Kiribati Mission Stewardship Team – created in 2018 in liaison with the District Council of the Pacific, consists of five Lay Champagnat Marists and two Brothers. The purpose of the mission is that Brothers and Lay Champagnat Marists to be co-responsible for the future Marist Mission in Kiribati. Members meet monthly.
• Champagnat Youth Group – it has about 25 members ranging from University Students to Secondary school students: meet regularly: help animate other youth outreaches.
• Saint Louis High School Champagnat Marists – consists of St Louis Lay Teachers committed to deepening the Charism within the School.

As institutions, the Institute works in 3 different realities:

• St Louis High School – is a Co-educational Secondary School Forms 1 to 7: school roll – 1,200. It is Diocesan Owned, under Marist Governance. Brother Sefo Une is acting as School Commissioner.
• La Valla Spirituality and Retreat Centre – both the residence for the four Brothers and a Centre for running retreats, and various Champagnat Marist Gatherings: There are two brothers assigned to this mission.
• Champagnat Marist Preschools – there are three Preschools which we support in terms of animating the Champagnat Charism, assisting the religious Teachers’ spiritual and professional development, and offering financial support from some international donations.