Provincial Chapter of the Province of New Zealand

The Chapter of the Province of New Zealand began during the evening of the 14th December in Auckland, at Sacred Heart College, the largest Marist College in the country. There were twenty-six delegates representing the brothers of the two regions of the Province: Aotearoa – New Zealand (the country of New Zealand) and the Pacific Island Region (including Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Kiribati). Seven lay Marists also participated, as well as some observers who included Brother Paul Gilchrist, Provincial of the Province of Melbourne, Brother Darren Burge from the Province of Sydney and Brother Maurice Berquet, General Councillor.

Wednesday 15th December was devoted to the presentation of the reports of Brother Barry Burns, the out-going Provincial, and of Brother Alan Henley, the Provincial Econome. It was an occasion to hear a conference given by Sister Catherine Jones, SMSM, on the challenges of mission today. At the end of the day, the official handing-over of office from Brother Barry Burns to Brother Carl Tapp, the new Provincial, took place. This was conducted through a ceremony that was very rich in symbols taken from the cultures of the Pacific region. The ceremony was followed by a celebratory meal during which Brother Henry Spinks, on behalf of all the brothers, warmly thanked Barry for the service that he had given to the Province. The work of the Chapter will continue until 18th December.