In his address to the large, representative congregation attending the Foundation Day Mass the Reverend Brother said that while this was his first visit to Australia he had long been acquainted with the high quality of the Marist religious life and apostolate that had been a very evident feature of the Brothers in Australia over the past hundred years.

«In the first place this experience of the Australian Marist spirit came from my contact with Brother Quentin, my Vicar General, whom I admire and respect so much, as also with my greatly appreciated collaborator, Brother Hilary, your Assistant General. Then too, I have had acquaintance with other Australian Brothers who attended the General Chapter and also many others who have come to our General House in Rome.

Your country has provided us with many fine vocations which enable us to count to-day 59 educational establishments in which 639 Brothers in co-operation with school chaplains and 329 secular teachers give a Christian education to 26,876 students. It is difficult without a sociological survey to estimate the number of ex-students and parents of families that would complete this picture."

Referring to the co-operative effort of the whole Catholic community in the early days of last century, the Reverend Brother reminded his audience:

«You began as a small community under suspicion and lacking privileges. Later, education so far as Government schools was concerned, was to be free, compulsory and secular. Your great grandparents, despite their poverty, rejected this type of education and shouldered the burden of establishing a system of Catholic education whose objectives were clearly stated: to provide a place in a Catholic school for each Catholic child. This objective was attained by the drive and enthusiasm of the Hierarchy and Clergy, backed by the faith and generosity of the Catholic people who supported this system and gave to God's service their sons and daughters, just as you also in these days give your sons and daughters, to work as religious educators content with mere living expenses and the possibilities of training the Brothers and Sisters of the future.

It is very interesting to note that what was done at the very inception of your Catholic school system, that is to say, a co-operative effort on the part of all the Catholic community, is to-day being presented in other parts of the world as something ideal and highly desirable.

It is only by keeping to this principle of combined effort and solidarity that you will be able to face up to the new serious problems of our times of change with its questioning of the value of Catholic education and that you will be able to provide for the continuance and development of your educational system. For this you will need an even more active spirit and closer co-operation with one another, in a word, a community effort in which all, hierarchy, clergy, religious, parents, secular teachers, past and present pupils play their part, each in its own complementary function in loyal and united effort."

 

 

 

DISCOURS DU REVEREND FRERE

 

Le Rév. Frère rappelle que depuis longtemps il connaît la haute qualité de la vie religieuse et de l'apostolat des Frères en Australie. Il cite quelques chiffres: 639 Frères, 59 établissements, 26,876 élèves. Il rappelle les débuts difficiles où dans un contexte d'enseignement d'Etat obligatoire, gratuit et laïque, la communauté chrétienne (hiérarchie, clergé, religieux et laïcs) s'est fixé un objectif: donner à tout enfant catholique une place dans une école catholique.

Ce n'est, poursuit-il, qu'en restant fidèles à ce principe d'effort commun et de solidarité que vous pourrez faire face aux nouveaux et sérieux problèmes de notre temps en mutation qui met en doute la valeur de l'enseignement catholique…

Se référant aux attaques contre l'école catholique tant à l'extérieur qu'à l'intérieur de l'Eglise, il note que les critiques viennent parfois même de nos élèves. Et il conclut: Il n'y a qu'une solution, jusqu'à présent, les jeunes ont tout contesté – tout sauf l'amour qui seul peut gagner leur confiance et leur fournir une ambiance accueillante. Cette bonté de cœur vient de Dieu et c'est dans la prière que les qualités de Dieu passent dans le cœur des hommes et de ceux-ci à ceux qu'ils éduquent.

Peut-être jamais dans sa longue histoire l'Eglise n'a eu un plus grand besoin d'hommes comme vous. Non seulement, vous devez cultiver la foi de vos élèves, mais vous devez en faire des apôtres qui, à leur tour, participeront à l'évangélisation du monde … Combien profonde doit être votre vie spirituelle et quel fier témoignage vous devez donner à vos élèves… Vous devez être les témoins du Seigneur dans un monde qui, dans une large mesure, l'a oublié …

 

Reverend Brother concluded with a reference to the attack on the Catholic school to-day, both from within and outside the Church, as being not relevant to the world of to-day. Even our students are critical of the system and assert their right to challenge all hitherto accepted norms.

«There is only one solution," said the Reverend Brother. » Up to the present, youth has contested everything – everything except love which alone can win their confidence and trust and provide for a friendly atmosphere. This goodness and kindness of heart comes from God and it is in prayer that the qualities of God pass into the hearts of men and from them to those they educate.

"You are concluding this first century with a celebration of joy, love, thanksgiving and prayer… Not only is it a conclusion but also the birth of another century, and I am sure that it begins under the protecting care of Our Lady, our First Superior, and that our Blessed Founder, Marcellin Champagnat is smiling down on us in his love and interest."

 

Dirigiéndose al numeroso público que asistía a la Misa el Día Aniversario de la Fundación, el Rmo. recordó que hacía mucho tiempo que conocía la aquilatada calidad de la vida religiosa y del apostolado de los Hermanos de Australia.

Para dar una idea de la fecundidad del trabajo realizado, citó algunas cifras de la situación actual: 639 Hermanos, 59 casas, 26.876 alumnos.

 

 

 

Recordó los principios difíciles en un contexto de enseñanza estatal obligatoria, gratuita y laica, donde la comunidad cristiana (Jerarquía, clero, religiosos, laicos) se propuso el objetivo de dar un puesto en una escuela católica a todo alumno católico.

Al respecto de esta cooperación de toda la comunidad cristiana, añadió: « Solamente permaneciendo fieles a este principio de esfuerzo común y de solidaridad, podréis hacer frente a los nuevos y serios problemas de nuestro tiempo en proceso de cambio que cuestiona el valor de la enseñanza católica ».

Refiriéndose a los ataques contra la escuela católica, tanto desde fuera como desde dentro de la Iglesia, hizo notar que las críticas nos vienen, con frecuencia, de nuestros alumnos.

Y terminó diciendo: « Solo hay una solución: hasta ahora, los jóvenes todo lo han sometido a contestación. Todo, menos el amor que gana su confianza y les ofrece un ambiente acogedor. Esta bondad de corazón viene de Dios y, a través de la oración, las cualidades de Dios pasan al corazón de los hombres y de éstos a sus educandos ».

Tal vez a lo largo de la historia, la Iglesia no haya tenido nunca mayor necesidad de hombres como vosotros.

No solamente debéis cultivar la fe de vuestros alumnos, sino que además debéis hacerlos apóstoles que, a su vez, participen en la evangelización del mundo.

¡Cuan profunda debe ser vuestra vida espiritual y qué noble el testimonio que debéis dar a vuestros alumnos!

Debéis ser los testigos de Dios en un mundo que, en gran parte, lo ha olvidado.

 

* * *

 

Dirigindose á numerosa assisténcia presente á Missa no Dia do Aniversario da nossa Fundacao, o Ir. Superior Geral lembrou que de há muito conhecia a excelencia da vida religiosa e do apostolado dos Irmaos na Australia. A seguir apresentou dados estatísticos sobre a situafao actual para dar urna idéia da operosidade dos Irmaos: 639 Irs., 59 casas, 26876 alunos. Lembrou as dificuldades com que a obra se iniciou ali, pois num contexto de ensino estatal obrigatório gratuito e laico, a comunidade crista (hierarquia, clero, religiosos e leigos) propuseram-se arranjar um lugar numa escola católica para qualquer aluno católico. A respeito desta cooperacao de toda a comunidade crista disse:

« Somente permanecendo fiéis a este principio de uniao de estorbos e de solidariedade podereis solucionar os novos problemas do nosso tempo em muta£áo que poe em dúvida o valor do ensino católico … ».

Referindo-se aos ataques á escola católica, tanto fora como dentro da Igreja, notou que as críticas vém muitas vezes, dos nossos alunos. E concluiu:

« Só há urna solucao. Até agora a juventude contestou tudo, tudo exceto o amor. Somente pelo amor os poderemos conquistar. Esta bondade de coracao vem de Deus e é na ora§ao que as qualidades de Deus passam para o coragao dos homens e destes aqueles que educam ».

Talvez nunca como agora, na sua longa historia, a Igreja tenha tido tao grande necessidade de homens como vos. Nao só deveis cultivar a fé dos vossos alunos mas fazer deles apostólos para, também eles, participarem na evangelizacao do mundo …

Quao profunda deve ser a vossa vida espiritual para vos tornardes um auténtico testemunho para vossos alunos e para um mundo que em grande parte o esqueceu.