Br Tony Leon Joins Five Aspirants in Honiara for Two Weeks of Formation Workshops
During a two-week visit to Honiara, Solomon Islands, Br Tony Leon spent time with five young men undertaking the Marist Aspirancy program, supporting Br Simon Serero in their formation and vocational journey.
The six-month residential Aspirancy program provides young men with an opportunity to explore their vocation as Marist Brothers. The program currently hosts five aspirants from Papua New Guinea, from the Sepik region and Bougainville: Kongun Dismas Warming, Louisdemonforth Suvabru, Moui Bonoventure, Semei Leonard Tuppune and Isma Daniel.
During his visit, Br Tony facilitated a series of workshops introducing the young men to different aspects of Marist life. An important starting point was building relationships and establishing trust within the group through a range of icebreaker activities. With the aspirants aged between 23 and 29, there was plenty of laughter and joy as the young men participated fully in the activities.
In Melanesian culture, relationships are strengthened through sharing stories, and this was reflected in the workshops. The opening sessions invited the aspirants to share their own stories, drawing on Joseph Campbell’s model of The Hero’s Journey - a narrative pattern in which a person leaves the familiar, encounters challenges, undergoes transformation and returns with new wisdom - as a way of exploring their personal experiences and vocational journey.
The central theme of the workshops was an introduction to the life of a Marist Brother, explored through three key areas:
Community – A living ecosystem of biodiversity
Mission – One Mission, Multiple Ministries
Spirituality – Marian, Strong and Gentle
Creative activities were also incorporated into the formation sessions, using visual arts to encourage deeper reflection and sharing.
While some of the aspirants initially expressed doubts about their artistic abilities, these soon gave way to a collection of creative works. The experience highlighted how trust, courage and good formation can open the way for new forms of beauty to emerge from both personal and communal imagination.
The community also came together to celebrate Papua New Guinea Independence Day on 16 September. With the five aspirants all from Papua New Guinea, the celebration was a particularly meaningful occasion, allowing them to mark their national day while sharing their culture and traditions with their new companions in the Aspirancy community.
For the aspirants, the months ahead will continue to be a time of learning, discernment and growth as they explore what it means to live the Marist vocation and consider the next steps in their journey.
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