Champagnat in the Pacific 2025: Three Days of Faith, Learning, and Connection for Aotearoa’s Marist Educators

From 3 to 6 August, nineteen participants from ten schools in our network in Aotearoa New Zealand took part in the annual Champagnat in the Pacific program. Daniel Dungey, Partnerships Coordinator for New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, and Kiribati, reports on this wonderful event.

The wonderful participants

Vaughan Park, Long Bay on Auckland’s North Shore once again provided the ideal location for the 2025 version of our annual Champagnat in the Pacific staff formation program. Nineteen participants, from 10 of our schools’ network, came together for a three-day retreat programme, exploring the spirituality and pedagogy of Marist Education in the Tradition of St Marcellin Champagnat. It was a very challenging time with our program co-coordinator, Br Barry Burns, unable to attend in person this year, however, he remained very connected through prayer during our time in community. I was blessed to be accompanied by Brothers Bryan Stanaway and Kevin Dobbyn to co-present this program and to experience their facilitation and pastoral skills when leading and supporting various workshops.

Br Osmund with Rangimarie

The leisurely pace ensured that this was not a conference and time was allowed for participants to embrace the ‘head to heart’ journey and to capture our Champagnat Marist Way to Jesus. Programs like this cannot take place without support and this year we were very fortunate to have engaging workshop presenters in Kieran Fouhy (Marist Education) and Cherie Jaeger (Ministry Implications). A highlight, noted by our participants, was the ‘Fireside Chat’, which Brothers Bryan and Kevin contributed to superbly with an abundance

of humility and authenticity in their responses around Marist Mission and Life. For many participants this was the first time they had met a Marist Brother!

It was a special blessing to have Fr Frank Bird SM led our community Mass as we approached the Feast of the Assumption, along with a wonderful celebration of life around the table that followed. The presence of a large group of Auckland based brothers was warmly felt by all participants. Many thanks to Brothers Peter Horide, Humphrey O’Connor, Bill Lawley, Alan Henley, Osmund Macnamara, Colin Divane, Doug Dawick and

our local Champagnat Marists, Terry Horne and James Cullen, for joining us at this time.

Br Alan and Gina

The feedback from participants, both formally and informally, was overwhelmingly positive and really affirmed for the organising team that we too must look beyond and ensure programs of the heart continue to be offered with ongoing guidance and support a must! A few comments from various participants are captured below:

• A chance to connect with our Marist Spirit whilst building community

• Filled my kete of wairua, maramatanga and kete of connections (nga tangata). (I’ve filled my basket with spiritual well-being, understanding, and relationships with others)

• I feel affirmed in my resilience, wisdom, gentleness, voice, growth and those I’ve met.

• Empowering, lighting a flame, igniting a desire to learn more.

• That I am aligned with the charism - it affirmed I’m in the right space with a fulfilling purpose.

• The grace of God evident in the brothers has helped to restore my faith in people and in God.

After the 'Fireside Chat'

The journey now continues beyond Long Bay as we collectively look at new ways to keep our founder's dream alive, not only in our ministries but also in our personal lives. The invitation to bring together participants from previous years CITP courses from within each ministry setting may see the holy spirit guide groups as they discern ‘what happens next?’

Naku te rourou nau te rourou ka ora ai te iwi

With your basket and my basket, the people will live

Contributed by Daniel Dungey