Marist Sisters in Aotearoa-New Zealand - Marist Sisters in Asia-Pacific

Sr Isabelle Harding sm

Sr Isabelle Harding sm sm was called to eternal life on Sunday 11th August 2019.

Eternal rest grant to her, O Lord.
May perpetual light shine upon her.
May she rest in peace.
Amen.

We extend our prayerful sympathy to the Marist Sisters in Aotearoa-New Zealand and to Sr Isabelle’s family. the following eulogy was delivered at her funeral held at St Mary’s Parish, Mt Albert on 14th August 2019.

With the death of Barbara Jean Harding, Sister Isabelle, it is the end of an era, several in fact.

Firstly for her family as Isabelle is the last of the thirteen children of Isabella and George Harding to die, and so the last of her generation of the family. She has been the Matriarch for some years and the keeper of the family history all her life.

It is also the end of the era of the Marist Sisters having an important part to play in Waitaruke and especially at the school there, Hato Hohepa for 90 years. Sister Isabelle was the last Sister on the staff and was later for a number of years the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees.

Again, Sister Isabelle was the last of the young Marist Sisters who in the 50’s and 60’s left Australia and New Zealand soon after their Profession to go to the Missions in Fiji. Earlier others had also gone to Tonga but had been evacuated during WW2. Isabelle went to Fiji in 1960 and taught at the Goldmines school in Vatukoula and also at schools in Lami, Solevu and Varoka, Ba,and Nadi, all on the main Island of Viti Levu, and later on the outer Islands of Ovalau and Yasawa. Isabelle is the last of the valiant and wonderful women we all knew there, Josephine, Regina, Anita, Sabina, Miriam and many others. Of course there were also French and Irish Sisters and others like Alexius and Nolasco who were born in Fiji but were part of that generation also. Today all the Marist Sisters in Fiji are born and bred in that country, are living in different parts of Fiji serving the needs of their people in new ministries as well as in schools.

In 1982 Isabelle came back to New Zealand for good, and after a few years teaching at Mt Albert, Orakei and Putaruru, she went to the North where she remained for the next almost thirty years. She taught at Hato Hohepa until she was given the Diocesan Ministry of Religious Education Adviser, Northland. She held this position for eight years, and if you were around in Kerikeri where she lived at that time, you would have seen her in her little car which held a TV monitor, stacks of religious videos, and piles of books and papers heading out the gate to go North South East and West to visit schools, parishes, families and individuals, to prepare them for the Sacraments and nourish their Faith.

In 2003 she was back in Waitaruke, involved in the school and Parish, and in particular facilitating and tutoring those who wished to follow the three year programme of ,’Walk By Faith’ and many men and women in the North have done all or part of that course with her.

In 2014, as the buildings in Waitaruke were needed for a new venture, and Sister Margarita her companion, was now in Kauri Rest Home in Kaeo, Isabelle moved with Sister Catherine to join Sister Kathleen in Kaikohe where she continued the Walk By Faith Programme right up to the Graduation of the last group of participants earlier this year.

Sister Isabelle had many loves in her life. First of course, was the Lord and his mother Mary. She loved prayer and to meditate on the Scripture Readings of the day, both in English and Maori. She loved all things Maori, art, culture, marae stays, and especially Te Reo which she studied at Massey University and Wananga Aotearoa for many years.She loved her family deeply and the Marist Sisters and wider Marist family. She loved Waitaruke and especially the school where she taught the children, another of her loves, gardening. They grew vegetables, harvested them and proudly took them home to their families. She had a particular love for Waimahana and our little bach there and to swim in the beautiful bay.

Sister Isabelle was a wonderful woman to whom God had given many gifts and talents. As an artist and a poet she loved to share with Brother Romuald FMS, in Kaikohe, himself an artist and poet. She published two books about the Hokianga and her family which included many photos, another hobby, and poems. As she aged she began to lose her eyesight from Aged Macular Degeneration. She took advantage of the experience of blindness of Brother Mark Chamberlain FMS to learn ways of coping with this disability. She was also attracted by his guide-dog for she loved all animals, horses, cows, dogs and especially one special cat named, Psycho, who was in Waitaruke and Kaikohe, and is now buried in a grove of trees just inside the gates of Waitaruke.

Sister Isabelle’s Fijian friends would say, “Moce, Sister, and loloma levu.

We say, ‘ Go in peace, Isabelle, enjoy eternal life with all you love.

Haere ra, Isabelle, Barbara Jean Harding, you good and faithful daughter of Mary.

Sr Margaret Therese Kerins sm

Sr Margaret Therese Kerins was called to eternal life on Friday 28th June 2019.

Eternal rest grant to her, O Lord.
May perpetual light shine upon her.
May she rest in peace.
Amen.

We extend our prayerful sympathy to the Marist Sisters in Aotearoa-New Zealand and to Sr Margaret Therese’s family.The following eulogy was delivered at her funeral:

Margaret Therese was the fifth of the six children of Thomas and Esther Kerins born 1933. Her family lived on a farm near Masterton so Margaret attended the Fernbridge Primary School. She went further afield for her secondary education to the Brigidine Sisters at St Bride’s College Masterton. We hear that she was often commended there for her sewing and handcraft skills and these remained with throughout her life.

Her older sister, Noreen, entered our novitiate at Karori in 1947 and they had an aunt living in Karori so the Marist Sisters were familiar to Margaret – so much so that she decided to join them in 1954. The novitiate moved to Australia during this time so Margaret, now Sr Patrick, was professed in Sydney. A year after her profession she returned to New Zealand and in the years that followed she lived in all of our houses and even managed three short periods back in Sydney.

In Waitaruke and Herne Bay she was in charge of the boarders. Her time in Moerewa, our motor mission, provided an opportunity for parish visitation, while in Sydney and in Mt Albert she was caregiver for our elderly Sisters.

Our Congregation values ministry but realises that it needs to be supported by times of prayer and reflection, Margaret had several opportunities for such periods. The first of these included a time in Rome with a group of Marist Sisters. Margaret rejoiced especially in her visits to St Peter’s Basilica and many other historic places. From Rome she travelled to France to visit places associated with our Foundress and early Sisters. Margaret kept an account of each day to share later with the Sisters and her family. Meeting so many of our Sisters in England, France and Ireland was a real joy for her.

There was a further period of renewal that we shared several years later – this time in Sydney with religious of different Congregations. We took time to reflect on our vocation and its relevance.

Margaret’s last years were spent in Rotorua – twenty of those with Sr Mary who shared these insights on Margaret’s ministry and the person she had become. She stressed that Margaret was first and foremost a woman of prayer and it was this quality that supported all she did. She spent each morning visiting the housebound and those in rest homes and was truly devoted to each person she visited. Her ability to talk easily to everyone she met, including small children won her many friends in the community. She was a great communicator either in person or by telephone to the Sisters, her family and her friends. The garden surrounding the Rotorua house was a tribute to her untiring efforts and it was greatly admired. There were times of recreation too when she played indoor bowls or visited friends in the area.

Margaret, as we recall your life and ministry, we thank you for all you have been and done for all those whose lives you touched. May you rest now in the lord and His Mother who loved you and chose you for their own.

Thanksgiving for 60 years as a Marist Sister

Marist Sisters in Aotearoa-New Zealand held their annual assembly from the 25^th to the 28^th of April. This involved a contemplative dialogue on their present reality and consideration of needs at this time. The last day of the assembly was dedicated to celebrating Sr. Kathleen Bright’s 60^th anniversary of Marist religious profession. Bishop Denis Brown was the main celebrant for the thanksgiving mass and many of the Sisters were present. Kathleen’s sister and brother in law joined in the celebration plus Brother Mark fms and his guide dog Rosco.

Aotearoa-New Zealand – Joyful in Hope

All the Marist Sisters in Aotearoa-New Zealand came together at Mount Albert, Auckland, for this very special occasion: the launching of the new governance structure. We began with the prayer in the Chapel. Our opening hymn ” Joyful in hope your people pray” set the tone for the prayer, during which we named many of the Marist Sisters who had gone before us. After this we went to the community room where Grace spoke to us and to the whole Congregation. Finally there was a celebratory meal which was a time for more sharing and joy. (Photo: New Zealand Administration Team – Srs Lorraine Campbell, Gemma Wilson, Marie Challacombe & Cath Lawson)

Click on an image below to see the enlarged version.

Congratulations Diamond Jubilarian

It was with great joy that Marist Sisters in Aotearoa-New Zealand gathered to celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of Sr Margaret Therese. During her sixty years as a Marist Sister Margaret Therese has missioned in Aotearoa-New Zealand and Australia.

The Jubilee Mass, during which Margaret renewed her vows, was celebrated in the convent chapel in Mt Albert with Fr Chris Skinner sm presiding.

Mass was followed by a celebratory meal, some sharing on Margaret’s life as a Marist Sister, the cutting of a jubilee cake and the opening of gifts.

Aotearoa-New Zealand Assembly

Marist Sisters in Aotearoa-New Zealand have spent two days assembled in Auckland. They gathered to reflect on the outcomes of the recent Marist Sisters General Chapter and to begin planning a Design for Life and Mission.

This Design will enable the sisters to be Women of the Word Embracing Life as they journey through the coming years. The sisters were grateful to have Br Graham Neist fms as their facilitator over these days.

Celebrations in Aotearoa-New Zealand

At a recent gathering of the Marist Sisters in Aotearoa-New Zealand the sisters celebrated the Daimond Jubilee of Sr Karin Christieson and the Golden Jubilee of Sr Gemma Wilson.

Fr Graeme Connolly sm was principal celebrant at the Mass during which Karin and Gemma renewed their vows. During the meal that followed thegathered sisters shared their memories of the jubilarians.

Tag: Marist Sisters in Aotearoa-New Zealand