THE MARIST BROTHERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19503, 6 December 1926, Page 12

THE MARIST BROTHERS.

CELEBRATION OF JUBILEE. SERVICE AT ST. PATRICK'S. LINK WITH ORDER'S FOUNDATION A record gathering of former pupils assembled yesterday to commemorate the jubilee of the institution in New Zealand of the Marist Brothers.' The main observance was the General Communion at 9 o'clock Mass in St. Patrick's Cathedral, when an address was given by Bishop Cleary. Breakfast in the Strand Restaurant followed,, and in the afternoon the 25 brothers tvho are in Auckland for the celebrations, were taken for a motor run in the country. A notable visitor was Brother Claudius, of Rewa, Fiji, who came to New Zealand to represent the Island communities of the Order at the celebrations in Auckland and Wellington. Still in the active ranks of the brotherhood at the age oi: 78, Brother Claudius is not only the senior brother of Australia and New Zealand, but also is a link with the foundation of the Order. He was born near Lyons, in the South of France, where the Order was instituted by Father Champagnat, and was associated with some of the first of its members. Two gifts of £IOO each, from Mr. T. Buxton and Mr. P. Gleeson respectively, were mentioned in an announcement by Mr. E. E. Casey, who presided at the breakfast, that the joint fund to assist the juniorate at Tuakau and establish there a bursary in memory of the late Brother George had reached the £6OO mark. Mr. T. Keenan, the secretary, and Mr. D. Flinn, the treasurer, were thanked for their efforts, the chairman expressing the hope that they would do able to make up the leeway necessary to place the fund on an equal footing with the generous response in Christchurch and Wellington. Bishop Cleary's Tribute. In his address at the Cathedral Bishop Cleary said the brothers had come to New Zealand when the secular system of eduction was at its zenith. In their mission of imparting a truly complete education, their success in training the body and the mind was an obvious and accepted fact. But they taught something higher—that there was no wisdom greater than the perception of the Kingdom of God and His justice, and no knowledge deeper than to know Christ, and Him crucified. From the tiny seed at Lavalla, in France, had grown a mighty tree with branches that spread to every part of the earth. It, was a gloKous but self-sacrificing work in which the Brother!* were engaged, and ho thanked them for their part in bringing a knowledge of their Creator and Redeemer to the little ones. He congratulated them and wished them success in their work. They themselves would not know the great good they wore accomplishing, nor would they, or anyone else, realise it until time had passed and all things were learned in the full vision of God. Over 300 persons were seated at the breakfast, the chairman, Mr. Casey, sharing the chief table with Bishop Cleary, Brother Justin, Provincial of the order, Brother. Claudius, Brother Anslem, director of the Tuakau Juniorate, Brothep Borgia, director of Sacred Heart College, and the Rev. Dr. Buxton, administrator of St. Patrick's Cathedral. The chairman said the gathering, large as it was, represented a small part of the admiration in which the Marist Brothers were held, particularly by those who owed them so much of their education. He assured them, on the occasion of their reaching this milestone of progress, that they had the wholehearted support of the Catholic manhood of all parishes. "Work Hot Been in Vain." Brother Justin, who was warmly applauded, said the brothers were delighted to know the work they Were doing was ineetipg with such appreciation. That, with the fine attendance of the ex-pupils that morning, indicated the work of the brothers had not been in vain. It would be an encouragement to them in future. He expressed gratitude for the response to the appeal being made by the committee of old boys for the reduction of the (heavy debt on the juniorate at Tuakau and the provision of bursaries for the education of candidates for th« brotherhood. It would certainly bo futile to build fine schools if they did not have brothers to staff them. The establishment of the juniorate, moreover, had involved the Order in an outlay of £20,000. which could not be faced with out the practical sympathy of the old boys and others who benefited from the work of the brothers. The response in Christchurch. where £1750 had been collected for the fund, was especially gratifying, and was largely due to the assistance of an ex pupil of the brothers in Auckland, Bishop Brodie. (Applause.) The function ended with cheers for "The veteran of the Order," Brother Claudius, and for the Marist Brothers in general. A pleasant interlude in the afternoon excursion was a. visit to the Star of the Sea Orphanage at Howick, where afternoon tea was served. Pocketsful of sweets were given to the children, and no doubt helped to increase the volume of cheers with which the party was sent off. All the brothers of the Auckland Province will leave in the course of a few days for Wellington where the annua! retreat and conference of the province will take place. Prior to the retreat the brothers from all parts of Now Zealand will take part in the Wellington celebrations of the jubilee, which will be the last of the series. ,