MARIST BROTHER

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23387, 19 December 1945, Page 4

MARIST BROTHER

Fifty Years In Order The completion of 50 years as a member of the Marist Brothers was celebrated last Saturday by the Rev. Brother Benignus, a former director of the Sacred Heart College, Auckland and a former provincial of the Marist Brothers in New Zealand. He was the first New Zealand-born brother to hold the office of provincial in Australia or New Zealand. , , Becoming a member of the Marist Brothers hi Sydney in 1890, Brother Benignus returned to New Zealand m 1903 and was one of the original brothers who opened the Sacred Heart College at Auckland. He went back to Australia because of failing health, but was reappointed to the staff of Sacred Heart college in 1912. He was appointed director of the college in 1916, occupying the position until he became director of the Brothers Training College at Tuakau in 1921. He was appointed to his second term as director of the Sacred Heart College in 1927. remaining there until 1932 when he was appointed provincial of New Zealand. During the nine years of his term as provincial, Brother Benignus made one of his chief concerns the welfare and progress of the juniorate and other training centres. He was responsibly lor the purchase of the property 7 at Claremont, near Tirnaru. where the Novitiate of the New Zealand province is situated, and also for the foundation of the Scholasticate for the training of young Marist Brothers in methods of teaching. He did a great deal of work for the missionary schools in Fiji and Samoa. Retiring from the position of provincial in 1941 because of ill-health. Brother Benignus was last year appointed provincial bursar in charge of the general business of the New Zealand province.