Tuesday 26 September 2017

Floriade Canberra

We had a quick day trip to Canberra to view Floriade, the spring flower festival in the national capital.










Mexico Earthquake Fundraiser

On Sunday night we attended a fundraiser event for the Mexico earthquake victims. Latino music, Mexican food and much generosity from the Sydney Latino community. Good for us to be a part of it.


Friday 22 September 2017

Our Vision as Lavalla200>


This is our call:



  • A SIGNIFICANT EVANGELIZING PRESENCE AMONG CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN SITUATIONS OF VULNERABILITY, where others do not go, giving them prominence and defending their rights. 


  • GLOBAL AVAILABILITY: by creating a new mentality and a new attitude, looking beyond the usual horizons of our administrative units and regions, and opening up to the possibilities of international collaboration for mission.



  • INTERCULTURALITY: Marist international communities, which promote within themselves a communion of cultures and an appreciation of their diversity, as well as their integration in the context in which they are located.



  • A SIGNIFICANT LIFE: through its gospel quality and through the fraternal witness of the communities, which can take different forms according to the membership (brothers, laity, other congregations...)



  • AN EMPHASIS ON SPIRITUALITY: a clear commitment to enter more deeply into our spiritual experience, paying particular attention to the mystical and prophetic dimensions of our Marist life. 


Thursday 21 September 2017

Trip to Mittagong

Our first visit as a community to Mittagong (and Argie's & Rodri's first ever visit) happened today.



 This historic structure (Hayshed) is about to be demolished.






Tuesday 19 September 2017

Donation to MLZ

A generous friend of Denise Long's, Nancy Lagudi, donated a dining table, six chairs and a rocking chair to Marist Learning Zone. Not sure exactly how we will use these gifts but they were gratefully received.



Visit of Juliana Kittel and Alvaro SepĂșlveda

Last Friday we were pleased to welcome Juliana and her mother Margaret, together with Alvaro to our community. Juliana and Alvaro are members of Lavalla200>, Juliana having completed her formation program in June of this year, while Alvaro was with us in the first group at San Martino in 2016.
It was a most pleasant evening - a good opportunity to farewell Alvaro who returned to Rome on Sunday. Juliana will return to her home in Adelaide within a few days, having completed her internship with a legal firm in Sydney. She and her mother stayed in Mascot, conveniently empty as both Ken and Peter are in Columbia for the General Chapter. Juliana now waits for her visa to Brazil where she will be a member of the Tabatinga Lavalla200> community.


Wednesday 13 September 2017

Marist Learning Zone Poster


This poster describes our work at Marist Learning Zone:






Visit of Robert Aitken

Today Robert Aitken came to visit the community for lunch and had a quick visit with us to Marist Learning Zone.


Tuesday 12 September 2017

Baabayn opens its new centre

We were pleased to attend the official opening of the new Baabayn Centre this morning. About 150 people attended. We are honoured to be always welcome at Baabayn and pleased to be able to volunteer there.


Sunday 10 September 2017

Our garden

Today Noy and Lawrie planted some spring vegetables in our small garden:  spring onions, capsicums, lettuce and chillis.  The snow peas, planted some weeks back,  are just about ready to flower. Can't wait for more fresh vegetables.


Saturday 2 September 2017

Visit of Angel and Jeff

Angel and Jeff are in Australia at the moment and are spending this week with us. We also hosted the Holy Family communities at our home . 16 people for dinner.



Bicentenary Paintings

The bicentenary paintings, "Lavalla200" and "May Miracle" are doing the round of communities and are here in our house for the next week.



Spit Bridge to Manly

Last day of winter so Lawrie and Noynoy took advantage of the warm day to wal this classic route between Spit Bridge and Manly.




New Leader for MLZ ... October 20

Mr John Phillips, formerly a staff member at Parramatta Marist, has been appointed as the new head of Marist Learning Zone. He will bring ...