Marists in the southwest Pacific put pope’s “Laudato Si” into practice

Inspired by Pope Francis' teachings in his second encyclical, “Laudato Si,” Marist groups in Nouméa (New Caledonia) have undertaken a tree-planting campaign on Mount Ouen Toro. Ouen Toro is a registered and protected area, now undergoing a development plan to preserve and restore the site’s biodiversity, which functions as sort of a “green lung” for Nouméa, according to the latest edition of “SM Bulletin,” a weekly newsletter for Marist confrères. 

NOTE: Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy’s academic-program management and Catholic sponsorship is by the Marist Fathers.

In his 2015 encyclical letter, “Laudato Si,” Pope Francis called for a widespread responsibility for the planet. He writes: “There is a nobility in the duty to care for creation through little daily actions, and it is wonderful how education can bring about real changes in lifestyle. 

“Education in environmental responsibility can encourage ways of acting which directly and significantly affect the world around us, such as avoiding the use of plastic and paper, reducing water consumption, separating refuse, cooking only what can reasonably be consumed, showing care for other living beings, using public transport or car-pooling, planting trees, turning off unnecessary lights, or any number of other practices. 

“We must not think that these efforts are not going to change the world. They benefit society, often unbeknown to us, for they call forth a goodness which, albeit unseen, inevitably tends to spread.”  

More on the Marists in New Caledonia: The Marists first arrived in New Caledonia in December of 1843. They were led by Bishop Guillaume Douarre, s.m., who was a coadjutor of Bishop Pierre Bataillon, the first Vicar Apostolic of Central Oceania, based in Wallis.

The first mission was established at Balade, with the first mass celebrated there on Christmas Day 1843. The mission of Puebo followed in 1847. There were many setbacks, including the attack on the mission of Balade and the killing of Br. Blaise Marmoiton in 1847.

After persistent efforts by Bishop Douarre and his missionaries, over 30 mission stations and facilities were steadily established throughout the New Caledonian mainland, the Loyalty Islands, Belep and the Isles of Pines, which was the first permanent mission station.

Marist missionaries were involved not only in direct pastoral work, but many also made significant scientific, ethnographic and linguistic studies. They served leprosariums and seminary education for local clergy was carried out in Canala and later at Paita. New Caledonia became a full diocese in 1966, with Archbishop Pierre Martin, s.m., being the first Archbishop of Noumea.

Since 1843, more than 170 Marist missionaries have worked in the Oceania Marist Province in the New Caledonia Region. 


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About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDPMA is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.



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